The Found Gen

Marketing That Works.

Influencers

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The Death of the Social Media Influencer

Influencers and micro-influencers have been taking social media by storm for years. We’ve all seen the videos of an enthusiastic social media icon unboxing toys, reviewing products, or even giving their own take on current events – expertise be damned! Influencers have proven their ability to shower a business in awareness with their audience, but how valuable is it really? 

There’s been a shift in the way consumers use social media – namely on Instagram. Now more than ever, people want to dig behind the online facade to see the real people behind the captions, hashtags, and sponsored content. Influencers like Emma Chamberlain have pioneered what’s known as “casual Insta”, which is, well, exactly what it sounds like. Instead of the perfectly framed avocado toast and yoga pics, Instagram users are shifting over to posting more relatable and imperfect content.

After everything that’s happened over the past few years in the digital world, people are tired of being sold to on what they should want and where they should spend their money. For the most part, they are going to social media for entertainment and escape.

So will this spell the death of Influencer Marketing? Yes, in the way it has worked for the past few years.  

So, what comes next for Influencer Marketing?

With any luck, we’ll stop seeing videos that start with, “Hey Guys!…”

The truth is no one knows. Relatability is back in style, a new breed of influencer has evolved: the genuinfluencer. Genuinfluencers are sort of like influencers, but their motivations tend to revolve around education, as opposed to engagement.

“Genuinfluencers are less interested in promoting products, and more interested in spreading ideas and truth,” says Evy Lyons, VP of marketing at influencer-marketing platform Traackr. 

For brands that have been leaning heavily on Influencer Marketing, expect to see diminishing returns on what has worked in the past. Focus your marketing dollars on reaching your audience still, but center your campaign on showcasing the value your brand provides – how do you make their life better? Educate them. 

So, while the era of unboxing videos, ads, disingenuous content may be coming to an end, there seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel for education-oriented social media celebs.

#notsponsored

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Content Marketing vs. Influencers: Who Wins the Race for Results?

If content is king, then what do we term the influencer? Upstart cousin, twice-removed, tanned from spending the summer in Portofino, about nineteen million followers, intent on taking over the kingdom? Yep. That sounds about right.

Do you ever find yourself confused about the differences between content marketing and influencer marketing? Are you wondering which approach will best carry your brand to blazing success and maximum exposure? Here’s a helpful primer for you, then.

Content vs Influencer, Defined

First, let’s define the two concepts. Content marketing is the process of creating and distributing valuable, relatable content to attract and engage an audience with the objective of driving profitable customer action. Influencer marketing involves collaborating with a prominent individual (or a group of individuals) to distribute content.

One career path sounds way more exciting, doesn’t it? Who among us doesn’t dream of being an influencer? Earning such a title means we have sway, authority, and even the envy of our millions of followers.

But the problems with relying on influencer marketing are kind of complicated.

When you hand off your brand for someone else to hold, you run the very real risk of diluting your message. Our recommendation is to make sure your brand is strong enough on its own before letting an influencer make it her own. At The Found Gen, our goal is to find brand complements, not competition.

There’s also a lot – a lot, a lot! – of blind faith involved in joining forces with an influencer. Social media changes on a dime, so what guarantees do we have that an influencer will stay on the same message tomorrow as she’s espousing today? We have none.

About the ROI

And what about ROI? An influencer’s amount of followers does not necessarily translate into clicks or sales. We’ve always been swayed by the endorsements of people we admire and idolize, but the internet has blurred what it means to be influential. Sure, we can look at the metrics behind the trending and reach of an influencer, but it’s not a certainty that the strategy will match our brand’s specific goals.

Perhaps most importantly, the problem with influencers is that their very definition is changing at the speed of light. Forget celebrities in the traditional sense. Seventy percent of teen subscribers think YouTubers are more relatable than celebrities.

With 88% of consumers trusting online recommendations as much as personal recommendations, selecting the right influencer seems key. And pricey.

The best strategy is to join forces with an influencer who loves your brand – legitimately, wholly, and passionately. And then get ready to pay. Because influencers are free agents in the content world, always looking for better deals.

If the very thought of an influencer-reliant marketing strategy makes you shudder, we’ve got you. At The Found Gen, we create content that strives to build a loyal, active customer base, affordably and effectively.

Basically, we turn your content into the celebrity. Try us out. Or you could have a go at Lilly Singh, the highest-earning woman on YouTube this year.