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The proliferation of platforms and formats like short-videos have changed the influencer marketing game for marketers, brands and creators. In this fast-evolving space, keep up with the big trends and hot topics that matter in Storyboard18’s Weekly Shorts in collaboration with <a href="https://www.affable.ai/">affable.ai</a>, an end-to-end AI-powered influencer marketing platform. Track how creators, communities and brands are engaging with users and disrupting marketing to get a sharp and fast insight into present and future trends.


Repurposing influencer content allows you to boost the virality of your existing pieces while spending less time on content creation. Plus, with techniques like cross-promotion and influencer whitelisting, you create a solid omnipresence for your brand, leading to more sales and higher returns.


Leading brands like Gymshark, Neutrogena, Fenty Beauty, and Glossier repackage top-performing creator pieces into new blog posts, videos, and product images instead of sharing studio-shot staged content.


1. Use IGC to amp up your social media game 

A. Reshare IGC on brand-owned social pages

Attract top funnel customers by sharing the influencer-generated content on your branded social pages. Reshare reels, posts, or even stories shared by influencers and tag the respective creator. 


Example: Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty 

When it comes to repurposing influencer content, the famous cruelty-free skincare brand Fenty Beauty does a fantastic job. They often share influencer-generated reels and posts on their Instagram page and tag the creators. 



In one of the videos, makeup influencer Linasha is completing her sleek makeup look with the Fenty Beauty lipstick. The video amassed over 77k likes from her followers. A month later, Fenty Beauty shared the same video on their IG profile, tagging the influencer @linnygd to reach new prospective customers. 


B. Reuse IGC for social media ads 


Consumers usually ignore the branded ads. Mostly because they feel being sold to and cannot relate to the ad content. Reusing influencer content for social media ads is the best way to share relatable adverts with your audience. The ads sound more promising, with influencers sharing their honest product reviews. 


Example: Gymshark 


Gymshark, the fitness apparel giant, has cracked the code for impactful social media advertising. Instead of sharing studio-shot content, the brand prefers raw, influencer-created content for its social ads. 



In the above Instagram reel, @whatemwore, the fashion influencer and Gymshark ambassador, shares different ways to style the brand’s outfits. To immediately boost the reach of the content and tell the audience about their new outfit launch, Gymshark repurposed the Instagram reel into a carousel post for their social ad the same day. This helped the brand show its products being used in real life, winning more credibility with the audience without directly selling to them. 


Run creator licensing or whitelisted ads 


Creator licensing (or influencer whitelisting) is an even more powerful way to reach your target audience. The strategy involves running social media ads from the influencer’s profile. Once authorized by influencers, you can whitelist their posts, videos, and stories and turn them into ads. The interesting thing here is that the ads are run from the influencer’s account and not the brand’s, which expands your audience base, boosts engagement and amplifies your ROI. 


Let’s understand this strategy through an example. 


Example: Neutrogena 


In July 2023, Neutrogena's cosmetics and hair care company collaborated with mom influencer Ashley Bloomfield to create content featuring their new sunscreen spray. 


She shared her honest review of the product through a GRWM video, which the brand whitelisted after 10 days. They reused the reel to run Meta ads from her profile. The get ready with me (GRWM) style videos feel more like a chat with a friend over a video call rather than an advertisement, which is a great way to build a sense of community among the target demographic. 



2. Create compelling social proof for your website


Social media is an essential advertising channel to reach your target audience. But so is your website. After discovering you on social media, consumers move on to your website for additional product information. This is where you can turn these prospective customers into loyal fans. Reuse content pieces to enhance your website: 


Case studies 


Landing page 


Blog visuals 


Reviews and testimonials 


Example: Interior Define 


Interior Define is a home decor brand that provides customized furniture to customers and uses its content to create social proof for its products. 



In 2021, designer and photographer @jilliansipkins shared an image of the brand-new furniture she received from Interior Define. The post shows the product the brand promised and the product she received, making it a perfect testimonial for the brand. 


3. Warm up your email marketing leads


Influencer-generated content makes for stunning email testimonials. Research reveals that over 85 percent of consumers say authenticity plays a big part in choosing brands. Influencers can make your emails seem more authentic than a sales attempt. 


Here’s how you can reuse influencer content in emails: 


Written testimonials 


GIFs created out of a video 


Images of the product being used 


Links to the original posts 


Collaboration announcements 


Storytelling newsletters 


Example: Fetching Fields 


Fetching Fields, a wellness pet product company, shared a touching email using influencer-generated content. In the email, Fetching Fields showcases the bond nano influencer Amanda Chase has with her pup Henry and why she prefers Fetching Fields treats for him. The repurposed content includes influencer images and quotes that keep the customer experience as the focus point rather than talking about the brand, which is way more effective than a promotional approach. 



4. Add value to your product pages
 

Product page images are the first thing your customer sees to get an idea of how the product looks like, what it does, and how it is used. These images must hook your customers and convince them to buy the product before they research further. Repurposing influencer content is the best way to add value to your product pages and drive more clicks and conversions. 


Example: Reef 

Reef includes influencer and user-generated content in each of their product pages. The influencer-shot videos show why the shoe collection can be a valuable purchase for customers. While repurposing existing content created by influencers can display product features more engagingly, it also reduces the additional costs of hiring models for product shoots. 



5. Take your branding beyond digital channels 


Putting influencer faces across outdoor advertising channels helps you connect with customers instantly. When customers see a familiar face using the product, they form a connection with the brand, increasing foot traffic and sales. Flaunt your influencer content through: 


Print Media 

Billboards 

Product Packaging 

In-store displays 


Example: Kylie Skin and Glossier
 
The two cosmetics giants, Kylie Jenner and Glossier, know the secret sauce to entice their offline customers - mixing out-of-home advertising and influencer marketing. They know that using the faces of influencers, beauty gurus, and makeup artists can help them create a solid online and offline presence. 


While Glossier reuses the exact content shared by influencers, Kylie Skin features the beauty mogul and Founder of the brand, Kylie Jenner, on their billboards, which seem way more engaging than the flawless photoshopped model images. 


This week's Weekly Shorts is written by the editorial desk of <a href="https://www.affable.ai/">affable.ai</a>.

Weekly Shorts: Strategies for repackaging influencer content

The proliferation of platforms and formats like short-videos have changed the influencer marketing game for marketers, brands and creators. In this fast-evolving space, keep up with the big trends and hot topics that matter in Storyboard18’s Weekly Shorts in collaboration with <a href="https://www.affable.ai/">affable.ai</a>, an end-to-end AI-powered influencer marketing platform. Track how creators, communities and brands are engaging with users and disrupting marketing to get a sharp and fast insight into present and future trends.


It is not a new concept that brands providing food and beverage services have influencers on board to promote new offerings, discounts, loyalty programs, and more. McDonald's is a prime example, but there are others as well. So, why not learn influencer strategies from some of these brands that excel at running campaigns?


Five proven influencer strategies to promote your food and beverage services 


1. Introduce influencer-favorite meals


Earlier this year, Chipotle launched two new menu items - Fajita Quesadilla Hack and Keithadilla - inspired by TikTok influencers Keith Lee and Alexis Frost's custom orders. 


Lee and Frost shared videos of enjoying the Steak Quesadilla with Fajita veggies, DIY honey vinaigrette, and sour cream dressing. The videos went viral, generating over 30 million views, 3 million likes, and 69.5k shares on TikTok. Since this hack was not an official menu item on the brand's digital ordering channels, Chipotle introduced the meal on its digital menu to capitalize on the viral interest of consumers, driving more traffic and sales for their food and beverage services.


Influencers, like celebrities, have loyal fans who admire their lifestyle and choices in food, drinks, travel spots, or other products and services. Launching their favorite meal is one of the best influencer strategies to:


Tap into the influencer's loyal fan base and drive them to purchase. 

Go viral on social media.
 
Increase in-store traffic. 

Skyrocket your revenue. 


2. Conquer the metaverse with gaming influencers 


When it comes to marketing food and beverage services, effective brand positioning is the key. Since the metaverse is the new hangout spot for the young generation, it is where your brand should be positioning itself. Gaming influencers can help you do that. 


Chipotle leveraged the gaming influencers to launch its first Roblox game. They introduced a virtual lookalike of their restaurant in the metaverse to increase holiday sales around Halloween in 2021. The game allows players to win exciting promo codes and rewards for free food when ordering from Chipotle. 

To stir pre-launch hype for the game, Chipotle turned to gaming influencers. Several YouTube gamers shared videos featuring the game explaining how it works, amassing over 850 K views collectively. The videos encouraged viewers to get their free burrito from their nearest restaurant. 


Whether you're a Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) or a food delivery app, gaming influencers can help you win loyal customers. Gamers have close connections to the gaming community, who value their recommendations. These influencers share unedited raw content with their audience, which makes them seem more authentic. They are likely to get through to the audience and win their trust. 


3. Invest in influencer podcasts

 
Have you ever wondered how podcasts fueled the growth of the billion-dollar meal kit delivery service HelloFresh? Investing heavily in podcasts, HelloFresh started it soon after it jumped into the influencer marketing bandwagon.


The brand sponsored some of the most listened-to podcasts, including F**kface, Top Five, and Mile Higher, hosted by well-known influencers like Geoff Ramsey, Gavin Free, Kendall Rae, and more. With thousands of followers on social media, these podcast hosts' voices hold value in their community. 


Podcasts engage the audience and encourage them to take action, especially influencer-hosted podcasts. Influencers connect with their community through authentic audio content, which can be leveraged by brands offering food and beverage services to lure in new customers. 


The hosts share a host-read ad (an ad written and read by the podcast host) about what HelloFresh is, why they like it, and how it can help their listeners prepare fresh food without hassle. 



4. Craft an influencer mix to spotlight specific customer segments' unique pain points


Brands and marketers know they must pick influencers who resonate with their target audience, but very few can follow them. Some are probably unaware of the metrics required to identify the right influencers and tools, like influencer marketing platforms that streamline the entire process of connecting you with the influencers and their followers. 


Those brands using the right tactics have seen remarkable results. Take, for example, Blue Apron, one of the top food and beverage services brands. It went for a creative influencer marketing approach. The brand picked influencers according to their customer pain points to effectively target specific segments and stand out among competitors. They hired influencers representing each segment to connect with the community better. 


Here are the top customer pain points and the influencers they collaborated with:


Parents - Mom, dad, and family influencers 


Blue Apron targets busy parents who don't get the time to cook delicious family dinners. So, to target working parents, the brand collaborates with mommy bloggers and dad influencers to promote their "Fast and Easy" and "Family-friendly" meal plans. 


Diabetics - Dietitians, nutritionists, health experts 

Blue Apron has a specific meal plan for people suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes. To promote these nutritionist-approved recipes to prospective customers, they rely on expert influencers or key opinion leaders like dietitians, doctors, and more who share advice on managing blood sugar levels. 


Entrepreneurs - Founders and business owners


In addition to busy parents, they also target business owners who cannot make time to prepare and cook a proper meal. The brand partners with entrepreneurs to tap into their community of working professionals and brand owners. 


5. Go beyond Instagram and TikTok creators 


TikTok and Instagram are the top choices when it comes to influencer marketing. But Twitch is increasingly gaining momentum. Twitch allows users to stream live game streams, esports tournaments, music broadcasts, and "in real life" video content. Such content enables you to endorse food and beverage services among a particular community tied together due to the same interests. 


Take Starbucks, for example. The multinational coffeehouse collaborated with Twitch influencer Harry Mack to host a one-hour live Twitch "Reverse Roast" so that fans could join in the fun. With light-hearted, fun conversations, Mack helped the at-home coffee drinkers learn more about Starbucks' upcoming coffee products. 


Since consumers now demand more tailor-made content, this is a great strategy to take personalization to the next level and evoke interest in your brand. Mack recommended each viewer their own coffee flavor based on their self-description as "vibrant," "confident," and more. 


While Twitch is an excellent platform for all business types, it works especially great for highlighting your food and beverage services. The younger customers like to know the vibe of a place before they visit it. Inviting Twitch influencers to your restaurants can showcase an authentic vibe with your target audience. 



This week's Weekly Shorts is written by the editorial desk of <a href="https://www.affable.ai/">affable.ai</a>

Weekly Shorts: Influencer marketing strategies for food and beverage services

The proliferation of platforms and formats like short-videos have changed the influencer marketing game for marketers, brands and creators. In this fast-evolving space, keep up with the big trends and hot topics that matter in Storyboard18’s Weekly Shorts in collaboration with <a href="https://www.affable.ai/">affable.ai</a>, an end-to-end AI-powered influencer marketing platform. Track how creators, communities and brands are engaging with users and disrupting marketing to get a sharp and fast insight into present and future trends.


With the holiday season approaching, you might be wondering how to team up with influencers in creative ways to achieve your marketing goals. The usual approaches like sending gifts to influencers, product seeding, or unboxing are tried-and-true methods. But what's fresh and exciting for this holiday shopping season? Our holiday season 2023 playbook delves deeper into the best strategies to maximize your holiday sales. Here’s five strategies you can follow. 


Kick things off by seamlessly featuring your products in influencer videos. Sometimes, less talk and more action pique curiosity about your product. Alternatively, consider letting influencers organize contests, collaborate on gift guides, offer virtual shopping experiences and more.


Integrating your product organically during the random influencer conversation video
 

Integrating your product organically during a random influencer conversation video is a smart and effective marketing strategy. Instead of forcefully promoting your product, this approach involves incorporating it naturally into the flow of the video content. 

The key advantage of this approach is its authenticity. When viewers see a product being used or discussed naturally within the context of a video, it doesn't come across as a blatant advertisement. This makes it more relatable and trustworthy.

An example is of Romana sharing a candid moment where she's doing her makeup while talking about her baby girl and her family. As she applies her foundation, she mentions using the @BPerfect Cosmetics foundation and pairing it with a brush from @Dollbeauty_manchester. She enthusiastically expresses that the combination is a "chef's kiss" and tells viewers that the foundation brush is back in stock. She mentions the @HNB Cosmetics concealer, remarking that it speaks for itself and doesn't need further explanation.

The approach keeps viewers engaged and interested in the content, while authentically mentioning the products - a more impactful strategy than advertising. 


Interactive challenges and contests


Engage your audience with interactive challenges or contests related to holiday themes. It helps by encouraging user-generated content and creating a sense of community around your brand. For example, an influencer could ask their followers to share their most creative holiday decorations with a brand's product in them. This approach can encourage engagement and promote user-generated content involving the brand's product.

Recently, Purrfect Little Art, a charming handmade stationery shop, introduced an exciting "Guess the Theme" contest for the holiday season. In this interactive event, participants are invited to test their creative guessing skills by attempting to unravel the mystery behind the upcoming collection's theme. This contest engages the audience and fosters interaction, creating a buzz of excitement around the upcoming collection.


Festive storytelling and behind-the-scenes
 

Craft relatable holiday stories that incorporate the brand's product, providing a behind-the-scenes look at how your product enhances the influencer's holiday experiences. For instance, an influencer could share the story of how a product made their holiday meal preparation more comfortable or how a product brought joy to their pet.

KitchenAid, a kitchen appliance brand, partnered with food bloggers and influencers to share behind-the-scenes holiday cooking stories. The influencers posted in-depth tutorials and step-by-step videos demonstrating how KitchenAid appliances made their holiday meal preparations easier and more enjoyable, highlighting the benefits and value of their appliances during the holiday shopping season.
4. DIY and holiday hacks

Promoting DIY and holiday hacks that feature your product as a solution to common holiday challenges is a strategic approach. By showcasing creative ways to use your product during the season, you provide value to customers and position your product as an essential tool for holiday activities. 

For instance, Yankee Candle, a candle brand popular for its range of scents, partnered with lifestyle influencers to showcase the versatility of its candles in creating DIY holiday decor. The selected influencers created and shared inspiring content featuring Yankee Candle products. They demonstrated creating festive centerpieces, table settings, and decor pieces using the candles.


Virtual events and live demonstrations

Host virtual events or live sessions where influencers showcase the brand's product in real-time, leveraging the trend of virtual gatherings during the holiday sales. For products like makeup, virtual live sessions and try-on tools can enable influencers to demonstrate how to try on or apply each product. These experiences can boost the personal shopping experience, delivering a sense of fun and excitement to the audience.

L'Oreal Paris collaborated with influencers for a promotional campaign showcasing their newly launched virtual makeup try-on tool. With this innovative tool, customers can virtually test various makeup shades and products. As part of the campaign, influencers were invited to experiment with different makeup looks using the tool and share their experiences and results on social media.


This week's Weekly Shorts is written by the editorial desk of <a href="https://www.affable.ai/">affable.ai</a>.

Weekly Shorts: Five influencer-brand strategies for maximizing sales

The proliferation of platforms and formats like short-videos have changed the influencer marketing game for marketers, brands and creators. In this fast-evolving space, keep up with the big trends and hot topics that matter in Storyboard18’s Weekly Shorts in collaboration with affable.ai, an end-to-end AI-powered influencer marketing platform. Track how creators, communities and brands are engaging with users and disrupting marketing to get a sharp and fast insight into present and future trends.

Every year, brands go out of their way to create exciting Halloween campaign ideas to captivate holiday season shoppers. For them, Halloween influencers are the go-to advertising channels. Influencers, with their authentic connections and relatable content, help you maximize holiday sales. Take Chipotle's Roblox influencer campaign, for example. 

In 2021, Chipotle celebrated the 21st anniversary of its Chipotle Boorito Halloween campaign by foraying into the metaverse with influencers. The brand created a virtual restaurant game with Roblox. The influencers started exciting conversations with their followers to create buzz before the launch. 

Chipotle also invited Roblox or gaming influencers to play the game ahead of the launch. They released YouTube videos on the launch day to explain to followers how it works. The results: Chipotle earned over 8 million visits to the virtual restaurant, 4.6+ billion PR impressions, and 50k+ social mentions. 

Since we're stepping into September already, this is the perfect time for you to begin planning your Halloween influencer marketing campaign. So, to help you begin planning, we have broken down the best Halloween influencer campaigns towards the end of the article to get your creative juices flowing. 

So why wait? Let's dig in! 

1. NYX Professional Makeup - Taking inspiration from fictional characters 

L'Oreal cosmetics brand NYX Professional Makeup is widely known for its out-of-the-box influencer marketing campaigns. They often partner with globally trending makeup influencers and use their content for their organic social media content and creator licensing ads. The Halloween 2022 campaign was no different. 

The brand partnered with makeup Halloween influencers, including @kaylinnbihari, @maddys.makeup, @justaiming, and more from all over the world to promote their limited edition products like lip lingerie, marshmallow primer, and plump setting spray. The influencers dressed up as the fictional characters from Cirque Du Soleil, a no-animal character-driven circus in Las Vegas. The Halloween makeup looks inspired several consumers to create their makeup looks for Halloween using the brand's products. 

Many customers imitated the looks shared by the Halloween influencers, creating tons of UGC for the company. NYX shared this content on their social media page to boost holiday sales. 


2. Spirit Halloween - Partnering with a mix of influencers
 

Spirit Halloween, the Halloween pop-up shop in the USA, collaborates with Halloween influencers to spread the word about their costumes and home decor accessories. 

In 2022, they collaborated with a mix of Halloween campaign fashion, makeup, mom, dance, and niche Halloween influencers. The campaign started in late September and ran till the holiday to hype up their target audience and make them aware of Spirit Halloween products. The influencers showcased the products in fun and creative ways while relating to their audience in their own way. 

For example, @merrickhanna shared quick and fun transitions to spotlight his Halloween outfit ideas inspired by the brand's clothing collection. Mom influencer @twomomsandthebabes dressed up her family as famous Toy Story characters and posted an image posing right in front of the Spirit Halloween store to boost in-store traffic. On the other hand, @annieeebewitch shared an unboxing video of her favorite decor items from the store. 


3. Heinz - Creating a fictional character for the occasion 


The USA-based ketchup brand Heinz went all out for its 2022 Halloween campaign. They collaborated with actor, comedian, and entertainment influencer EJ Marcus to relaunch their limited-edition tomato blood ketchup for Halloween.

For the campaign, Marcus dressed up as Toby - The Vegetarian Vampire who follows a veggie diet and eats only tomato blood rather than human blood. Heinz shared the adventures of the vampire on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitch to reach a mass audience. They also partnered with TikTok creators and asked them to share creative videos of how they use tomato blood for Halloween-themed recipes, decorations, and outfits. 

This Halloween campaign was a hit on TikTok, especially as it inspired other creators to share their creative videos using the product. The #heinztomatoblood currently has over 1.2 million views. 


4. Hot Topic - Going with good old product seeding campaigns 


Hot Topic went for a product seeding campaign for Halloween 2022. They gave Halloween costumes to micro-influencers like musicians and models, who often dress up like famous characters, cartoons, vampires, and more. Seeing their type of content, they seemed like the perfect choice for the brand to showcase their Halloween costumes. The influencers used the products to create inspiring Halloween outfit ideas and shared static posts, stories, and Reels featuring with their followers. 
 

5. Target - Enticing the early shoppers with in-store shopping videos 


The USA-based retail chain, Target, in 2022, aimed to attract early Halloween shoppers by releasing a TikTok campaign in mid-September. The brand partnered with TikTok creator Dalia Elizabeth to create a Halloween shopping video on their channel. 

The video featured the influencer shopping for her favorite decor and gifting items for the Halloween season. Since the campaign started in early September, it created immense engagement, encouraging people to share videos of their Halloween product collection from Target. This resulted in tons of quality user-generated content, creating social proof for the brand. 


This week's Weekly Shorts is written by the editorial desk of <a href="https://www.affable.ai/">affable.ai</a>

Weekly Shorts: Trick or treat? Best Halloween influencer marketing campaigns

Find the list of top holiday influencers in India to run Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas marketing campaigns.

Whether you are in the final stages of locking down your influencer marketing campaign for the 2023 holiday shopping season or still in the contemplation phase, one thing is clear — choosing the right holiday influencers to amplify your enticing Halloween, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, and even Diwali deals stands as the pivotal task.

<a href="https://www.affable.ai/">Affable.ai</a> sifted through 134.8k Instagram influencer profiles in India to identify holiday influencers who partnered with brands in 2022 to promote holiday sales deals. Brands reached out to influencers in different product categories, such as fashion, lifestyle, health and wellness.

Devansh Kamboj (@devanshkamboj, 126k followers) 

Devansh Kamboj, a mid-tier content creator, has successfully partnered with several renowned brands. What truly distinguishes Kamboj as one of the holiday influencers is his knack for deeply engaging his audience in a country where Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are relatively nascent. He joined forces with Amazon India for the Black Friday deal in 2022. He has worked with Myntra, Oakpinion PR and Zara which makes 43 percent of his overall content branded. 

Vipul Juneja (@vipul_juneja, 649k followers) 

Vipul, a mega influencer, has built an impressive following focusing on fashion and lifestyle. In 2022, when H&M introduced their Black Friday deal in India, Vipul was one of the influencers who effectively showcased their winter collection. Through his previous partnership with Flipkart, Myntra, Celio, Guess, Zara, Ray Ban, Mango, and Prada, Vipul generated a 5.43 percent engagement rate. It shows his skills to captivate followers from India, Venezuela, Turkey and the Philippines. 

Nadia Singh (@twinstars_meera_gaura, 108k followers) 

With content centered around parenting, fitness, food, and beauty topics, Nadia Singh could generate an engagement rate of 9.34 percent. It made her an ideal choice for several brands to recruit her as one of the holiday influencers. Amazon is one of them that reached out to her to promote its #FoundItOnAmazon campaign. Through her Instagram posts, she endorsed various Amazon products and a diverse range of kid collections. Other brands like Foxtale and Dermaco India also featured their sales on her feed, allowing her audience to access exclusive discounts and offers.

Tavishi Yeptho (@tavveey, 47.1k followers) 

Tavishi Yeptho collaborated with Daniel Wellington in 2022 to promote its Black Friday deals. Being a fashion and lifestyle influencer with a 4.53 percent engagement rate, she was the apt choice for the holiday marketing campaign. Yeptho provided her followers with a discount code for watches and jewelry. Besides promoting holiday sales, she has teamed up with various brands, which takes her branded content to almost 22 percent. 

Vibha Sharma (@vibhasharma23, 6,160 followers) 

After micro-influencers, nano-influencers have become one of the most sought-after categories for collaborations. Reflecting this trend, Bummer, an innerwear company, partnered with Vibha Sharma to endorse their products last Christmas. This strategic collaboration with Vibha, an Indian nano-influencer, demonstrates the brand's recognition of the authenticity and engagement these influencers can bring. In line with her impressive engagement rate of 5.93 percent, Sharma excels in producing captivating content that centers around fitness and fashion. Her estimated reach and impressions are 1.23k and 1.85k, respectively.


This Weekly Shorts is written by the editorial desk of <a href="https://www.affable.ai/">affable.ai.</a>

Weekly Shorts: Tap the right holiday influencers during festive and winter season

The proliferation of platforms and formats like short-videos have changed the influencer marketing game for marketers, brands and creators. In this fast-evolving space, keep up with the big trends and hot topics that matter in Storyboard18’s Weekly Shorts in collaboration with <a href="https://www.affable.ai/">affable.ai</a>, an end-to-end AI-powered influencer marketing platform. Track how creators, communities and brands are engaging with users and disrupting marketing to get a sharp and fast insight into present and future trends.

Influencer brand trips are excellent for generating a positive buzz for your brand, provided you plan them accurately. 

Are influencer trips worth it? Many marketers are questioning the effectiveness of influencer brand trips after the Tarte Cosmetics and Shein controversy. The two brands recently faced backlash from the social media community that bruised their brand reputation. 

Shein was recently in the limelight for organizing an influencer trip to one of its factories in China. The influencer trip was an attempt to whitewash the brand's reputation as a company that makes a fortune by exploiting laborers and the environment. 

The campaign did the opposite of what the company had planned. The influencers who posted about the trip on their page faced negative comments and feedback from their followers. Social media users shared memes mocking Shein's attempt to turn around its negative image. 

Similarly, a couple of months ago, Tarte made the headlines for an influencer trip to Dubai. Tarte, a cosmetics and skincare company, invited a group of creators to Dubai to promote their latest products. 

But some creators, particularly women of color, felt they were not being treated the same way as their white counterparts. The issue took a public turn when the creator took to social media to share her experience of being given the smallest hotel room among all the influencers. It led to a wave of criticism aimed at Tarte.

The two influencer campaigns prove that blindly following a trend is not the key to authentic marketing. Well-planned and researched influencer brand trips are worth the investment as they offer you an authentic way to connect with your target customers, explain experts in affable.ai's latest Influencer Marketing Spring Report 2023: Personal and Meaningful Content Takes Center Stage. 

Michaela Melo, marketing manager, Musician Authority, a website for music learning, says, "Inviting influencers to experience the brand first hand provides them with an immersive and authentic understanding of the products or services. This personal connection helps build trust and credibility among the influencers' followers." 

Plus, influencers share their journey all over social media when they go on trips, building mass awareness, starting meaningful conversations, and offering a fresh perspective for your brand's storytelling. 

So how can brands turn influencer brand trips into profitable tactics? The key lies in optimal planning and thorough research. Stick to the following steps to make your influencer trips worth the money. 

1. Thoroughly research the market to see if your consumers enjoy such content.

2. Weigh the pros and cons.

3. Plan the trip considering your goal, budget, and the influencers you select.

4. Check the authenticity and professionalism of influencers. 

5. Evaluate the fairness and inclusivity of the trip


This Weekly Shorts is written by the editorial desk of <a href="https://www.affable.ai/">affable.ai</a>

Weekly Shorts: Influencer brand trip: effective or controversial?

The proliferation of platforms and formats like short-videos have changed the influencer marketing game for marketers, brands and creators. In this fast-evolving space, keep up with the big trends and hot topics that matter in Storyboard18’s Weekly Shorts in collaboration with <a href="https://www.affable.ai/">affable.ai</a>, an end-to-end AI-powered influencer marketing platform. Track how creators, communities and brands are engaging with users and disrupting marketing to get a sharp and fast insight into present and future trends.

How to keep your brand safe while running influencer campaigns? 


Influencer marketing has grown so much that French lawmakers passed a bill in June 2023 to regulate influencers. Prohibiting the promotion of medical procedures, devices, and even betting and gambling — influencers and brands will now have to follow specific legal guidelines in the country. 

So, more than ever before, you need to be aware of the influencer marketing legal issues when running a campaign. Like, in 2022, Kim Kardashian, America’s most successful social media influencer, was sued for $1.26 million for promoting cryptocurrency on social media without disclosing how much payment she received for the endorsement from EthereumMax. 

The lawsuit reminds brands and influencers to adhere to influencer marketing legal guidelines. As more and more brands dive into influencer marketing, it has become essential for them to practice authentic influencer advertising on social media. 

How to keep your brands safe from influencer marketing legal issues?

1. Perform thorough market research

Understanding the market you wish to advertise in is the first step in avoiding influencer marketing legal issues. A thorough market research includes an in-depth study of the market trends, the audience, and the geography in which you choose to share your branded content. 

Here’s a list of questions you can answer a thorough market research:

What are the influencer marketing guidelines in the country you want to target? 

What type of content does your target audience prefer? 

What is the brand messaging that you wish to communicate?

What kind of influencers can help you share your brand messaging? 

2. Partner with honest influencers 

Partnering with influencers who are experienced, know their followers’ preferences, only share genuine content, and steer clear from unethical practices ensures safe and honest campaigns. Influencer marketing platforms such as <a href="https://www.affable.ai/">affable.ai</a> provide in-depth insights into an influencer’s community and content. Data such as influencer engagement rates, follower growth, brand affinity, and suspicious follower rate allow brands and agencies to make informed decisions while choosing an influencer. 

3. Draft a detailed influencer contract 

Whether a one-off engagement or a long-term influencer partnership, brands should always have a written agreement with influencers. Here’s a checklist you can use to create your influencer agreement: 

Scope of work 
Branding requirements 
Campaign goals 
Content deliverables 
Preferred social media platform 
Publishing frequency 
Deadlines 
Legal guidelines 
Privacy policies 
Reasons for cancellation or termination 
Intellectual property rights 

4. Encourage influencers to disclose the paid partnership 

Non-disclosure of paid partnerships between brands and influencers is the most prominent influencer marketing legal issue. The Influencer Monitoring Report published by ASA in 2021 states that only 35 percent of influencers disclose material connections with brands in Instagram stories, highlighting the inconsistency in disclosures. Moreover, a 2019 study showed that around 28 percent of influencers were asked by brands not to disclose financial partnerships. 

The brands are responsible for encouraging influencers to disclose paid endorsements to consumers. The best way to do this is by adding this as a clause in your influencer agreement to ensure influencers follow the guidelines. 

5. Avoid using copyrighted content 

Using copyrighted content is another influencer marketing legal issue that can land you a million or even a billion-dollar lawsuit. There are two ways to avoid this: 

A. Ask influencers to create original material 

Ask influencers to use their creativity instead of copying and pasting someone else’s work. You can cross-check the content for plagiarism to be sure. Be it an image, video, or sound, encourage influencers to churn fresh content. 

B. Attain proper licenses for copyright content 

If you have to use copyrighted material like trending songs for creating videos, obtaining a license from the owners is best. Considering the popularity of sound in marketing videos, YouTube Creator Music and TikTok Commercial Music Library have made it easier for brands and influencers to license music and avoid copyright infringement. 

6. Review all influencer posts 

With several examples of growing backlash on influencer content, it is wise to review influencer content before publishing. Amidst the rising debate over providing creative freedom to influencers, it can seem controlling to review influencer content. But to avoid risking your brand reputation, you must review influencer content without making too many edits to keep their creative voice intact. 

This Weekly Shorts is written by the editorial desk of <a href="https://www.affable.ai/">affable.ai</a>

Weekly Shorts: Tips for authentic influencer marketing strategies

The proliferation of platforms and formats like short-videos have changed the influencer marketing game for marketers, brands and creators. In this fast-evolving space, keep up with the big trends and hot topics that matter in Storyboard18’s Weekly Shorts in collaboration with <a href="https://www.affable.ai/">affable.ai</a>, an end-to-end AI-powered influencer marketing platform. Track how creators, communities and brands are engaging with users and disrupting marketing to get a sharp and fast insight into present and future trends.


Micro-influencer platforms provide advanced features helping brands to streamline creator search, relationship management, content monitoring and more. 


Micro-influencers have been all the rage in the media for several months. But here's the exciting part: there are these amazing micro-influencer platforms out there that connect you with a bunch of these influencers all at once. You get to choose from a wide range of micro-influencers and reach their dedicated fan bases, who also happen to be your ideal customers.


Let's understand what a micro-influencer platform is and who qualifies as a micro-influencer.


Micro-influencers: A micro-influencer is a social media content creator with a follower count ranging from 10,000 to 50,000. They are known for their highly engaged content, usually in niche areas. Micro-influencers have a loyal audience that trusts their recommendations, making them valuable for targeted influencer marketing campaigns.


Micro-influencer platform: A micro-influencer platform simplifies influencer marketing campaigns for businesses by offering a central database of small-scale influencers across social media platforms. It enables businesses to effectively discover, manage, and track micro-influencer campaigns to promote their products or services, ultimately saving time and resources.


Micro-influencer platforms and their role in influencer marketing 


Initially, micro-influencer platforms were a way for brands to connect with small-scale creators. But as influencer marketing grew in popularity, these platforms evolved to offer more advanced features and tools, going beyond simple matchmaking. These platforms leverage data analytics and machine learning algorithms to help brands find the right influencers for their campaigns. 


The platforms streamline micro-influencer campaign management by identifying fake followers, detecting suspicious activities and managing robust campaigns. 


Benefits of using a micro-influencer platform


The platforms also offer streamlined management tools, allowing brands to manage campaigns efficiently without the hassle of bulk management.


1. Access to an influencer search engine, allowing brands to easily search for influencers based on specific criteria such as interest, location, follower count, and more. 


2. Analyse an influencer's audience demographics, engagement rates, and performance metrics. This can help brands identify the most effective influencers for their campaigns.


3. Robust campaign management by offering campaign management tools, such as scheduling & reporting, and tracking all campaign content.
 

4. Monitor campaign performance with tracking tools that enable brands to identify areas for improvement and adjust their strategies accordingly. 


5. Influencer Relationship Management features to manage communication and connection with creators. 


6. Seamless product deliveries by integrating e-commerce platforms. The micro-influencer platforms sync your Shopify, Magento, and WooCommerce stores to automate product seeding. 


Brands that can benefit from micro influencer platforms


Small and medium-sized businesses: Micro-influencer platforms are a cost-effective choice for small and medium-sized businesses that want to reach a targeted audience without breaking the bank. 


Startups and new ventures: The platforms enable brands to connect with talented and authentic micro-influencers. These small-scale creators can help reach a highly engaged audience and build brand credibility. 


Niche markets and industries: Brands operating in niche markets or industries can benefit from micro-influencer platforms as they offer access to influencers with a highly targeted following. These influencers can help brands to reach a specific audience and establish themselves in the market.


Local and regional brands: Micro-influencer platforms can be particularly useful for local and regional brands that want to increase their visibility and reach within a specific geographic area. By working with local micro-influencers, these brands can tap into the trust and loyalty of their audience and build a strong local presence.


How to get started with a micro-influencer platform - Do's and Don'ts


1. Research the platform's influencer database, their influencer's authenticity and reliability, and how many social media platforms the platform covers. 


2. Analyse the platform's features and capabilities to ensure they align with your campaign goals.


3. Consider the platform's pricing and payment structure to ensure it fits your budget. 


Micro-influencer platforms offer numerous benefits to brands, including time and cost savings, enhanced targeting and audience segmentation, increased engagement and authenticity, and greater control over campaigns. 


This Weekly Shorts is written by the editorial desk of <a href="https://www.affable.ai/">affable.ai</a>

Weekly Shorts: The role of micro-influencer platforms in efficient influencer marketing

The proliferation of platforms and formats like short-videos have changed the influencer marketing game for marketers, brands and creators. In this fast-evolving space, keep up with the big trends and hot topics that matter in Storyboard18’s Weekly Shorts in collaboration with affable.ai, an end-to-end AI-powered influencer marketing platform. Track how creators, communities and brands are engaging with users and disrupting marketing to get a sharp and fast insight into present and future trends.


Authenticity, relatability, and personalization—the three components pilot the influencer marketing trends in 2023. Social media users today crave human experience and emotional bonds with the content creators they follow. They trust influencers who aim for relatable content instead of polished perfection. 


Brands, too, realise the power of meaningful bonds in driving customer purchase decisions. Pizza Hut, Muddy Bites, Canon, and Budweiser are some big-name brands prioritizing authentic influencer content. Be it capturing influencer’s journey using products, organizing influencer brand trips, or executing bizarre YouTube stunts, the journey toward meeting consumers’ demand for authenticity has already commenced. 


In the second quarter of 2023, brands doubled down on authenticity, meaning, and personalization in their content. Here’s a list of the top influencer marketing trends of quarter 2, 2023:


Trend 1: Authenticity over polished perfection with influencers' GRWM personal sound bites

The GRWM (get ready with me) TikTok videos have become more than just makeup tutorials. Influencers create such videos to share personal stories with their community, and build genuine relationships. 

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Trend 2: Is investing in brand trips with influencers worth the hype

Influencer brand trips are excellent for capturing the attention of millions. By organizing vacations to exotic destinations, brands can document the influencer’s journey and gain massive engagement. 

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Trend 3: Extend NIL Influencer Deals Beyond Star Athletes to Other College Students 


Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) is a great way for brands to leverage student-athletes for product promotions. But it is time to go beyond that by partnering with college students from different disciplines. 

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Trend 4: Make way for branded stunt videos powered by YouTube influencers 


While engagement remains an important goal for brands, so is generating awareness. YouTube stunt videos are the perfect way to engage thousands, even millions of people. And while you’re at it, you might break some world records like Muddy Bites and Pizza Hut did! 
‍
Trend 5: Let content creators use your products in real-life situations 

When it comes to creating authentic content, influencer brand ambassadors are the way to go! Influencers who have previously used and talked about your products provide a more honest point of view. Canon used this approach when it hired Emma Chamberlain to showcase her creator journey using its cameras. 

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Trend 6: Hiring content creators as full-time employees

Hiring influencers as brand creative directors enables you to create captivating content on social media. You can tap into their expertise and connections with the followers to create resonating content for your target audience. 

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Trend 7: To edit or not to edit? Assessing the significance of influencer content

The authenticity of influencer content has its limits, which raises the question of whether brands should edit creator content. And how much creative freedom they should provide to the influencers. It all boils down to maintaining a balance between editing and reducing the content’s effectiveness. 

‍
Trend 8: Rise of incubator programs to cultivate influencer talent


Influencer incubator may not be a new concept, but it has certainly picked up pace in the last months. Brands like Sephora and L’Oreal are utilizing these programs to improve content quality. 

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Trend 9: Leverage influencers for effective sound marketing
 

Making content memorable for their audience is a big challenge for brands. This is where sound marketing comes in. Brands launch music videos to increase brand recall and win the younger generation. 

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Trend 10: Growing emphasis on sales-based payment model ior influencers

The sales-based payment model or affiliate program for influencers is a smart move by marketers to navigate the influencer marketing landscape during an economic downturn. It is a cost-effective method to incentivize influencers. 
‍
The creative approaches above allowed brands to capture their values while aligning their USP with the latest trends in influencer marketing. 


This Weekly Shorts is written by the editorial desk of affable.ai

Weekly Shorts: Here are emerging influencer marketing trends of 2023

The proliferation of platforms and formats like short-videos have changed the influencer marketing game for marketers, brands and creators. In this fast-evolving space, keep up with the big trends and hot topics that matter in Storyboard18’s Weekly Shorts in collaboration with <a href="https://www.affable.ai/">affable.ai</a>, an end-to-end AI-powered influencer marketing platform. Track how creators, communities and brands are engaging with users and disrupting marketing to get a sharp and fast insight into present and future trends.


Looking for unique 4th of July promotion ideas? We have a list of five click-worthy influencer campaigns to inspire your strategy.


The 4th of July is indeed an important event for American families. But it is an equally essential marketing opportunity for brands to establish an emotional connection with customers. 


Take, for instance, the case of Away, a renowned American travel retailer. The company made headlines with a unique ad in the New York Times. As part of its 4th of July promotions in 2021, the company published an advertisement with the headline, "If you want to be a better American, get out of America."


The ad stressed that the best way to be a good American is to travel — engage with people from different backgrounds, and foster empathy. The travel company subtly promoted its services by encouraging people to go on vacations frequently.
 

Away is not the only company leveraging the 4th of July holiday to advertise its products. Five leading brands, including American Eagle, Škoda, Bomb Pop, Budweiser, and Old Navy, ran outstanding influencer marketing campaigns on the 4th of July, creating spectacular awareness and engagement. 


1. Škoda - Piggyback on the popularity of competitor brands
 

Škoda adopted a spectacular influencer marketing strategy for its 4th of July promotion campaign in 2022. The Czech automobile manufacturer piggybacked on the popularity of the top three cars in France—Renault, Citroen, and Peugeot, instead of talking about their cars in influencer videos. 


The company collaborated with three YouTube influencers to post YouTube videos featuring test drives of the three competitor cars. But there's a twist. Škoda put up a billboard of its new car, the Škoda Fabia, in the background of each video. 


The campaign set the brand apart from its competitors and made a mark in the mind of the customers, which is essential to do if you're marketing around special events such as the 4th of July. People at such times look to purchase new products. So instead of giving discount offers like everyone else, you can go creative with your influencer campaign. 


2. Bomb Pop - Build influential UGC with TikTok filters 


Bomb Pop, America's most beloved tri-color popsicle, collaborated with GALE, a global business agency, and TikTok to launch a TikTok filter. The #AFlavorForEveryYou campaign attempted to reintroduce the nostalgic treat to the younger generations. The TikTok filter allowed youngsters to connect over things that interest them. Be it reading, dancing, sports, or more, creators shared their interests, building tons of user-generated content (UGC) for the company. 


The campaign created a positive buzz for Bomb Pop right before American Independence Day, leading to an almost 11 percent engagement rate. It also achieved 37.4 million views on its content, according to TikTok for Business. 


3. Budweiser - Approach millennials with star-studded content 


Budweiser, the best-selling American beer brand, targeted the younger demographics for their 4th of July promotions. It launched a music video called Yours To Take in April 2022, featuring an original song sung by Anderson Paak, an American rapper, singer, and producer. 


The music video also featured famous artists, micro-influencers, and go-getters to excite the millennial audience further. Budweiser published individual Instagram posts to highlight the journey to success of these influencers, creating an emotional connection with the audience. 


The "Tomorrow Is #YoursToTake" campaign is not the first attempt by Budweiser to engage the younger segment. The 4th of July ad, Go Fourth, America with Bill Pullman, is an excellent example of using star-studded content to stir patriotism in millennials. 


4. American Eagle - Create hype with OTT stars the summer before the 4th of July 


American Eagle is a fashion store chain targeting Gen Zs and millennials for its summer collection. The brand knows that the younger generation is drawn to its popular products. So they collaborated with the cast of "The Summer I Turned Pretty" to build hype and boost sales around Independence Day 2023. 


The "The Summer of Us" campaign launched by American Eagle boasts partnerships with the three actors of the popular show promoting the brand's clothing line right before the 4th of July. 


5. Old Navy - Foray into the Metaverse with a purpose-driven campaign 


In 2023, Old Navy decided to take its Magic the Dog mascot on Metaverse. The company wanted to commemorate Independence Day and pay tribute to its founding year, 1994. They collaborated with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (a national organisation educating young minds) to create a modern version of Magic—the shelter dog chosen as a mascot for the brand in 1995. 


The collaboration resulted in 1,994 (founding year) non-fungible tokens (NFTs) of Magic sporting Old Navy 4th of July t-shirts. The brand partnered with Heather Parady, influencer and podcast host of The Heather Parady Show to create awareness, educate people, and boost sales around the 4th of July. 



This week’s Weekly Shorts is written by the editorial desk of <a href="https://www.affable.ai/">Affable.ai</a>

WEEKLY SHORTS