AI-Powered Algorithms Evolve the Influencer Landscape Part 2
(Part 2 of a two-part series)
With young consumers having increased expectations of what they want from influencers and more scrutiny on the content they are willing to engage with, we're seeing content become more compelling by leaning into popular hashtags and viral trends and using first-person storytelling formats that draw the viewer in. Therefore, brands must shift what influencers they consider working with when it comes to branded content on social media and consider more than just follower count.
This is the second article in our two-part series on how to find the right influencers to partner with. In Part One, we discussed in detail how virality and creating engaging content is based on an influencer's ability to captivate audiences with entertaining content, not by maintaining a high follower count. Below, we explore three ways a brand can reframe its search criteria when seeking new social media partners to represent your brand
START Using Engagement Rates STOP Leaning on Follower Counts as Success Metrics
Sabrina Bahsoon was relatively unknown on TikTok in 2020, where she posted about her life in London as a student, dancing and lipsyncing to trending audio. In August 2023, she filmed herself dancing and lip-synching to "Where Them Girls At" on the London Tube. This and two videos posted shortly after received almost 70M views, triggered a global dance revolution, and created a new storytelling format on TikTok #tubegirl and #tubegirleffect that has been used over 2 billion times. While she has amassed many followers since her videos went viral, her TikTok account has less than a million followers. Yet, she can drive high engagement for her brand partnerships with Boss and Valentino. Sabrina's NYC subway video for MAC received over 5M views and over 500K likes, comments, and shares.
STOP Category-Specific Influencer Focus START Wider Search Across Diversified Categories
e.l.f. Beauty's "Show your(s)e.l.f." campaign diverges from traditional influencer partnerships by collaborating with unconventional voices. The series spotlights individuals like Anastasia “Tas” Pagonis, a blind paralympic swimmer and world record holder, who embodies positivity and inclusivity in the beauty industry. Rather than focusing on reach, e.l.f. prioritizes alignment with individuals who champion self-expression. Pagonis' video garnered nearly 2 million organic views, demonstrating significant engagement surpassing e.l.f.'s TikTok follower count by 2x and driving almost 4x the YouTube views as their subscriber count.
START Embracing an Influencer’s Storytelling Language STOP Leaning on a Brand Only Perspective
Influencers forge genuine bonds with followers through captivating storytelling and content creation. Their ability to entertain, create authentic connections, and build trust makes them indispensable for brands seeking to expand their reach. As social media algorithms evolve, brands must leverage influencers' expertise to produce engaging content that resonates with their target audience. Away suitcases collaborated with Jake Shane a TikTok, a self-described global reviewer of octopusses, to make up acronyms using the brand’s monogrammed luggage after Jake had gone viral for his "nyming" videos. The Away influencer brief tapped into what viewers loved about Jake's "nyming" content and molded their brand message to him. This one sponsored post has over 14.4M views with +160K engagements on his channel, outperforming his organic content and amassing over 5x the views when compared to his following.
