theincreaseddemandforcontent
it created.
“Commsbriefingsneedtobrief
withsocialmediainmind,and
collectivelyweallneedtobreak
withentrenchedanaloguebeliefs
ofansweringwitha ‘TV-first’men-
tality(maybeadoptedforsocial
later),”Sarnasays.
“It’shightimewerecognise
thatsocial media needsto be
treated andused asthe main-
streammediumthatit is today.
“Andthesoonerthatallhap-
pens,thesoonersocialmediamay
genuinelybeintegratedaspartof
trueomnichannelstrategies.
“Yetthis allonlyspeaks to
socialmediacatchinguptobe
treatedonanequalplayingfield
withotherchannels.Lookingto
thefuture,weareonthecuspof
a hyper-service,hyper-personali-
sationera.
“What’smostexcitingthere,
isthatthisdata-relianteraof
marketing will play to the
strengthsofwhatsocialmedia
canofferbrands.I feellikethis
willbethenextmajorpointof
maturity;brandsandmarketers
willfinallybeforcedtorecognise
thepowerofwhatsocialmedia
can doona consumer-by-con-
sumer level.”“Thiseffectis alsoreplicatedwhenamplifyingthosepoststoo.Giving
brandsa compellingreasontore-routemoreadvertisingdollarsto
FacebookorInstagram.”
WhilesomehavecautionedfurtherchangestoInstagram’salgorithm
couldwoundinf luencers,AaronBrooks,co-founderofinf luencer
providerVamp, isn’tconcerned,saying inf luencershaveproved
theirresilience.
“There’salwaysbeena lotoftalkabouttheInstagramandFacebook
algorithm,andhowtogetaroundit,whatarethebenefitsofit,andwhat
aresomeofthestickingpoints,”Brookssays.
“Butforus,basedonourpartnership,we’retoldthatqualitycontent
is alwayskey.
“So,aslongasinf luencersarepushingoutgreatcontentandhavean
engagedaudiencebase,thenofcoursethatcontentisgoingtosurface
upasa higherpriorityinthealgorithm.”
Agenciesarerealisinganyworktheyengagewitharoundinf luencer
contentneedstobemore“authentic”,withPublicis’Sarnasayinghe
expectsa “gradualprogression”inhowit workswithinf luencers.
“Tobehonest,thisis asmuchbrand-ledasit is byus.Withthehoney-
moonperiodover,andwhatattimesfeelslikea saturationofbrand-spon-
soredactivityonsomeinf luenceraccounts,brandsarebeginningtodesire
a returntoa moreauthenticrelationshipwheretheyworkwithinf luencers
whogenuinelyloveandusetheirproducts,ratherthanthesuperficial
financialtransactionforcontentandaudiencereach,”Sarnasays.
“Thisbeginstodelvebackintotherealmsofambassadorshipthrough
a longer-termrelationshipbetweenbrandandinf luencer,andevenexplo-
rationofmutualactivitybeyondonlyonlinecontent.
“Theincreasesovertimewillthereforebemorewithintherealmsof
authenticity,honestappraisalandrecommendation,andongoingpart-
nershipswithfewer(butmorerelevant)inf luencers.”
Sowhiletherearestillinf luencermarketingskeptics,theevolution
ofthespacewillgivebrandsandagenciesgreaterconfidenceinspending
inthesector.
Thearrivalofnewtechnologyhasmeantpeoplespendmoreof
their hours on social media, but it’s also given marketers tools to meet
It’shightimewe
recognisethatsocial
medianeedstobe
treatedandused
asthemainstream
mediumthatit
istoday.
FilipSarna,
Publicis MediaTikTokersuccess
for Superdry