Influencer Marketing

Don’t want to read the whole post and just want to download the free influencer marketing ebook? No worries: Click here to download the free influencer marketing ebook right away! As I proceed forward in writing my book on influencer marketing, The Business of Influence, I continue to be amazed at how widespread influencer marketing…

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In my neighborhood, every day of the week, at the same time, there is a young Latino who comes to practice his soccer moves on the forecourt of the church. I often stop to watch him, fascinated by his skill. The other day, I approach and ask him if he is part of a professional…

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To the end of ‘influenceratis’ We have seen scandals of fake news, fake advertisements, fake accounts and fake profiles made the headlines of all media. Cases of fraud (or the limit) have followed one another, revealed to the big days. Several studies have shown the existence of false accounts and false subscribers including Facebook where…

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The dark industry of fake news In 2017, ¨fake news¨ was voted the word of the year by the Collins dictionary. No wonder, in recent years it is one of the most popular ¨buzzwords¨ on the Web and social networks. This is not a recent phenomenon. Trump did not invent the tactics of false news,…

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Although many predict its imminent death, with the popularity of vloggers and the rise of podcasts, blogs are more than ever at the center of digital marketing strategies. They are the key and an indispensable element in establishing credibility and building influence on the Web and social networks. Internet users spend three times more time…

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It will soon be ten years since I became interested in the phenomenon of social media influence and its evolution on social media. Today, influencers are the “buzzword” of the year. However, there are still too many influencer marketing myths that remain. I believe that influencer marketing trends will prove me right, but until then,…

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The risky challenge of social media predictions for influencer marketing trends When you write a monthly column on a platform of professional bloggers, you’re called on to make predictions. It can be a very risky adventure. However, if we look at the changes that are taking place and the emerging trends, it’s possible to get…

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In 2014 I began to develop my own version of Maslow’s hierarchical pyramid of needs, adapted to social media. My goal was to be able to identify more precisely when influencers stand out and reveal themselves in the learning and adoption curve of social networks and different platforms. Based on the idea that the hierarchical…

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In April, I highlighted the 5th anniversary of my contribution to Maximize Social Business‘s social media blog. An important milestone in my career that I wanted to mention because it shows me once again that blogs prove to be the key – an influential marketing mistress. This key that allowed me to open many doors…

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The Yin and Yang of Digital Marketing In 2017, content marketing and relationships with influencers form a winning combination. They’re an inseparable pair for businesses and organizations. The relevance of the content allows brands to stand out on social networks. The quality of the relationship with influencers favors a better distribution and message reception with…

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New study report by Brian Solis, in collaboration with Traackr and TopRank Marketing  “To help set our bearings, I partnered with influencer relationship management software provider Traackr to survey brand strategists and marketers around the world. The goal was to learn how influencer marketing is evolving and how to connect the dots between ¨influencer marketing¨…

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For 2017 more than 75% of brands and companies recently surveyed indicate they will increase their budget for content production and social media influencers. However, influence marketing has suddenly become so popular, to the point of becoming the most overused ¨buzzword¨ of the year. There seems to be some confusion between recommendations or spokesperson campaigns…

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ROI remains the key issue facing organizations When I meet a new client to develop an influence marketing strategy, his first concern is always how he will get the best return on his investment. Each year, the ROI of influencer campaigns is one of the priority issues for companies and organizations. But they still seem…

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The Identity Crisis of Social Media Influencer Marketing Over the past few years, influencer marketing has become one of social media biggest buzzwords. This trend has literally ignited businesses and agencies. In the wake of the tremendous success of visual content platforms rich with millennials (such as YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram), we have seen the…

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As a marketer have you ever been given a price for a piece of influencer created content that has made you nervous? Have you flinched at paying for a piece of content that hasn’t been created yet or have worried that your spend may not pan out like you hope? While pretty much all marketers and brands…

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What changed in 2015 – 2016 … Every fall, when it comes to the statistics, I realize how the performance predictions and trends are challenging. In the era of digital Darwinism, no one can accurately predict what will happen. A crystal ball does not exist, and there are no shortcuts. All we can do is observe…

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A few months ago I was consulting with a client who told me that they were giving their influencers individualized links to track their performance and then were paying the top performers. I said, “oh so you’re implementing affiliate marketing?” The client said, “no that is spammy this isn’t spammy.” That was kind of a…

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The rise of the influence of connected consumers Over the years, with the proliferation of social platforms and apps available on the Web, communications and marketing have experienced radical changes. Connected consumers, now better informed are forcing companies to adopt less invasive approaches to inbound marketing and social selling. From the 4 P’s of traditional…

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While many companies are spending budget money “buying” relationships with “influencers” chasing KPIs of “social reach,” others (including myself) are including the concepts of influencer marketing in their day-to-day organic social media and content marketing activities. This is done through the simple concept of utilizing content to engage with social media users. Once you understand…

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The social media influence marketing is extremely popular with brands and marketing agencies. All the studies show that the vast majority of enterprises and organizations plan to increase their marketing budget and use influencers. For professional industry consultants who have, over the years, built their credibility and have become leaders in their sector, this should…

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Over the last 20 years, the rise of the Web and the emergence of social media has fundamentally changed the role of public relations (PR). To regain the confidence of consumers, who trust peer – to – peer recommendations (P2P) and expert opinions more than publicity, organizations and brands must now appeal to influencers to distribute…

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The social media influence of power users – consumers In recent years, influencer marketing in social media has evolved very quickly. Today, with advertisements blockers (Ad Blocker) and the ability to opt-out of ads, it’s challenging to develop relationships with influencers. Companies and organizations by adopting influence marketing have restored consumer confidence, which has stopped…

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  The Emergence of Social Media Influencers Twenty-five years after the advent of the World Wide Web, the Internet, and social media are omnipresent in our society. They influence how we operate and our  behaviors in most aspects of our daily lives; from home to school, work to personal relationships and leisure. There’s a transfer…

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Influencer marketing has never been more popular with businesses and organizations. Consumers no longer trust the brand or media and corporations. Marketers and public relations people have understood the importance of going through the influencers to reach their customers again. However, entrepreneurs and leaders of corporations still misunderstand the role and function of influencers. The…

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Influencer marketing and content marketing: Two key areas that will continue to see increased budget spend for companies of all sizes. While businesses are struggling to get greater ROI from their spend in these areas, one easy way of getting more bang for your buck is to think of combining the two seemingly different concepts…

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Influencer marketing is largely based on the digital identity and brand image conveyed in social media. Marketers are clearly aware of their influence, and J&R Adventures, produce the work themselves, and they’ve chosen to work with the public rather than for the radio and music industry. Today, Joe Bonamassa is continually on tour, crisscrossing the planet to meet…

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Welcome to the era of Influencer Marketing. The rise of social media has allowed more people to share more information to a wider audience. This paved the way for a new breed of celebrities: The digital influencers. Today, with virtually everyone using social media for a variety of purposes, any one of us might influence someone…

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Each fall, bloggers and social media experts are asked to make their predictions about the trends for the upcoming year. At a time when changes are occurring at an accelerated pace, it appears increasingly risky to predict what is coming. The ecosystem of social networking is complex with the emergence of new platforms for aggregation and…

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In recent years, marketing and public relations agencies have overwhelmingly adopted content marketing, and suddenly we’re witnessing an escalation of content offerings. It becomes increasingly difficult to stand out from the crowd and its message, as they are forced to think like a new media rather than a business, to become the ¨hub¨ of their…

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I recently published the results of a survey in which I reached out to 4,000 bloggers and gathered their perspective on their role in influencer marketing. This information has been very valuable for all influencer marketing professionals because it’s not very often that you get outreach advice from the people you want to team up with…

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The concept of the social media influencer marketing has never been really popular with agencies and businesses. Studies come one after another, and reveal a continuously rising adoption rate. Suddenly, bloggers are writing about marketing influence. Social media influencer marketing has become the new buzzword. The 10 steps to influencer marketing in social media In fact, influencer marketing…

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One of the biggest pain points in blogger outreach is getting the attention of the bloggers you know are the perfect fit for your brand. If you follow this blog or the content I write on blogger outreach you should be all caught up on the best practices in pitching bloggers. But, one of the things…

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State of Influencer Engagement – New Study by Augure For the second consecutive year, Augure has just published the results of its annual study on the state and the practices of influencers relations. Over 600 professionals in communications and marketing, in 32 countries and 30 industries, participated. This year, as an author and influence marketing…

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In 2015, there’s no doubt that brands and agencies must integrate social media influence (SMI) marketing strategies in their development plans, and that blogs should be included in their priorities. With over 350 blog posts shared every minute through social networks, and nearly 200 million blogs in the world, the blogosphere is both an inexhaustible…

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From major retail stores like Bloomingdales to online fashion gurus like ModCloth, almost every fashion brand has at least dabbled in blogger outreach by now. One of the wonderful things about a good blogger outreach strategy is that this type of marketing can adapt to any budget. For fashions brands who are just starting out,…

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Over the past decade, the new science of influence marketing in social media has evolved a lot. The first lists of influencers were based solely on the social score of the users. Now marketing and public relations agencies focus their analysis on the content relevance and conversations generated in communities. In 2015, social media influence (SMI) took a…

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Last year at this time, I began to present some online elements of my new book: Generation C – Influencer Marketing at the Digital Age, which has just been published (in French*) at Editions Kawa in France. Starting with the centrepiece: The Pyramid of Influence in Social Media, corresponding to the five levels of Maslow’s…

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In 2014, the concepts between ambassadors and influencers in social media have found themselves, now more than ever, central to the concerns of businesses and brands. With traditional marketing failing to reach customers and make an impact, marketing agencies, and public relations began to appeal to influencers and ambassadors, hoping to generate word-of-mouth and get…

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To stand out in the age of social media, companies should focus their strategies on content and influence online marketing, and aim to position themselves among the influencers in their area. As traditional advertising has little impact and the recommendations of peer-to-peer prevail, companies must focus on the quality of their content to reach the new prosumers of Generation…

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(Disclaimer: This blog post is not sponsored, and my participation to this study was not remunerated or compensated in any time. I’m just sharing it for your information.)  A study by Augure PR Communications & Marketing (France) Earlier this year, I was approached by the PR communications and digital marketing firm Augure, in France, to…

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At first glance, after two decades, the utopian dream of the World Wide Web and social media maybe seems to be over. Big Brother returns to haunt our memories, and threaten our digital identity. Information overload and the maelstrom of new technologies confront us with a form of ¨Content Shock¨ and ¨Digital Darwinism,¨ where everything…

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In 2014, around the world, experts and bloggers agree on the importance of marketing content and its influence in social media for organizations. As advertising and traditional media sometimes no longer meets consumers’ expectations, businesses and brands become their own media, and now plan their presence as web publishers on social networks. To stand out…

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A matter of context, content and synchronicity Now, with the ubiquity of social platforms and mobile technologies, companies and organizations are investing more in social media influence marketing campaigns. The influence power of consumers forced them to adapt their approach, and focus more on the impact of the peer-to-peer recommendations, and the viral aspect of…

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At this point, you know not to expect something for nothing. But the area of what exactly you should offer bloggers for brand mentions can be a little murky. Some marketers just don’t have a big budget and if that’s the case, there are other things you can offer to make it a mutually beneficial…

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As influencer marketing has risen with the likes of Klout Perks, exclusive Kred events, and the rise of Social Media Brand Ambassadors, there is one thing that strikes me as contradictory to the whole concept of social media marketing: If social media is about creating long-term relationships of value, why do so many companies target…

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In the past few years a number of start-ups, such as Klout, Peerlndex and Kred, have been offering Web applications that make it possible for companies and organizations to identify the most influential social media users. These analytical tools, based on private algorithms, help to identify those users that are the most active within the…

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«Cadillac ATS vs. The World» : A Web-TV series and multi-plateforms campaign Through the Cadillac brand, General Motors has been able to build a name for itself based on unwavering leadership and authority. For over a century, Cadillac has been listed as one of the leading brand manufacturers. For consumers, it’s the symbol of quality….

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  The History of TOP Charts If we can credit the music industry for giving birth to the first popular TOP charts, the phenomenon wasn’t unique to the industry for long. Film’s box office results and literature’s list of best-sellers quickly followed suit. These two cultural sectors ended up being among the most successful ones…

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In recent years, several aspects of society have been transformed by new Internet technologies. Today, mobile and almost unlimited access to information coupled with the tremendous potential of media streaming provides connected consumers with a new power to influence. These new user-consumers benefit from the value of their recommendations and the viral nature of word-of-mouth…

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From Machiavelli to Robert Cialdini, the notion of influence has continued to fascinate the general public and professionals alike. Even thought leaders have analyzed and scrutinized the concept hundreds of times over, its definition is always dependent on the context in which it’s being used. From Manipulation to Influence Very early on, in the 1920’s,…

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Social influence matters to businesses. After all, the promise of influencer marketing that engaging with those who have “influence” in social media can help to more effectively sell more products or quickly gain significantly more brand awareness is the holy grail that any business would want to chase.  As more users join and spend more…

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  At a time when the biggest social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest) are starting to make a move towards e-commerce, the subject of influence marketing is more than ever a major issue for most companies. Traditional advertising barely has an impact on purchasing and word of mouth and peer recommendations (P2P) have emerged…

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CORNERSTONE OR STUMBLING BLOCK? In my first article for Windmill Networking, I wrote that new Web technologies made it possible for anyone to become an influencer within their network. I mentioned the case of Canadian guitarist David Carroll and his dispute with United Airlines and his “United Breaks Guitars” viral video that turned him into…

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Generation C and User Influence To understand what’s at stake when considering the influence of social media, companies and organizations must first try to understand user motivation. In the era of social networks and mobile communications, new Internet users are taking the reins of a new economic power; this power belongs to Generation C. This…

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Almost six months ago I blogged that marketers would decide on the fate of Klout.  However, with the continued buzz about Klout scores that I hear from new and potential social media consulting clients, as well as the continued presence of its main competitor PeerIndex and the emerging metric for influence Kred, the debate over…

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Consulting with clients on their social media strategy and implementation for more than two years has led me to one conclusion about how businesses should be using social  media: The closer you can bring your brand to your customers, the better it will be for both of you. In exposing as much of your brand…

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As consumer brands try to establish themselves as social brands, one of the missions they have in social media is to have their message go viral or spread by the so-called “influencers” that presumably exist in social media. This blog post is not intended to be about the debate as to how you determine who…

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My social media consulting clients always ask me as to who they should be trying to “influence” on social websites, and I always have to remind them that any social media user could potentially be an “influencer.”  That being said, some people or businesses use social networking sites more than others, some have more reach…

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As I consult with companies on their social media strategies, which often means discussing options when considering social media campaigns, I was ecstatic that I was recently chosen for a free flight on Virgin America’s Twitter campaign to help spread the word about their new Los Angeles and San Francisco to Toronto non-stop flights.  I…

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