Mediaboss Marketing

Influencer marketing isnt going anywhere; its just changing.

In 2019, influencers and the brands that work with them saw some big shifts around influencer marketing. A big moment came in November when Instagram announced it would start a test by hiding likes in the U.S. The news sparked concerns from influencers and led to stories on the soon-to-be death of the influencer community. Others saw it as an opportunity to look at new metrics, devaluing the like and instead focusing more on a diverse range of metrics like engagement rate, conversions and website traffic. Moving into 2020, it seems that diversifying the influencer strategy is going to be key for brands.

Pierre-Loc Assayag, co-founder and CEO of influencer relationship management platform Traackr, said companies that have already seen some success with influencers will continue to invest in this channel in 2020.

In some industries, like in cosmetics, in fashion and in CPG, as well, [influencer marketing] is starting to compete with media plans, said Assayag. Media planners, media planning firms and agencies have been dismissing influencer marketing for a long time, and now its starting to eat up some of their budget. Now they are paying attention. In 2020 and 2021, theres probably going to be an all-out war between media planners and influencer marketing.

Revolve went public in June. At the time, the companys chief brand officer Raissa Gerona said she spent many weeks traveling to meet with investors explaining the value of influencer marketing. At one point, the company shared that, in 2018, influencers drove 70% of sales for the company, which was valued at $1.2 billion.

The educational process is crucial for them to understand not only how Revolve does [influencer marketing], but also that this is how young people get information and get inspiration, Gerona said in a previous interview with Glossy.

The company reported marketing costs of $23.1 million for the third quarter, up from $18.9 million in the same three-month period in 2018. That figure accounts for a wide variety of marketing channels, like paid social and traditional performance marketing, per the companys most recent earnings call, but influencer marketing is still a major focus for the online clothing retailer.

We are pioneers of social media marketing and will continue to stay at the forefront by focusing on building upon our experiential marketing initiatives such as #RevolveFestival, #RevolveSummer, #RevolveAroundTheWorld and collaborating with influencers within our network, Gerona said. Instagram will continue to be a key platform for communicating with our customer, and its constantly evolving. Were also exploring video content heavily with platforms such as YouTube and TikTok.

While Revolve has staked its claim as a leader in the influencer marketing space, other companies are still trying to perfect their influencer strategies. And the opportunity, for those who can do it well, is only growing. In 2019, the influencer marketing economy was expected to hit $6.5 billion, according to Influencer Marketing Hub,with 86% of brands saying they planned to invest more in influencers throughout the year.

For brands continuing to focus on influencers, analysts said bringing in a variety of people with various follower counts will be key.

Successful brands will continue to use a tiered approach to influencers, from both a paid and earned perspective, to build long-term relationships with authentic, third-party endorsements, said Lindsay Johnson, group account director for influencer and social media marketing at Small Girls PR.

Overall, fashion and beauty brands worked more micro-, nano- and macro-influencers into their strategies in 2019. Sephora announced its Sephora Squad program in April, which picked 24 brand ambassadors with varying follower counts to work with the brand. Companies like Aerie, Nasty Gal and Shopbop have all forged partnerships with various influencers, as well. Over the summer, Amazon even got into working with influencers for The Drop, which launches limited-edition collections designed by influencers for Amazon Fashion customers.

What all of those brands have in common is that theyre looking to build more long-term partnerships with influential people, rather than pay them to post a few things on Instagram.

One-off influencer marketing posts do not make impact or resonate with consumers. It is essential for brands to actually invest in this form of marketing versus just dabble in it, said Sherry Jhawar, co-founder and president of Blended Strategy Group. I often remind chief marketing officers and other marketing executives that when print media plans were a larger part of marketing budgets, we would never have done just one print ad in one magazine and say that was our print plan for the year or for a product launch. So why would we do that with influencer marketing?

Johnson said this practice of investing more in influencer marketing, but working with influencers with a variety of follower counts, is only going to continue into 2020.

Depending on a brands goals, working with mega-influencers and celebrities will still be worth the spend from an individual reach perspective, as well as a media perspective. The talkability of a campaign is stretched further if you can leverage a celebrity for interviews, which is unlikely to be the case for even large-scale influencers, Johnson said.

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In 2020, fashion and beauty brands will invest more in influencers - Glossy

The global Social Marketing Management Software market, which is extensively assessed in the report contemplates the best need development angles and how they could affect the market over the figure residency under thought. The experts have taken careful endeavors to thoroughly evaluating every development factor of the market, other than indicating how certain market restrictions could represent a danger to players in the coming years. In addition, the report additionally gives data on top patterns and openings and how players could take advantage of them to take up the difficulties in the Social Marketing Management Software. This could be a helpful rule for players to concrete their situation in the business or make a rebound in the market.

Summary of Market:The global Social Marketing Management Software market is valued at xx million US$ in 2019 is expected to reach xx million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of xx% during 2019-2025.

Social Marketing Management (SMM) applications include the tools, templates and services to create, maintain and optimize a commercial presence in social environments. This market focuses on the vendor solutions that help you analyze and participate in social conversations. This is done through social listening, publishing, engagement (of broader audiences, as well as social user communities), reporting and analytics capabilities, and support for workflow and automation of SMM processes.

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This report focuses on Social Marketing Management Software volume and value at global level, regional level and company level. From a global perspective, this report represents overall Social Marketing Management Software market size by analyzing historical data and future prospect. Regionally, this report focuses on several key regions: North America, Europe, China and Japan.

In-Depth Qualitative Analyses Include Identification and Investigation of the Following Aspects:Social Marketing Management Software Market Structure, Growth Drivers, Restraints and Challenges, Emerging Product Trends & Market Opportunities, Porters Fiver Forces.

This Report Covers Leading Companies Associated in Social Marketing Management Software Market:

On the basis of type/product,this report displays the sales volume, revenue (Million USD), product price, market share and growth rate ofeach type, primarily split into-

Cloud-Based On-Premises

On the basis on the end users/applications,this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate of Social Marketing Management Software market foreach application, including-

Financial Manufacturing Industry Retail Services Other

Social Marketing Management Software Market: Regional analysis includes:

Asia-Pacific(Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Japan, Philippines, Korea, Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Australia) Europe(Turkey, Germany, Russia UK, Italy, France, etc.) North America(the United States, Mexico, and Canada.) South America(Brazil etc.) The Middle East and Africa(GCC Countries and Egypt.)

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Research objectives:

To study and estimate the market size of Social Marketing Management Software, in terms of value. To find growth and challenges for the global market. To study worthwhile expansions such as expansions, new services launches in Global Social Marketing Management Software. To conduct the pricing analysis for the global market. To classify and assess the side view of important companies of Global Social Marketing Management Software.

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How is the Social Marketing Management Software market expected toGrow In Terms Of Valueduring the study period? What are theCompetition Developments and Trendsin the Social Marketing Management Software market? What are the underlyingMacro-Economic and Industry Factorsimpacting the growth of the Social Marketing Management Software market? What are theKey Challenges, Opportunities, and Improvementsfaced by market players in the global Social Marketing Management Software market?

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Discover Where Will Social Marketing Management Software Market Be in Coming Years? - News Cast Report

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As I reflect on the past decade writing for Forbes (I started in 2011), I decided to look at the articles that resonated most with readers. The most popular articles included insight on marketing careers and marketing actionsfrom a way to think about the most popular form of social media (word-of-mouth) to the biggest job-search mistakes C-level leaders make to a study that identifies the top companies that produce C-level marketers. Below are the top 5 articles and associated links (one of my personal favorites is #5 below).

#1: Why Word of Mouth Marketing is the Most Important Social Media (July 17, 2014)

This article explores the power of the original form of social mediaword of mouth marketing. Suzanne Fanning, former President of WOMMA (Word of Mouth Marketing Association), provides insight on word of mouth marketing and contemporary efforts to create experiences that are worthy of sharing. She provides insight on a 3 E model: Engage, Equip, and Empower.

#2: The Biggest Mistakes C-Level Candidates Make When Seeking a New Job (June 5, 2014)

What are common mistakes that C-level marketers make when working with headquarters and interviewing for jobs? I reached out to Henry Flores, currently a Partner and Head of Marketing Officers Practice at Ward Howell International, an executive search firm, to better understand the key mistakes C-level candidates make. Flores provides great insight into how to turn a C-level job search into a successful one. One of my favorite tips candidates failing to employ marketing thinking to the search. The search approach should be about them and not about me.

#3: Survey Reveals the Companies that Develop the Best C-Level Marketing Leaders (August 21, 2016)

Which firms have a reputation for developing superior C-level marketing leaders? When I couldnt find data on this question, I decided to conduct research with Christine DeYoung, partner at DHR International, an executive recruiting firm (see the list of the top companies that develop the best C-level marketing leaders here). The list of companies that have reputations for developing talented C-level marketers? Most come from the consumer-packaged goods industry (Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Unilever, General Mills, KraftHeinz, Johnson & Johnson, Nestle, Clorox, and so forth). Through interviews with executives, we delve into what makes these firms better at developing C-level capable marketers.

#4: The 5 Questions C-Level Candidates Should Ask in an Interview (December 28, 2015)

Many C-level job candidates fail to have thoughtful and well-prepared questions to ask at the end of an interview. I posed a question to an executive recruiter to identify the key questions all C-level candidates should ask in an interview. They include the basics (e.g., What does success look like?) as well as some rarely asked questions (e.g., What is the degree of managerial discretion afforded this position?).

#5: MBA Students: Choose your First Marketing Job Wisely (January 22, 2015)

This is one of my favorite articles. It was born out of a number of conversations I had with students about the right first job. I noticed that because students didnt have an understanding of how marketing jobs varied across firms and industries (some are P&L, CEO-preparing roles and others are glorified collateral making roles), that they were making decisions based on ineffective proxies (e.g., which company is their favorite consumer brand). This article was first written as a letter to a student to help them consider their job options from a different vantage point. I continue to share it with students who often mistake passion for a brand from a consumer perspective with passion as a prospective employer. As a friend from graduate school found outyou may love playing golf but working for a golf company may not be a great career starting point.

Have a terrific new year!

Join the Discussion: @KimWhitler

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Best Of The Decade: The Articles That Resonated Most With Readers - Forbes

By Kalin Kassabov, CEO of ProTexting.com

If you have a small business, it's essential to keep up with the latest trends in technology, marketing, customer service and other areas that affect your business. Each business is unique, so every trend doesn't necessarily impact you equally. However, all major trends do influence your customers' expectations, so it's good to be up to date.

Here are some of the most significant trends I'm currently seeing that will impact small businesses in 2020 and beyond.

1. Customers prefer businesses that are green and socially responsible.

Customers are increasingly looking to patronize businesses that follow sustainable, green and socially responsible practices. As Gallup reported earlier this year, younger customers of the millennial and Gen Z generations are especially concerned about such values.

Some of the ways you can demonstrate your commitment in these areas include:

2. Customer reviews will be more important than ever.

Online reviews are not a new trend, but they are becoming more crucial all the time. Customers trust reviews over ads or any other content businesses create themselves. It's absolutely essential to have your business listed on sites such as Google My Business, Yelp and others that are relevant to your business.

The best way to get positive reviews is to provide great products and customer service. Beyond that, it helps to nudge your customers and gently remind them to leave reviews -- whether you do this in person or via email or social media.

3. Traditional businesses are learning to leverage e-commerce.

When you think of e-commerce, you probably think of Amazon and other online retailers. The fact is, however, that many brick-and-mortar businesses are learning to profit from the e-commerce revolution. This can be a way to expand your business without the need for more physical space. Here are a few examples of how traditional businesses can expand online.

If you have a restaurant, you might bottle your signature salsa, curry sauce or salad dressing. You could write an e-book of recipes or the history of a certain type of food. Salons can sell beauty and haircare products. A gym might sell supplements and workout gear.

If you don't create your own product, you could sell your favorite products as an affiliate. Affiliate marketing is an option for many businesses. No matter what type of business you have, you can either sell your own products or find products on Amazon (or another platform) to sell to your customers.

4. Businesses will use mobile marketing in several creative ways.

Mobile is one trend that will surely grow in 2020 and well into the future. Small businesses can take advantage of the popularity of mobile in a number of ways. For example:

5. Stories and livestream will dominate social media.

If you haven't been using Facebook or Instagram stories and livestream video, you're missing a couple of the major social media trends of the last few years. On sites such as Facebook, the main challenge is getting seen by your audience.

Rather than simply posting on your news feed, share stories on Facebook and Instagram. Livestreaming on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube is a powerful tactic for more visibility and engagement. When you post this type of ephemeral content, you can connect with your audience in a spontaneous and authentic manner.

You don't need to create long presentations. The best strategy is to check in frequently and provide the latest news so you consistently touch base with your customers.

Stay current with these key small business trends.

All of these trends have one thing in common: They require businesses to pay close attention to the current needs and preferences of today's consumers.

A customer in 2020 is likely to be someone who uses mobile devices, orders many products online, is environmentally aware, enjoys social media and reads customer reviews before making decisions. If you want these customers to choose your business, you have to understand how they think.

Kalin Kassabov is a founder and CEO of ProTexting.com, a fast-growing enterprise level text message suite of services.

The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

Originally posted here:
5 Small Business Trends to Leverage in 2020 - Inc.

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Ten-year career plans became pass as the pace of change in business increased. Its hard to predict what the technological and economic environment will be in the coming year, much less a decade. But there are still many things you can and should plan for as this new decade approaches, especially if you hope to protect your marketability and increase your earning potential.

Positioning yourself to ride the wave of economic and cultural volatility that lies ahead will require a prolonged and sustained effort. That might be daunting to hear, but as you will spend the next decade working anyways, why not work smarter?

Even if you dont write out a full ten-year plan, try not to lose sight of these three goals when the 20s get into full swing. Use them as guideposts to help you grow more resilient and to keep your skill set in demand no matter what the next decade holds.

1. Become less dependent on your primary employer

Gone are the days when you could trust an employer to protect you during a downturn. No matter how valued you are right now, growing industry consolidation, pressure to cut expenses or changing business needs may result in a disruption in your employment.

Instead of hoping youll be lucky enough to be spared such periods of instability, work to reduce your dependence on one company. Make this goal a priority for the next decade.

For some people, that may mean launching a new business. However, startups typically require a significant investment of money and time, and you may not have either readily available.

Other alternatives include side hustles, freelance projects and volunteer work that has the potential to become paid work down the road. There are more options to generate side income than ever before. Plan to do research, test out and integrate an additional source of income into your life.

Your side hustle may never become your main source of income, but it can be personally fulfilling while also fortifying your livelihood and career prospects.

2. Get serious about marketing yourself

Almost any business idea or new career path you hope to launch in the next decade will be dependent on leveraging your brand and social network.

Good marketing plans are executed well before you actually need them. If you spent the last decade building knowledge and skills that few people know about, its time to focus on marketing yourself better in the 20s.

Many people mistakenly believe that defining your brand and sharing your knowledge publicly is an act of vanity, but in todays ever-connected world doing so is simply a career imperative. You will not be recognized for your talents if you dont build a significant online footprint.

You can certainly start with the basics such as getting a great headshot and updating your LinkedIn profile, but plan to go beyond that.

Find social media outlets that fit with your personality and become more regularly active on at least one platform. Then, commit to producing one to two quality online articles or videos a year in your area of expertise. A decade from now, youll have a significant amount of content to leverage and reference, not to mention the new connections you will make because of these posts.

Your online credibility will become an even larger predictor over the next decade of how often you receive job inquiries and whether you ultimately land the best jobs. Dont neglect this important area of career development; you will regret it a decade from now.

3. Age proof your skills

No matter how old you are today, youll be ten years older at the turn of the next decade. Start planning now to position this older version of yourself to remain marketable.

Workplace dynamics in the last decade were shaken up with the influx of millennial leaders and an ever-increasing requirement for digital skills.

Furthermore, Generation-Z will also soon be firmly established in the workplace while artificial intelligence has already begun to reshape the way we work. Its a certainty: more change is coming.

The key to adapting successfully is to have a mechanism in place to actively monitor workplace shifts and to challenge yourself to stay in step. At least once a year you should assess how your industry is changing and how to further align your skills. Identify networking groups or key mentors that are on the cutting edge of your industrys trends and stay connected.

Your ability to constantly refresh your skill set and adjust to new cultural norms will help you maintain market value. Dont let this next decade come and go with you still listing the same skills on your rsum or stuck in old management practices. Make sure your skill set and career story are evolving.

Protecting your livelihood in the 20s will require focus and active participation, but if youre up to the challenge, this could be your best and most fulfilling decade yet.

Kourtney Whitehead is a career expert and author of Working Whole. You can learn more about her work atSimply Service.

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3 Career Moves You Need To Prioritize To Protect Your Livelihood In The 20s - Forbes