Influencer marketing news moves at the speed of social media. Every platform update, algorithm tweak, and current event makes a huge difference to the influencer marketer. We’ll help you keep up.

Featured headlines

Coronavirus and Influencer Marketing: A Return to Our Roots (The Drum)

If the world’s word of the year was “quarantine,” then influencer marketing’s word of the year was “authenticity.” With the definition of normal thrown out the window, more influencers felt that their picture-perfect images didn’t always reflect reality, and opted to start sharing their personal sides. As time has gone on and more influencers and brands alike have strived to embrace authenticity, the end of the year is as good a time as ever to check in and consider what the word looks like in practice. Returning to the roots of what made influencer marketing so unique in the first place is the key to learning how to earn genuine trust and connect with your audience.

How to Use Instagram Stories to Connect With Audience (Social Media Today)

If there’s one thing we loved this year, it’s Stories. Seriously, from LinkedIn to Pinterest, nearly everyone has picked up on the potential of the unique content format. While it may have been originally created by Snapchat, Instagram has expanded Stories into the limitless canvas it is today. With “swipe up” links, interactive stickers, branded filters and effects, and much more, Instagram has assembled a versatile toolbox for brands to share their stories. With more ways than ever to get creative on the daily, and more platforms joining the hype, Stories are likely to remain a staple component of social media marketing for the foreseeable future.

6 Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Influencer for a Campaign (AdAge)

Everyone is a beginner once, even in the fast-paced world of influencer marketing—but a seasoned professional still needs a checklist. No matter how trends or the state of the world may change, asking the right questions before beginning an influencer marketing campaign will help you stay organized. Some factors to consider, such as target audiences and alignment of values, are straightforward but essential. Other questions (How would this campaign drive desired results?) require a bit more time and thought to answer. We promise, doing your homework is always worth it, so get your pencils ready and start studying up for the year ahead.

Links In Bio: Instagram Creators Expand Social Justice Conversations With Linktree (Forbes)

Linktree, a landing page tool which allows Instagram users to add multiple links to their bio, has changed the way influencers spread awareness on the platform. This year, the founders noticed a significant increase in social justice and voting resources added to Linktrees, and reported seeing over five million visits to Linktrees with voting resources, which earned over 120,000 clicks. This summer, they added the option for users to include a banner with anti-racism resources, which was enabled by over 235,000 users and received over four million views. As more influencers continue to speak up about causes that they care about, resources like Linktree are here to help spread the word.

[INFOGRAPHIC] 10 TikTok Trends to Guide Your Social Media Strategy in 2021 (Social Media Today)

A year in review would be incomplete without the real social media star of 2020: TikTok. The record-smashing platform continued to innovate and surprise audiences with fresh trends and new ways to use them (who could have predicted the comedic possibilities and range of lip-syncing?). In spite of headline-grabbing threats to its existence, TikTok is set to remain a staple of social media marketing. This guide to the platform’s new and rising trends will help marketers establish and grow a brand’s presence, and unlock the secrets to creating content that resonates with your audience.