Influencer marketing 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.

Stories to follow:

Tech billionaires haven’t killed Burning Man’s anti-capitalist spirit—but influencers might (Fast Company)

For an event as Instagrammable as Burning Man, the festival’s founders – and guiding ideology – seem to reject influencers' presence. Last year, CEO Marian Goodell’s “course correction” blog post helped build momentum to make things right. It teaches influencers – and marketers – a good lesson about where and how they should plug their brands to their audiences.

Houses are the new Instagram influencers (Business Insider)

Home-décor influencers, though certainly not new, have reached a newfound level of recognition. The kicker, though, is that the bulk of their content is not their faces, nor their families – it’s their homes. These influencers make a living showing off their newest bedsheets, latest renovations, or stylish decorative trims.

Insights to digest:

Hulu Documentary ‘Jawline’ Casts a Sharp, Sympathetic Eye on Gen Z’s Pretty-Boy Influencer Culture (The Daily Beast)

The documentary explores a specific subset of teenaged boy influencers who owe their fame to platforms like TikTok and Instagram. They all fit into a similar mold – conventionally attractive, meticulously coiffed hair, pronounced jawlines – and all compete for the heart-throbbing attention of tweens on social media.

The Power and the Promise of Influencer Marketing (AW360)

Influencer marketing promises intimacy at scale and delivers unbeatable returns on investment. By speaking authentically to audiences they’ve cultivated through their own means, influencers can effectively market a brand to an audience that’s willing and eager to hear their opinions.

On the horizon:

Where Influencer Marketing Goes Wrong (and How to Fix It) (MIT Sloan Management Review)

There’s no doubt that influencer marketing can work – when it’s done well. However, what marketers get wrong most often isn’t what you think. Our CEO Steve Oriola, writing for MIT Sloan, reveals what marketers can do to make the most of their influencer marketing campaigns.

It's Hard To Notice, But Marketers Are Absolutely On TikTok (Buzzfeed News)

Marketers have made their way onto TikTok, the popular live streaming app that’s captured the attention of Gen-Z. Buzzfeed makes the case that, unlike other social media platforms, it’s hard to notice. Not because they’re not successful, but quite the opposite: TikTok as a platform is so good at making trends viral, marketers simply need to push a few dominoes to get results.

What’s Julius up to?

On September 4, Julius’ CEO Steve Oriola will be speaking at Content Marketing World 2019 in Cleveland, Ohio. He’ll be presenting on how content marketers can leverage influencers to complement their marketing efforts.