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:

The State Of Influencer Marketing: Growing (Forbes)

Forrester interviewed more than 30 enterprise marketers responsible for their brand’s influencer marketing and found budgets are growing by double and triple digits. Marketers are also becoming more sophisticated in their approach, foregoing vanity metrics and large followings for the authenticity of smaller influencers who align with their brand values.

Instagram influencers are often white, and now the brands that pay them are getting pushback (CNBC)

“Diversity. Have ya heard of it?” is not the sort of comment a brand wants to read in response to an influencer marketing campaign. But several fashion brands were recently called out for treating all or mostly white influencer groups to trips to promote their clothing. Some brands are learning the hard way that there’s more to consider when choosing influencers than topics and interests.

Insights to digest:

Do Influencers Need to Tell Audiences They’re Getting Paid? (HBR)

Companies who are reluctant to disclose influencer partnerships in fear of turning consumers off have it backwards – 88 percent of consumers believe brands pay influencers to recommend them anyway. According to HBR, disclosure becomes a positive signal: “Savvy consumers value the perceived transparency and authenticity of influencers who volunteer a disclose.”

How To Create A Successful B2B Influencer Marketing Strategy In Five Steps (Forbes)

When it comes to influencer marketing, B2B companies have been behind on the adoption curve but are starting to catch up. Inna Semenyuk, Founder at InnavationLabs points out that: “While B2B influencer marketing is based on the same fundamental principles, it has its own nuances that can either make or break your campaign.”

On the horizon:

‘Like a live version of Netflix’s Bandersnatch’: Twitch pitches branded games (Digiday)

Porsche’s experiment with branded choose-your-own-adventure games on Twitch garnered 2 million views, with around 28,000 concurrent views during the live broadcast. Before influencer Ninja left for Mixer, he would enjoy 40,000 concurrent views as Twitch’s most popular streamer. Expect more interactive content from Twitch where the viewer controls the stream.

TIKTOK AND THE NEW AGE OF INFLUENCER MARKETING (EDM.com)

TikTok enjoyed over one billion downloads worldwide last year and is gaining popularity as an influencer marketing channel. Many now plan to follow in the footsteps of brands like Guess, Google, and Coca-Cola, by leveraging TikTok’s “explosive potential for viral marketing.” Learn more about using TikTok for influencer marketing.

What’s Julius up to?

Julius is currently representing influencer marketing at Content Marketing World in Cleveland, Ohio. Can’t be there but want in on the action? Check out our Instagram feed for event highlights.