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.

Stories to follow:

Beauty influencer Manny MUA: ‘With every new tool and new platform, there’s more pressure’ (Glossy)

Beauty influencer Manny MUA sat down with Glossy to discuss his perspectives as an influencer. He talks about how influencers act as entrepreneurs, the need for transparency with an audience, and how influencers can fit into a broader marketing ecosystem.

A[n] Instagram influencer who champions raw, vegan food is being ridiculed for encouraging people to eat 'lettucetti' (Business Insider)

Ullenka Kash, a vegan influencer, faced criticism after... cutting up lettuce into strips and calling it “lettucetti.” She posted a recipe for “lettucetti with Bolognese sauce” and the internet was not too thrilled to see it. Some called it a salad, others called it a joke. Ullenka, however, doubled down on her idea, insisting she enjoyed the recipe. It reminds us that, above all else, anything on the internet is liable for criticism. Really, anything.

Insights to digest:

‘Treat it like a real media channel’: Brands are changing how they work with influencers (Digiday)

“The creator is going to tell your brand story to their audience much more persuasively than you are to their audience.” Ian Borthwick, Director of Influencer Marketing at SeatGeek, discussed how influencers should be given similar if not the same expectations and respect as any other media channel. That means building mutually beneficial relationships, giving them creative control, and offering a fair value exchange.

For B2C Brands, Influencer Marketing Makes Perfect Sense (AW 360)

Influencer marketing is an ideal strategy for B2C brands. They can offer trustworthy recommendations for consumers to help them make informed decisions about nice-to-haves and must-haves. Not only is it easy to scale an influencer marketing program, influencer recommendations make it easier for a consumer to decide and make a purchase.

On the horizon:

Brands Beware: Influencer Impostors Want Your Free Stuff (NY Times)

The latest scare in the influencer industry isn’t fake followers, but fake influencers. “Impostor influencers” have been found to convince brands to send them free products and ghost them. The fraudsters either impersonate an actual influencer with fake emails and websites, or create a false persona altogether. For a more reliable pool of influencers, consider using a tool like Julius to vet your partners.

YouTube is only the latest platform to botch its verification program (The Verge)

Last week, YouTube announced changes to the eligibility requirements for verification – which would include mass un-verification for creators on the platform. After an extended outcry from thousands of creators, the platform reversed its decision. Though they’ve redesigned how verification looks on a YouTube profile, the application process and the requirements remain unchanged. Unfortunately, they seem to have thrown out the good and the bad with the new changes.

What’s Julius up to?

Yesterday, our Head of Product Marketing, Danny Palestine, hosted an influencer marketing workshop at Advertising Week NY. If you didn’t get a chance to see it, have no fear – all the materials are available for download here.