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:

Influencers prepare for an Instagram without likes (CNN)

Some highly engaging creators, especially those who have smaller audiences, are concerned about Instagram and Facebook’s plan to remove likes from their platforms. Others, however, are accepting the reality and eagerly looking for ways to evolve. As many have suggested, likes are a vanity metric that don’t necessarily connote the power of a creator’s influence.

Made.com is getting cosy home-making influencers to entice 'nosy' audiences (The Drum)

Made.com, an online furniture retailer, is tapping influencers in the lead up to its next big advertising campaign. They’ve started leveraging influencers to help potential customers feel at ease when buying big-ticket items like furniture online. Rather than going out of their way to visit a showroom, customers can see a piece of furniture in-use in an influencer’s home.

Insights to digest:

Instagram Launches @Creators Account For Tips And Advice For Influencers (Forbes)

Instagram launched an @creators account to help content creators learn the ropes of the industry. According to the company, “We’ll be sharing insights, tips, and tricks and yes, we’ll be talking about the algorithm.” It’s part of a larger effort to incentivize creative people to share their passions on social media, get noticed, and earn their share of the pie.

Revealed: how TikTok censors videos that do not please Beijing (The Guardian)

Last week, The Guardian obtained moderation guidelines from TikTok, the Chinese-owned social network that’s exploding in popularity. The guidelines instructed moderators to hide or delete posts that, among other things, could be construed as critical of China – like the protests in Hong Kong or Tibetan independence. In response, TikTok insisted that the moderation guidelines were outdated and reaffirmed its commitment to transparency.

On the horizon:

Many Wellness Brands Are Failing to Train the Influencers They Hire (Bon Appetit)

Some wellness brands are using influencers who push exaggerated, bogus, and sometimes dangerous claims about their products. Although federal and state-level regulations exist to ensure accuracy in advertising, the rules don’t necessarily apply to influencers. Morally, the responsibility is on both the brand and its influencers to deliver informed and reliable information to consumers.

‘There’s no excuse for a wild west industry’: Ad buyers bemoan measurement of esports audiences (Digiday)

Esports has exploded in popularity in the last few years, presenting an attractive opportunity for ad buyers. However, the industry is still lacking rigor as to what metrics should be used to measure audience engagement and who reports on those measurements. While TV viewing data have third-party reporters like Nielsen, esports metrics largely come from the broadcasters themselves.

What’s Julius up to?

Last week, we attended Advertising Week New York, where we hosted a workshop for marketers to give them actionable skills, tips, and insights for their influencer marketing campaigns. Check out our recap here or watch the session on YouTube below.