Creators Set the Pace for Brands on Social Media
Keeping up with the pace of social media is an increasingly important challenge for brands. Not only are social platforms the arena where cultural shifts brew and new technologies take hold, but they are also now the preferred medium for brands and consumers to come together. Read below for our take on the latest trends in social media that help brands better connect with their audiences.
Amplifying Moments Through Data
While the influencer marketing model isn’t new, it certainly isn’t outdated—cultural moments and the people who move them will always be relevant. Today’s brands are noticing the power of influencer insight even beyond the social media feed, leveraging creators to bridge the gap between brand and consumer.
Thinking of content creators as trendsetters was the overarching message at Social Media Week earlier this year in New York City, where marketing leaders convened to focus on who and what are moving the industry forward.
“Creators drive culture,” explained Beverly Jackson, Global VP of Brand Consumer Marketing at Twitter, who spoke at the conference. “Culturally relevant trends always resonate.”
Jackson’s session presented insights for creating successful brand campaigns and offered a playbook for marketers to amplify content through data. From personal brands to global organizations, Jackson argued that impactful campaigns should be insight-led, culture-forward and performance-focused.
Quotient’s Social Influencer Platform, for example, makes data the starting point for every social media campaign. The platform monitors social trends and information from across our influencer network to support campaign planning, then helps reach niche audiences by leveraging exclusive location and purchase intent data to precisely target audiences. Creators and brands can use these insights to design powerful campaigns and connect with audiences.
The Power of Authenticity
Another Social Media Week headliner was renowned TikToker and plus-size model Remi Bader, who spoke on social media inclusivity. As Bader’s loyal following of over 2.5 million attests, her authentic message is something that resonates with a wide audience.
Bader is known for calling out popular clothing brands for their size discrepancies and advocating for fashion inclusivity, underscoring the importance of intentional diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts within the creator industry.
Quotient’s Creator Series addresses these concepts head-on, uplifting the voices of creators who are often less heard to help shape a more equitable influencer marketing industry. A recurring theme of these discussions has been that brands shouldn’t think of diversity as merely checking a box, but that by representing different perspectives brands can build authenticity and strengthen relationships with audiences.
To illustrate the effects of representation in online campaigns, Meta conducted a 2021 study of brand lift tests across various verticals and ran 4,000 simulations. The company found that in 90% of the simulations, campaigns featuring diverse representation led to higher ad recall.
“Both brands and content creators benefit in accurate representation of buyers,” Bader said.
By prioritizing representation, creators can expand their influence and create meaningful connections with their followers. Likewise, when brands put effort into being inclusive, they can benefit from positive brand association, reach new markets and increase sales as their customer base grows.
Are you ready to use these strategies in your brand’s next impactful social campaign? Get in touch with our social media experts at hello@quotient.com to get started.
Lauren Nemeroff is a Senior Marketing Specialist on Quotient’s social and influencer team.
