Talent managers have to evolve as fast as social media does, and that means finding creative content strategies that benefit their creators – and the brands they work with. We tapped experts to learn about the latest in the industry, and dive into today’s dynamic intersection of data, relationships and authentic audience engagement.
The bigger picture
“Guiding your influencers towards long-term thinking in their career goals is extremely important,” says Hannah Roeloffs, co-founder of Visualize Creative Agency. “Encouraging them to make calculated decisions to diversify their income and maximize their current opportunity is necessary to create longevity in their career. I often advise my clients to view their influencer journey as a marathon rather than a sprint, stressing the need for strategic decision-making.”
@kayli.boyle x Fable and Mane
Fostering the right relationships is important for longevity in this fast-paced, and sometimes fickle, industry. “All strategy really has to be driven by insight, as we need to ensure that we’re accurately positioning the creator’s content in a way that will drive optimum engagement with their audience,” says Lucy Robertson, head of brand marketing at SEEN Connects. “To do this, the content needs to feel culturally relevant and tonally correct. We use tools like GWI and Brandwatch – GWI enables us to monitor consumer behaviors to gain real, relevant stats that inform strategy, whilst Brandwatch allows us to delve into social conversation to see what is moving the needle – for example, is conversation around a certain brand or trend on the up. Alongside these tools, we’d ensure KPIs feel relevant to the wider business objective. If the brand the creator is partnering with is looking to drive traffic to the site, we’d vet the click through rate. If video views, we’d look at their average views across Reels and TikTok, rather than followership, and so forth.”
Niche appeal
“Niche influencers should not be overlooked,” says Robertson. “whilst sourcing creators with mass appeal can be enticing, creators with a niche offering provide unmatched trust and engagement with their followers. For Glenmorangie, a Whisky brand under LVMH group, we were tasked with sourcing creators that matched up to sets designed by the infamous Miles Aldridge. For example, one set was designed to look like a greenhouse – so we onboarded no other than Plant Kween, a non-binary Brooklyn-based plant expert. Their content was the highest performing post on Glenmorangie’s channel ever - and 70% of those reached were not already following the account, meaning the campaign hit the nail on the head for new customer acquisition. Other influencers onboarded were Mei and actor Martins Imhangbe, who was photographed in a home cinema setting.”
“I've always been a huge supporter of utilizing micro-creators in a brand's strategy, says Ali Grant, partner at The Digital Dept. and founder of Be Social. “They have engaged audiences and a strong community that's typically centered around a niche content focus. Our company has invested efforts into signing and growing micro-creators and we've seen tremendous success as we partner them with various brands. A perfect example would be our client and micro creator, Charlene Truong, who has booked multiple repeat brand partnerships because of her ability to effectively communicate brand stories in a way that resonates with her engaged audience. Specifically, SKIMS has been a repeat partnership opportunity for Charlene, as she showcases the many ways you can wear their pieces in an engaging, unique perspective.”
The power that niche creators wield is no secret, and longtime industry pros are doubling down on this category. “This is at the heart of Community x SEEN, our agency’s newest service offering,” says Isabella Palmer, SEEN’s Senior Director of Partnerships & Advocacy. “SEEN’s team is digital-first, so we are constantly identifying and aiming to proactively discover new Creators, as we truly live on Platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, among other – and keeping an eye out for what is next! In addition to discovering new Members, we are also able to communicate directly and cultivate relationships with digital engagement, which helps us to connect instantly with Creators. And though we are social experts, with the robust Communications background of our Beauty SEEN division, we never forget the power in IRL connection, so our team often meets with Members through industry events, networking opps and general meet ups across the US. Thanks to the authentic connections we have with our Members, we are able to provide them with opportunities specific to them, which leads to content that performs, ongoing showcases of product and real brand love.”
Authenticity, trust and the pursuit of partnerships
So, you’ve worked out your KPIs and data points, and identified your dream micro influencers – but how do you create partnerships, and audiences, that last?
“When it comes to creating authentic content and connections, we know that casting a wide, uninformed net, is not working,” says Palmer. “We have seen so many examples of mass seedings to creators who are clearly uninterested in the gifting, resulting in surface-level snapshots being shared on social or paid partnerships where the results showcased no connection between the Creator and the product. This type of content has little to no impact on the consumer, thus, when concepting Community X SEEN, we focused on driving authenticity by truly understanding our Community Members via their beauty-centric specificities. We know what Members have sensitive skin or are fragrance-obsessed, and we offer opportunities to our Members based on if the product or brand actually resonates with their needs and interests, which ultimately results in more in-depth and authentic content with value.”
@elvina.dijmal
Roeloffs shares some of her company’s tactics that help creators maintain a genuine relationship with their followers. “The first step is being authentic in their organic content, sharing products they truly love and use. On top of this, community engagement is important to cultivate an environment that feels safe and authentic to their followers. Listening to their audience’s feedback and pivoting strategy is key to ensure the genuine connection. This allows their followers to feel as though they have a voice and assist in keeping the influencer accountable. We also encourage creators to become an expert in their field which allows them to be seen as a trusted resource in their community. Next, we advocate for creators to be selective with the brand partnerships they accept. We have noticed that the influencers who are the most selective with the brands they work with ultimately are able to charge higher fees, see a greater ROI, and cultivate long-term partnerships with brands. The world of influencer marketing is changing, so influencers who start these tactics now will stand out amongst the rest.”
Today’s discerning consumer can see through just about any marketing ploy or false promise, and they’ll hold both brands and creators responsible for any faux pas. On the other hand, tapping the right creator, who has the right relationship with their audience, can send a campaign far.
“The trust between a creator and their audience can be incredibly strong when built in the right way – but can also just as easily be dismantled with a misstep,” says Robertson. “Ultimately, consumers want to feel that the brands their favorite influencers are working with are genuinely loved by that individual. They don’t want to feel duped, or conned, which can often happen if a creator brings on a brand partnership that doesn’t feel aligned to their overall messaging – or if every other post is an ad. We ensure that all our collaborations not only feel authentic, but that the branded content feels like it genuinely gives something back to the followers – whether a styling tip, a recipe, a DIY or even just some comic relief! Content that tries to sell, doesn’t, but content that tries to help, does.”
