This year is the age of influencer marketing. In 2020, it is found that more than 46% of brand published advertisement with hashtags #ad on Instagram; almost one-third of Instagram channels are currently filled with micro-influencers. They enjoy better commitment with their viewers because they work hard to build their brand, amuse their followers, and build relationships with their clients. Read more at: https://www.business2community.com/marketing/the-future-of-influencer-marketing-is-here-02382332

Over the last few years, industries have become more sophisticated due to the increasing demands of influencer marketing. Many companies are planning to increase their influencer marketing investments to develop long-term partnerships with creative influencers on social media. Influencer marketing is nothing but a hybrid of old and new marketing tools, taking the idea of celebrity endorsement and placing it into a modern day marketing campaign. However the Influencer marketing faces a lot of challenges. Due to inconsistency in data, companies tend to jump from one influence marketing provider to another. However, we can expect to see an evolution in gathering and usage of data in the coming years. Brands are increasingly becoming more educated and competent. Marketers and brands want tools that gather all metrics relevant to value generation and tools that can track the performance from multiple social media platforms. Those providers that fail to deliver these requirements often fall behind as the market evolves. Moreover influencer industry is built on trust and authenticity, so the rise of fake followers erode business and consumer trust. Hence in order to protect the customers, the influencers must take a stand against the rise of fake followers. Read more at: https://www.thedrum.com/industryinsights/2018/12/21/why-we-need-get-little-smarter-about-influencer-marketing

According to reports, YouTube has now become the second-largest search engine in the world. So, it is time for business houses to devote some time to your video strategy as the influence of video on sales is irrefutable. It is found that a positive experience with a video ad increases brand association by 139% and purchase intent by 97% and it is particularly important if your target demographic is 25-44 years old. Read more at: 

https://www.business2community.com/youtube/youtube-marketing-5-proven-strategies-to-generate-more-sales-for-your-e-commerce-business-02142289

Every business sometimes need to reassess their marketing intelligence spends and look at the ways that can be cost effective. The motto of businesses should be to stand out of the crowd and generate more success stories. According to the author, Warren Knight, there are hundreds of cost effective ways you can market your business but shares the top seven. They are: Infographics, Active on Social Media, Influencer Marketing, updating the email database, Webinar, Video Marketing and Loyalty or referral program. Read more at: https://www.business2community.com/marketing/7-cost-effective-and-powerful-ways-to-market-your-business-02051313

Ecommerce will be continuing to grow in the year 2018. According to a research, it was found that the U.S. ascended to a whopping $453.5 billion in 2017, up by 16% from 2016. Consumers nowadays is buying online products than ever before. So, if you should think of new strategies to sell your products online. The biggest ecommerce trends that you need to know about in 2018 are: 1. Storytelling, Transparency, Personalization, Messenger Automation, Voice Search & Mobile Shopping, Community Movements and Influencer Marketing. Read more at: https://www.business2community.com/ecommerce/biggest-ecommerce-trends-need-know-02024731

Social media is inextricably related to almost every aspect of daily life. It has changed the  communicate mode, how we exchange information, and how we take decisions. Instead of looking up to television for news and entertainment, audiences now tend to look to Facebook and Twitter to learn about the world around them; in lieu of reading magazine articles about where to shop, eat, and vacation, consumers now seek out recommendations from YouTubers, Instagrammers, and Snapchat stars.

In response to these trends, influencer marketing has increasingly replaced traditional forms of advertising as one of the most effective ways to reach online audiences. Despite the growing popularity of this kind of marketing, however, many marketers are still unsure how to leverage the influence of social media stars to develop, launch, and measure effective influencer marketing campaigns. These days, launching first influencer marketing campaign can seem like an inhuman task, especially for marketers who have never worked with social media stars before. Hence, we will break the process into ten manageable steps to help companies navigate the complexities and avoid some of the common pitfalls associated with influencer marketing campaigns:

Read more at: http://www.business2community.com/marketing/10-steps-launching-influencer-marketing-campaign-01705413#ERQ6R9yjcB12qcro.99

Combining the traditional and social media channels together can leverage our marketing efforts and take our promotions to the next level. It is, however, not easy for beginners to influence marketing. Some useful tips to integrate influencers into social marketing plans are co-creating engaging content, letting them feature products, creating and promoting unique discount codes, hosting contests etc. Read more at: http://www.socialmediatoday.com/marketing/6-ways-integrate-social-media-and-influencer-marketing

Nowadays social influencers are replacing word-of-mouth recommendations as it goes far beyond the typical CRM functionality to add in social network streams, messages and mentions to customer data. It is essential to have detailed information about the influencer. This may include the frequency used hashtags, style of recommending products, brands they promote and company mentions. To make a note of each influencer is the best way to approach the individual and track conversations with them. It is very important to coordinate with the influencer by tracking initial messages, follow-ups and other significant events. It is vital to know whether the influencer is positive, negative or neutral about a topic by analyzing the content for the overall sentiment towards the brand, competitors and products. CRMs must handle the process of influencer targeting in real time as it shows the impact of active marketing campaigns on brand awareness and sentiment. Businesses may also find an influencer among their customers. Connecting social CRM with influencer marketing will definitely prove beneficial for the businesses. To read more follow:- http://it.toolbox.com/blogs/insidecrm/how-to-use-social-crm-for-influencer-marketing-74109

Though influencer marketing is the new kid in the block, the current level of media coverage and discussion surrounding it ensures 2016 is going to be a big year for the strategy. Accepting something new can be a difficult process for an organization irrespective of its advantages. But the market is already past the point of early adoption and brands already vested in influencer marketing are achieving results. Near and long term benefits can influence the momentum towards influencer marketing. Assessment of proper team skills and openly discussing the repercussions of this shift in digital marketing strategy can make the transition much smoother. Authenticity is the criteria that appeals most to a modern consumer. By working with the right influencers and giving them permission to be themselves and deliver the message as they see fit, can be a huge step towards the success of influencer marketing. Read more at: http://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2016/30284/three-tips-for-building-internal-support-for-influencer-marketing

Influencer marketing is very important in today’s business world. But, what is influencer marketing? It is when a particular company reaches out to key people in the industry and asks them to promote their product or service to their followers. There are different ways in which a brand can use influencer marketing. But, a company need to review whether it is worthwhile in terms of time and money. Read more at: http://www.business2community.com/marketing/influencer-marketing-worth-waste-01549023#MsVR5luWeIPxO1mE.97

According to Lauren Jung (Co-Founder of Theshelf.com), customers believe influencers over Facebook, twitter post for getting information about new trends, innovations and advice for buying products. Influencers are individuals who have the power to affect purchase decisions of others because of their (real or perceived) authority, knowledge, position, or relationship. In consumer spending, members of a peer group or reference group act as influencers.

Here are some tips to make influencer marketing effective are:

•         For making influence marketing successful align with influencer who have the power to influence the buyer’s decision or inbound interest.
•         Tailor your strategy based on the influencer.
•         Try to maintain a relationship.
•         Encourage content creation from brand evangelists.

 Read more at: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/245757