The Engagement Rate

An industry bulletin for marketing pros.

Oh hey there! It’s Superbowl weekend! We’re excited to report on all things influencer marketing next week. In the meantime, it’s National Pizza Day and it looks like a new influencer niche is emerging… 🍕

Influencer & brand wins of the week 🏅

⚽Football meets Superbowl

Super Bowl ads are getting some early attention, and according to System1's emotional response gauge, Michelob Ultra is the top pick, with a cool ad featuring Lionel Messi, just one of the greatest soccer stars of all time. It's this 60-second spot by Wieden+Kennedy that tells a neat story about the blend of staying active and being social.

🌲SZA’s Grammys performance 

At the Grammys, Mastercard collaborated with SZA for a performance of her new song "Saturn," aiming to spotlight forest restoration. As a Grammys sponsor, Mastercard, part of the Priceless Planet Coalition, strives to promote planetary health and restore 100 million trees, with SZA donning an outfit made of tree seeds during the show.

^{Sponsored by InfluenceKit}

🔊 Influencer Marketers! A brief intervention from InfluenceKit

Are you still chasing influencers for screenshots and manually updating spreadsheets to measure the success of your influencer campaigns? It’s time to check out InfuenceKit. 

InfluenceKit is the reliable and affordable tool that small teams trust to track, organize, and analyze influencer campaigns. Its easy-to-understand and always-live reports allow you to monitor your campaign's progress in real-time and share the results with your clients or boss using a simple link.

Join the hundreds of brands and agencies saving countless hours on manual reporting and finally measure your campaign results with confidence.

Try InfluenceKit for free today.

Pizza influencing is on the rise

It's National Pizza Day, and the pizza influencer scene is thriving with creators like @PizzaBlonde, @capopizza, and @pizzacityusa making waves!

Pizza influencing has become a legit career, as seen with Slice advertising a "pizza influencer" job at a salary of up to $110,000 per year, plus a weekly pizza stipend. Notably, controversial figures like Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports wield significant influence and Aydan Fabian, known as @pizzofart, has amassed 358,000 followers on Instagram, contributing his signature "daddy slice" to the pizza world. Since starting his channel in April 2022, Aydan has garnered millions of views and partnerships with pizza-related companies, offering tutorials and recipes on his subscription channel.

On National Pizza Day, chains like Papa John's, Pizza Hut, and California Pizza Kitchen run promotions and discounts. The industry's largest event, the International Pizza Expo in Las Vegas next month, will bring together pizza influencers to celebrate and explore opportunities in the pizza business. As pizza consumption peaks during this week, estimated at about 180 slices per year per American, the popularity of toppings remains consistent, with pepperoni leading, followed by sausage, mushroom, extra cheese, and bacon breaking into the top five in 2024, according to Pizza Today. 

Is Instagram no longer fit for-influencing-purpose?

Remember when influencer brands were sure of success? Well, TikTok came along and shook things up. Now, consumers are way pickier. But it's not all doom and gloom. If you navigate this new landscape the right way, there's still a sweet opportunity for influencers and brands to connect.

Gille Peeters, founder of Belgian jewelry brand Fragille, is shifting away from Instagram-centric influencer collaborations and is teaming up with TikTok influencer Victoria Paris for a capsule collection in New York. The collaboration, viewed as a litmus test, reflects a turning point as the allure of standalone influencer brands diminishes, with a focus on long-term collaborations providing a route for influencers to tap into the fashion market without fully pivoting to founder-mode. This shift is attributed to changing consumer preferences, the impact of TikTok, and the desire for authenticity and relatability over the exclusivity of the Instagram era.

In this evolving landscape, TikTok has played a pivotal role by prioritizing content over follower count, creating a space where anyone can be a creator. However, it has also led to a more discerning consumer base, making it essential for influencers to go beyond just putting their name on a product. The influencer brand model is evolving, and behind-the-scenes content is becoming crucial to showcase the creator's reality. Successful influencer brand collaborations, where the influencer is emotionally invested and demands more control, are emerging as a winning strategy, providing influencers with a platform to share their unique stories and maintain authenticity.

3 common influencer marketing mistakes you’re probably making

As part of our ‘influencer marketing done right’ series, here’s 3 key snapshots on influencer marketing mistakes you might want to rectify… 

When diving into the realm of influencer partnerships, a crucial first step is choosing the right influencer. You want influencers who vibe with your brand rather than those with the biggest follower count. Think about micro-influencers – those with a smaller but dedicated following – they might just be the perfect fit. Look for influencers whose content naturally meshes with what you're selling. The perks? Connecting with an audience that genuinely cares and crafting authentic brand awareness.

Now, let's talk about navigating the channels. While everyone's on TikTok, it's not the end-all-be-all for every brand. Be strategic in your channel selection – think campaign goals, audience demographics, and what your influencer prefers. Consider the channel's format; does it align with the influencer's style and content? Ensure your goals, chosen channels, and influencer platforms are a harmonious trio.

Finally, let's set the right expectations: Be crystal clear about your internal goals and share the excitement with your downstream teams.Whether you're all about brand awareness or gunning for direct-response sales, make sure everyone's on the same page. When chatting with influencers, spill the beans on your priorities – the features you're eager to promote, target audiences, and those key brand attributes. And don't forget the nitty-gritty – lay out expectations for posts, timing, compensation, and all the other fine details. Communication is key!