Sup Social: Facebook Grants Program, The Influencer Economy Recession, and More...
Being the social and business nerd I am, I read a ton of news articles and thought pieces about what brands and consumers are doing. Every day, I receive close to 25 marketing and biz emails with all sorts of stories—from the latest Instagram updates to what different generations are buying during the quarantine. My favorites are the eye-opening “How X Built a Million-Dollar Empire” docuseries or the juicy startup exposés. But I obviously have a soft spot for all influencer-related stories.
No two emails are the same, so there’s a ton of information to digest. Which is why I’m making it easier for you to stay in the loop.
Welcome to Sup Social, a marketing and biz roundup for brands and creators.
I break it down into What’s New, Thought Starters, Strategy and Tips, #Relatable and Random.
What’s New
Instagram Live Streams Can Now Be Viewed on the Web
Adam Mosseri hinted at this during a chat last week, and now IG Live for desktops is here! Since everyone and their mom are going live right now, the company’s spending more time developing the tool’s features. After rolling out Direct Messages for desktop users, Instagram’s made livestreams viewable on the web.
Since we can now tune in from different devices, this will probably increase views and engagement, which is great. But the question remains—will IG Live stick around once we can all go out?
Facebook launches Small Business Grants Program
Facebook committed $100M in cash grants to 30,000 eligible small businesses across 30 countries to help them get through COVID-19 disruptions. I know a few people who are in the process of applying, and it seems super easy to find out if you’re eligible. Click on the link to see if you qualify.
Thought Starters
The Influencer Economy Hurtles Toward Its First Recession
With many brands putting paid partnerships on hold and others facing budget cuts, it makes sense to think Influencer marketing is headed towards its first recession. But in my opinion, it’s too soon to tell.
While some industries are severely impacted, others—especially those that meet quarantine needs—are booming. Think the personal care, kitchen accessories, meal planning, alcohol and home organization companies. The brands that can be agile and shift to digital, as well as the creators who can pivot their content, will survive the (hopefully) short-term loss of income.
Will Covid-19 Change Fashion Photography?
Remote shoots are a thing. Just ask Vogue Italia that recently commissioned over 40 creatives to capture celebrities like Bella Hadid over FaceTime.
In-person photoshoots are on hold indefinitely, so brands have been adapting their content production strategies. When they’re not leveraging influencers, they’re featuring their employees in campaigns or commissioning models (think Zara) and photographers to capture content themselves. These measures have potential implications for the future of photography, as questions around the costs of traditional photoshoots are starting to be raised. The typical fashion images feel out of sync with the growing issues the world, so lo-fi, less polished images are resonating right now. Whether or not this is a passing trend or we will see brands incorporating these tactics once normal activities resume, is still TBD.
Strategy and Tips
Instagram’s Kristie Dash: ‘Brands that aren’t set up to be nimble are going to struggle’
Some actionable advice from Instagram's fashion and beauty partnership manager, Kristie Dash. My favorite one, "Being experimental, and figuring out what other facets of Instagram content make sense for [your brand], is going to pay off."
We’re already seeing the increased engagement on our Instagram from this, and we’re getting creative with different types of lifestyle content. As a brand or influencer, if you have the space and some equipment (don’t overthink this), now is the time to test out ideas and grow your online presence.
How fashion brands are growing Instagram Live viewers as everyone flocks to the feature
The competition for IG Live views is on, and if you’re in the race, you can set yourself apart in three simple steps:
a. Offer value (fitness classes, work-from-home style inspiration, makeup tutorials for Zoom meetings etc.)
b. Include guests (experts, celebrities or influencers) - this gives you more visibility.
c. Promote your live schedule on other channels (i.e. emails, website popups etc.)
Beauty brands are ramping up their focus on Pinterest
Maybe you should pay more attention to Pinterest right now. It’s still the underdog of social media, but it may show the biggest ROI for brands in this time. Searches for self-care and DIY beauty treatments have surged since the outbreak, which gives brands a unique opportunity to be helpful to consumers—and spend their budget effectively. Take note from Aveda, L’Oréal Paris and Native who are leaning into Pinterest, and starting to see an increase in engagement across their sales channels.
#Relatable
I Can't Stop Influencing, Even Though People Want Me to Feel Guilty For It
Damned if you do. Damned if you don’t. This is the influencer conundrum in the age of COVID-19. On one hand, posting ads helps pay the bills, but on the other, it can seem tone-deaf to promote products with the looming economic crisis. In this well-written piece, Grace Atwood explores this dilemma and explains how she’s navigating it.
While I don’t think the solution is to stop sharing sponsored posts (a lot of us can’t afford this), the content and messaging should acknowledge the situation. I also feel a responsibility to use my platform for good, which is why we routinely share resources on our stories and in our newsletter.
Random
DBA’s New Platform Is a One-stop Shop for Instagram Lives
Introducing Your Live Guide, the central hub of scheduled livestreams on Instagram. Creators can submit their upcoming live sessions, and they’ll all be in one place, searchable by hashtags (#beauty #dj #fitness #food etc). At a time when Live views are skyrocketing across platforms, this site is a smart move from Digital Brand Architects, which manages a huge portfolio of macro-influencers.
Will this outlive the pandemic though? The answer is anyone’s guess.