Finding And Engaging Your Brand’s Soulmates

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Today ION held their first of three exclusive webinars geared toward brand marketers who work with influencers. The topic focused on discovering, connecting and activating influencers in the most effective way.

“The Internet has been giving power to these niche audiences,” said ION Talent Director Steven Lai. It is because of this transference of power that brands have been increasingly invested in forming relationships with those creators who command influence on different scales to collaborate.

Influencer StatsIt may surprise you that food is the hottest topic for influencers, followed by lifestyle.

“Conversations are happening every day around your brand,” Lai went on to say. “It’s not happening on your brand’s channels. It’s happening on these creator’s channels.”

In fact 90 percent of content mentioning brands comes from non-brand-owned channels. But it isn’t as easy as seeking out any and all of these conversations to leverage. There is an in-depth process ION goes through to ensure that marketers are finding what is essentially their brand’s “soulmate.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/3PHmA5Olk2/

And like all well-forged relationships, of principal importance to Lai is that both the brand and the influencer have the same outlook on values. This isn’t something easily mined through data and stats or even through current methods for finding and connecting influencers, but it’s something ION has spent a considerable amount of effort and 25 years of brand management experience in order to create an optimized matching platform.

Instagram Users Active On Other Networks

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While there is no doubt loyalty with certain networks — such as people who use Facebook but won’t even budge when it comes to other channels — there are many consumers out there that like to multi-network across various channels. And it appears that this is very true for Instagram users.

Adweek has reported that, according to a study from GlobalWebIndex, users of the popular photo and video site are also active on an average of nearly five of the top ten social networks, with 97 percent of them partaking on Facebook.

The other networks that Instagram users frequently visit include Twitter, YouTube, Google +, Pinterest, Linkedin, Tumblr, MySpace, Reddit and Bodoo. Many also user two social apps that are under the Facebook umbrella — WhatsApp and Messenger.

Speaking with SocialTimes, GWI stated, “Overall, Instagrammers are in fact active on almost five of the top ten social networks globally. That’s very much in line with the move toward more diverse and specialized forms of networking — where people turn to different platforms for different activities — but it does underline one of the reasons why Instagram may be keep to engage (or re-engage) its users through a daily mailshot. Quite simply, cutting through the noise being made inside the social space is becoming more and more of a challenge.”

GWI broke down the numbers even further in the infographic below, including multi-networking behaviors amongst Instagram’s most active users (with Facebook leading the pack) and percentage of users who used the apps over the previous month (with Facebook Messenger leading at 47 percent, followed by WhatsApp, Skype and Viber).

 

Snapchat Hires Former Fox Exec To Beef Up Its Original Programming

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by Sahil Patel

Continuing to chase its ambitions in becoming more than just a messaging service, Snapchat has hired former Fox comedy executive Marcus Wiley as its new head of program planning and development for Snap Channel.

In the role, Wiley will be responsible for bringing more original short-form programming to Snapchat. The content will be geared toward 13- to 34-year-olds (Snapchat’s core demo) and will largely focus on the narrative scripted and/or musical genres, according to Deadline, which first reported the news.

Keep reading…

This article was originally posted on VideoInk and is reposted on [a]listdaily via a partnership with the news publication, which is the online video industry’s go-to source for breaking news, features, and industry analysis. Follow VideoInk on Twitter @VideoInkNews, or subscribe via thevideoink.com for the latest news and stories, delivered right to your inbox.

 

Instagram Users Clean Up With Brand Deals

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This is the day and age where, if a user is savvy enough, they can actually make a living from a social network, as we previously explained with various YouTube programmers. Adage recently reported on a savvy Instagram user who’s managing to make some big bucks by simply including brands with some of her posted photos.

Danielle Bernstein, who runs a style blog called We Wore What that ties in with an Instagram account, recently chatted with Harper’s Bazaar on how she makes a comfortable living (around six figures) by simply posting these photos.

“Right now, Bernstein’s rate card, through Next Models, sets her range for the cost of a single piece of sponsored content (i.e. one Instagram shot) from $5,000 to $15,000. This rate can go up or down, depending the terms of the deal, such as if a brand wants a long-term commitment or multiple Instagram pictures,” said the article.

Bernstein’s got quite a following, with nearly one million followers on her Instagram, and once she crosses that point, she could easily request — and get — $100,000 from brands for a post, according to Bazaar. She’s recently worked with Lancome and Virgin Hotels, to great success, as you can see from the photo below.

While this may inspire some savvy users to try and find a business side to their social account, there are warnings being issued in terms of loose disclosure with paid endorsements. Back in December 2013, the Federal Trade Commission called publishers to Washington D.C. to see what steps are being taken in terms of labeling native ads. It hasn’t stepped into social media channels like Instagram and Vine just yet, but it could happen some day, according to Adage.

Regardless, it looks like Bernstein’s success will continue forward, with plenty of clients in tow. “With Instagram’s highly selective ad placements, brands are definitely itching to integrate with the platform. Combined with Instagram’s propensity for high quality imagery and content, brands and influencers alike are certainly placing a premium on any branded material. Fashion, beauty, and travel are among the top categories we’ve seen so far on the platform,” says Steven Lai, ION‘s Talent Group Director.

Meet the Biggest YouTuber Without A Channel

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by Jessica Klein

Though you’ve likely never heard of Andrew Vallentine, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve seen his work on YouTube. This is because Vallentine works behind the camera, directing videos for popular YouTube creators from Meghan Camarena to Joey Graceffa.

At this point in his freelance directing career on YouTube, Vallentine has no trouble keeping busy with clients. Recently, he released two music videos for Trisha Pasytas, shortly followed by Joey Graceffa’s coming out music video, “Don’t Wait” (below), and Ricky Dillon’s “Stars,” which debuted the very next day.

Keep reading…

This article was originally posted on VideoInk and is reposted on [a]listdaily via a partnership with the news publication, which is the online video industry’s go-to source for breaking news, features, and industry analysis. Follow VideoInk on Twitter @VideoInkNews, or subscribe via thevideoink.com for the latest news and stories, delivered right to your inbox.

 

 

VIDEO: ION Ranks Snapchat’s Top Creators

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Snapchat is where the kids are playing these days. With photo, video, captioning and artwork overlays, it’s easy to see why. Even though Snaps are technically ephemeral, ION has captured what kind of content is getting major views on the platform. Another thing to note is how Vine stars have easily found a home on the platform and gathered a following there as well showing they can shift platforms like no one’s business.

Endemol Beyond Launches in Singapore, Where YouTubers Happen to Thrive

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by Jessica Klein

Endemol Beyond has gone even further beyond…into Singapore, where there happens to be a lot going on for digital video creators right now.

The launch of Endemol Beyond Asia marks the company’s first Asian hub. It will be led by Chirstopher Smith, who comes from working at Mindshare Singapore and will take on the role of head of digital and branded content. He will report to Fotini Paraskakis, the managing director for Endemol Shine Asia, and will also work closely with Georg Ramme, the managing director of Endemol Beyond’s international division.

Endemol Beyond Asia will largely serve to adapt Endemol’s global content to Asian markets (so far, the company has hubs in the US, UK, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, and more). This will include Michelle Phan’s recently launched lifestyle network Icon, which is now targeted to English-speaking countries, including the US and UK. The company’s new, Asian hub will also focus on branded content.

Keep reading…

This article was originally posted on VideoInk and is reposted on [a]listdaily via a partnership with the news publication, which is the online video industry’s go-to source for breaking news, features, and industry analysis. Follow VideoInk on Twitter @VideoInkNews, or subscribe via thevideoink.com for the latest news and stories, delivered right to your inbox.

Mobile Game Highlights: ‘Jurassic World’, ‘Mickey’s Shapes Sing-Along’

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We’re back with another round of mobile game highlights for the week, and there’s something for everyone, including singing and dancing, taking flight and goofing off with dinosaurs. Let’s get started!

Jurassic World Mobile MovieMaker (NBC Universal, free, available on iOS)

Although it’s different from the Jurassic World game that was introduced last week, the Jurassic World Mobile MovieMaker is sure to be a hit with fans of the forthcoming Universal film. With it, savvy consumers can actually implement themselves in photos and videos featuring dinosaur characters from the film, whether it’s being nearly attacked by a raptor or running from a pterodactyl. With a number of creatures to choose from, there’s no end to what kind of content fans can create — and it’s all free of charge, so everyone can download and enjoy.

Mickey’s Shapes Sing-Along (Disney, $2.99, available on iOS)

Although it’s aimed at kids, Mickey’s Shapes Sing-Along is an app that fans of all ages can enjoy. With it, players can listen to and sing along with songs revolving around different shapes, all while playing simple games that reinforce the content of the lyrics. While learning about new shapes, kids can also submit songs with karaoke, and have fun with music videos. Featuring a number of familiar and new characters, Mickey’s Shapes Sing-Along looks to be another big hit for Disney’s mobile division. And that’s worth singing about.

Let’s Go Rocket – Ultimate Endless Space Adventure (Cobra Mobile, free-to-play, available on iOS)

The endless flying game Let’s Go Rocket looks to be quite an addictive game from Cobra Mobile, forcing players to use their rocket-boosting skills as they avoid obstacles and try to fly the longest distance they possibly can. With out-of-this-world visuals and gameplay that’s easy to grasp, this game should have no problem, ahem, taking off. For good measure, there are also additional rockets available for purchase within the app.

Oddwings Escape (Small Giant Games, free-to-play, available on iOS)

For consumers who wish to take a more traditional means of flight, there’s Oddwings Escape from Small Giant Games. In it, players will control a number of different birds as they fly through trickily-designed levels, dodging obstacles and racing against friends for glory. Featuring a smooth touch-control system, a variety of birds to unlock and the ability to hop in to multiplayer sessions, Oddwings Escape soars.

Knights of Pen & Paper 2 (Paradox Interactive, $4.99, available on iOS and Android)

The role-playing series Knights of Pen & Paper makes its return, with a number of new additions that both fans and newcomers alike will enjoy. This turn-based retro-style role-playing adventure features a number of characters, taking part in a traditional pen and paper style battle system. Players can pick and choose their battles, while taking part in finding hidden treasures, battling goods and interacting with characters that can provide upgrades. For those who like games of this type, it’s certainly something to enjoy.

See you next time for more Mobile Game Highlights!

YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki To Reflect On The Platform’s 10 Years At VidCon

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by Jessica Klein

CEO of YouTube, Susan Wojcicki, will keynote VidCon for the second year in a row.

Of course, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the leader of the video platform this conference is all about should step up and talk a bit about it. What is sort of surprising is that YouTube is only 10 years old—it feels like the video platform has been around since the dawn of time, at this point.

“I was a big advocate of Google’s acquisition of YouTube back in 2006 when the platform was just a year old,” said Wojcicki in a statement. At VidCon 2015, which will take place between July 23 and 25 at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, she will reflect on YouTube’s growth and look to the future of the digital video industry.

Keep reading…

This article was originally posted on VideoInk and is reposted on [a]listdaily via a partnership with the news publication, which is the online video industry’s go-to source for breaking news, features, and industry analysis. Follow VideoInk on Twitter @VideoInkNews, or subscribe via thevideoink.com for the latest news and stories, delivered right to your inbox.

‘Halo 5’ #HuntTheTruth Podcast Engages Millions Of Listeners

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Fans of the popular Halo series have had their perception of the game’s world turned upside down with the #HuntTheTruth podcast. Now in it’s 8th episode, listeners are now wondering if Master Chief is really who they thought he was.

The relevations and the engrossing story has pushed the campaign to new heights. The Ayzenberg-produced #HuntTheTruth podcast has shown that the podcast resurgence is real with 2.15 million listens and counting on iTunes and Soundcloud and 500k+ more listeners on YouTube, where it has been translated into multiple languages by the fans themselves.