It had appeared that Influencer Marketing was on the rise and with good reason. According to Social Media Today in 2018, 81% of businesses reported that influencers were an effective marketing strategy for them. BUT in the year of 2019, Social Media Today has changed its Influencer Marketing tune. For one, social media users have become smarter. They are bombarded constantly with sponsored content on their feeds and now they are less likely to engage with influencers. Users feel the brand + influencer partnerships are inauthentic and unethical. Though Influencer Marketing can be an extremely beneficial tool for some brands, it is important to note the dangers of working with sponsored content and the current state of social media users. 

Google Shopping is bringing customer photos to the reviews section of advertisers’ listings. These product images will be accessible from the “View More” button on mobile or by clicking on the star ratings. Why will this make a difference? Even thumbnail images of reviewers can add further proof to a critical product review. 

While the active user count for Pinterest might not blow you away in comparison to Facebook or Instagram, Pinterest is experiencing steady growth and is now up to 291 million active users. Just last September the active user count was 250 million users. The surprising statistic here is not actually the steady growth in users, but the percentage of users that show regular, daily activity. Research shows that 57% of weekly Pinterest users, use the app while doing in-store shopping and it’s also a leader in terms of product discovery.

According to an announcement from Twitter , “advertising creative is the top factor in driving sales, so brands need to create content that drives brand love and business impact.” Similar to Facebook’s Automated Ads, Twitter ArtHouse will provide creative assistance to marketers through a slew of advertising options including: digital strategy, video creation and editing, influencer and artist management, and event live-streaming. 

Amazon’s annual Prime Day is almost here. Why do we care? Because last year’s event generated over $4 billion in sales. For many online retail brands, this is an excellent place to jump in on email marketing and maximize on subject lines. Prime Day subject lines are key to higher open rates according to Marketing Land. Last year, open rates soared up to 47% higher than all average holiday-themed email campaigns sent the previous quarter.