Alix Earle is one of the most popular influencers right now. She originally blew up for her “Get Ready With Me” TikTok videos for events at the University of Miami, and she now has 5.6 million TikTok followers along with 2.9 million on Instagram. She would simply prop her phone up on her makeup table in her college apartment and start filming her getting ready routine. She talked to her audience the entire time, either about the products she was using, the event she was getting ready for, or just stuff going on in her life. They were very casual videos and it felt like she was just talking to her friends. She recently graduated, but has continued to make these Get Ready With Me videos as well as many other types of TikToks.
Alix is the perfect example of an influencer that brands would want to establish a deal with. She has a large audience that trusts her opinion, and while she is relatable she also has a very fun life that people want to watch. She has a large influence on her audience, and I’ll admit I myself have bought multiple items that she has shown in her videos. It even became a big trend on TikTok to recreate her makeup routine, and she has gotten an incredible amount of brand deals the past year and is invited to movie premieres and brand trips. People were influenced to buy the white eyeliner she uses, her favorite mascara and bronzer, as well as many other products she loves.
Advertising strategies have clearly changed a lot over the past couple of decades. What used to just be posters, TV commercials and newspaper ads has turned into 15 second videos on TikTok generating millions of views. I know I spend too much time on my phone, and I’m sure millions of people could agree. But, this makes social media the perfect place for companies to advertise. Establishing brand deals with influencers is one of the most effective ways for companies to do this.
Companies have the ability to gain a ton of exposure from influencers. While some of their posts might be paid brand deals, a lot of them are just creators showing off products they like, giving the company free exposure to their audience. An influencer may show their daily routine and rave about a certain product they love, leading many members of their audience to purchase that product. This is a leg up from any other form of ad, as the audience already knows and trusts this influencer.
On top of that, a brand can measure every step in the sales process from the first exposure on an influencer page to the final sale in an online shopping cart. TV ads are effective for exposure, but don’t offer the same level of analytics. These analytics can really help companies with picking which influencers to continue working with and allows them to know just how much influencer marketing is working.
Millions of people scroll through TikTok every single day and are constantly being exposed to new products. Lately, a lot more time is spent on social media than watching TV; and even when people are watching TV, it is often on streaming services with no ads or they are scrolling through their phones while watching.
Most brands have adopted influencer marketing in some way. It is an incredibly effective way to build brand recognition and generate sales. I can only see this type of marketing continuing to grow, and see past types start to gradually decrease. Companies are wanting to put much more of their advertising budget into this marketing, and for good reason; Alix Earle’s brand deals can prove this.
In a recent upheaval to the social media landscape, Meta introduced Threads. In less than a week, the platform attracted more than 100 million users, becoming the fastest network to reach that milestone. Threads served the first real external blow to Twitter, which has been losing users and money as a result of self-inflicted wounds since the company’s change in ownership.
Here at Creagent Marketing (and Urban Corning), we wanted to be early adopters of the app. Our intern, Olivia Proudfoot, quickly created a Threads account for Urban Corning less than 24 hours after the app was launched. Below are five of her initial observations:
Users can start out with a base of followers, making it easy to get started
Right when you first open the app, the Instagram accounts you own are listed and you can easily log into any of them. You can even import your Instagram bio and website URL in one click. Then you are brought to a screen listing everyone you already follow on Instagram; you can instantly follow all of those same accounts with one click. This makes it incredibly easy to get started on the app without having to spend time searching for the hundreds of accounts you follow on Instagram. It also gives you a base followers right from the start. I think it feels a lot easier to get started on an app when you know you’re going to see familiar friends and content from the start.
People were very fast to download the app and be active on it
As I first looked at the feed section, I was surprised to see how many large companies and celebrities were already on the app and posting. I created Urban Corning’s account less than a day after the app was released, yet many companies and celebrities already had a number of “threads” posted and a lot of activity on those threads.
Companies are taking a casual, funny approach to their posts
Companies are being very casual on the platform. The way companies are using the app reminds me of how they use TikTok. Companies use both of these apps with a more casual, funny, and personable approach. I have always enjoyed seeing big, well-known brands post funny videos or comments on TikTok that make it seem like they are just a normal user of the app, and it seems this approach is what’s being used on Threads so far.
People are actively comparing Threads with Twitter
I have noticed there have already been many posts shading Twitter. The first thing I learned about the app when it was released was that it is extremely similar to Twitter, and many think it could replace Twitter altogether. I wondered how high the chances were that this app replaces Twitter, because when Instagram added Reels it did not seem to affect TikTok usage at all. But with all the controversy happening with Twitter and all of the posts on the app I am seeing that are talking negatively about Twitter, I think it is possible Threads will be a strong competitor.
My predictions for Threads
I really do think that Threads will end up being successful based on what I have already seen on the app. Many influencers that I follow on Instagram already have an account and are encouraging people to join the app and follow them. While I do not think it could completely replace Twitter, I think it is going to be a major competitor for the platform. Threads is new and exciting, and it’s gained popularity fast. I can see Threads sticking around for a while and being really successful.
Social media is such a significant part of our daily lives now, so it’s really interesting to see a new app be launched that could potentially become one of the platforms we check every day. As a brand new app there is some room for improvement, but I was overall really impressed with the app right from the beginning. I’m excited to see where the app goes and to see if it will become as popular as TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram.
Creagent Marketing and the Guthrie Strategic Planning and Marketing team have been recognized by Ragan Communications for three Employee Communications Awards. The team won the category for Best Employer Branding for their campaign titled “Your Career in Full Color” in PR Daily’s Social Media & Digital Awards. The campaign was also awarded Best Recruitment Video and was runner-up for Best Recruitment Campaign.
Through billboards, direct mail, social media ads, and television commercials, Guthrie was able to successfully share nursing opportunities with the community. The campaign focused on the career benefits and competitive advantages Guthrie offers for their nurses. This campaign was successful in its mission, ultimately increasing the hiring of full-time nurses by ten percent.
“Winning the Ragan Employee Communications Award and PR Daily Social Media & Digital Award for our recruitment marketing campaign was an incredible honor,” said Maria Knapp, Marketing Manager at Guthrie. “It was a testament to the hard work of everyone involved in creating, executing, and managing the campaign. Our success is a direct result of our team’s commitment to delivering creative solutions that resonate with our target audience. Winning these awards has been a major milestone for our team, and I am proud of the recognition we received.”
Guthrie is focused on improving the health and well-being of the communities it serves, while providing an environment of compassion, learning, and discovery.
“We’re extremely proud of these awards, which reflect the hard work that everyone put in on behalf of our client,” said Sean Lukasik, owner of Creagent Marketing. “Our team – including Erin Panosian and Dave Rochelle – worked seamlessly with the Guthrie Marketing department to make this campaign a success.”
Creagent Marketing is dedicated to helping their clients stay on brand while capturing followers and leads along the way. Focusing on design, content development, and comprehensive digital marketing campaigns, the company has been successful in generating content that helps clients reach their customers in various ways. From creating new company logos to building video and podcast series, the team at Creagent Marketing has a wide variety of skills and knowledge. Examples of clients include Arbor Housing and Development, Corning Civic Music, and the Community Foundation of Elmira Corning and the Finger Lakes.
Ragan Communications has been delivering “trusted news, training and intelligence for more than 50 years to internal and external communicators, HR professionals and business executives.”
“It’s an honor to see our work next to some of the other winners like PepsiCo, Capital One, Disney Parks, and John Deere,” added Lukasik. This is the first time Creagent Marketing has been recognized by Ragan Communications.
