Laura Mansfield, APR
Smart brands have discovered the power of influencer marketing.
While they may not have given up on telling their own stories, businesses are trusting digital personalities to tout their products and services, because consumers are tuning out traditional advertising. In fact, eMarketer predicts more than 86 million Americans will use ad-blocking software in 2017. Nearly three-quarters of millennials are already using ad-block technology for an ad-free digital experience.
Hence the rise of influencer marketing, whereby brands partner with social media superstars to produce, distribute and promote sponsored content to consumers who follow these influencers and trust them. It’s a modern take on the celebrity spokesperson, but with a twist. The brand no longer controls the message – the “celebrity” does.
Read full article at Knoxville News Sentinel
Laura Mansfield, APR, is executive vice president of Fletcher PR Marketing. Contact her at lmansfield@fletchermarketingpr.com. Follow her on Twitter at @yoginigangsta.