“Creator is in their name, so let them create it.” This is the advice Lightning Media CEO Sophie Jamison shared at the recent EMARKETER Summit. Jamison cautioned against giving too much direction to creators and was optimistic about the future of social media marketing even if TikTok is gone.
“I haven't sent it. [creators] Briefs. We just let them do it,” Jamison said. “They know what they're doing. So we'll let them do it.”
Jamison says one of the biggest mistakes brands make is giving themselves too much creative control. Doing so can result in over-produced content that is inconsistent with the creator's overall tone, leading to poor performance. The strongest creator partnerships occur when brands keep creators informed and informed about their marketing strategies without micromanaging them.
Jamison also cautioned against focusing too much on follower numbers, which she called a vanity metric. “Small creators who already have a niche community may be able to make better use of their time and money,” she said.
Despite his main focus on TikTok, Jamison isn't concerned about the possibility of the app being banned. “Even if TikTok goes away, there will be new apps to replace it, like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts,” Jamison said. As long as brands understand how to find their audience and the right influencers, their approach to social media should be applicable across platforms.
Reaching your audience will vary by product, but a good social media team should be able to figure out what works. “It's important to be very flexible and to understand what's really resonating and to be kind of a test,” Jamison said.
In the United States, influencer marketing spending continues to grow at double-digit rates. This year, it is expected to increase by 16.0% to reach a total of $8.14 billion.
- YouTube, which users may access if TikTok is banned, will account for the largest share (34.5%) of that spending.
- The share on Instagram is 31.5% and the share on Facebook is 12.8%.
- TikTok's share of influencer spending in the US will be 17.2%.
This was originally featured in the EMarketer Daily newsletter. For more marketing insights, statistics, and trends, subscribe here.
