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Influencer Marketing News Roundup: YouTube's "Advertiser-Friendly" Videos, The NFL's Influencer Campaign, & More

This week on the Mediakix blog, we compiled the most notable Instagram demographic statistics, shared an overview of the FTC's newest social media guidelines for 2016, and examined the 10 statistics driving Musical.ly’s success. Additionally, we interviewed top storytelling YouTuber Rob Dyke and shared how YouTube MCN's are helping celebrities like The Rock launch YouTube careers.

Today’s roundup of influencer marketing news will explore Facebook’s newest features, YouTube's "advertiser-friendly" videos, how the NFL is reaching audiences with influencer marketing, and more.

Vertical/Longer Videos Win On Facebook

Facebook has just launched yet another advertising tool for marketers: vertical videos (a la Snapchat). Though the feature is still in the early stages, vertical videos—which are shot using a mobile device in portrait mode as opposed to the previously-standard landscape format—enjoy higher view-through rates and engagement rates and more social shares than normal Facebook videos (AdWeek).

New research also shows that 30- to 60-second video advertisements on Facebook saw higher completion rates (44%) than video ads that lasted less than 30 seconds (26%, according to eMarketer). As the ways to advertise on social media platforms continue to expand, brands will need to keep abreast of notable behavioral trends and constantly revise their marketing strategies accordingly.

YouTube's "Advertising-Friendly" Policy Irks YouTubers 

YouTube has recently implemented a notification process to let creators know if and why ads have been removed (or "demonetized") from their YouTube videos (CNBC).

While this notification process has been labeled by a number of YouTubers as "censorship," the video platform asserts that its policy of demonetizing videos based on their criteria for "advertiser-friendly" content—which includes ad removal for violence, sexually suggestive content, or profanity—remains unchanged (USA Today).

YouTube's focus on ad-friendly content comes on the heels of intensified FTC scrutiny regarding exactly how influencers and marketers should develop sponsored video content.

#Sponsored Doesn't Affect Engagement

The FTC's new labeling requirements for sponsored posts have caused many to worry about potential efficacy problem for brand-sponsored content—specifically, marketers have begun to question whether audiences will still consider sponsored content as authentic if accompanied by a prominent disclosure (AdWeek).

However, a recent study found that engagement with content is not dependent on whether it is labeled as sponsored or non-sponsored (AdWeek). Rather, engagement depends on four characteristics: high-quality photography, unique content, natural product placement, and separate text.

So, while influencers will need to become more explicit with sponsorships, advertisers should not be deterred from influencer marketing and should use transparency as a tool.

Related Post: The FTC's Updated Social Media Guidelines For 2016

The NFL, Pure Protein, & Bank of Ireland Are Jumping on Influencers

Marketers from sports, food, and financial industries are jumping into influencer marketing to reach more consumers and build their audiences. The NFL, for one, is turning to influencers who are not involved in football to target audiences who know little about the game (The Drum).

Similarly, dietary supplement brand Pure Protein is collaborating with influencers to educate potential consumers about their product and authenticate their message. After a year-long study, Pure Protein realized the brand needed to shift its marketing mix to spend more on social media fitness stars (Forbes).

Finally, Bank of Ireland is looking to student ambassadors and influencers to share hacks and money saving tips on Snapchat, a strategy aimed at communicating more directly with a younger generation (The Irish Times).

Related Post: How Brands Are Partnering With Snapchat Influencers

Also See Our Posts On:

10 Musical.ly Statistics Marketers Will Need To Know

Free Download: 10 Steps To Influencer Marketing Success

The New, Updated FTC Social Media Guidelines For 2016

Instagram Demographics & Usage Stats For 2016

The post Influencer Marketing News Roundup: YouTube’s “Advertiser-Friendly” Videos appeared first on Mediakix | Influencer Marketing Agency.