This is my class mates essay. After the essay I will put the questions that needs to be answered.
Influencer marketing has increased significantly over the past couple of years. Influencer marketing is a newer marketing strategy involving content creators with a large social media platform. These creators can then use their large following to lure in their viewers with any products they promote. This allows for a more personal connection between the influencers and viewers. Many brands have turned to this marketing strategy because of how big social media has become. Although this has become very beneficial for brands, there are also some drawbacks to using this method of marketing.
Influencer marketing significantly increased ever since the COVID-19 pandemic happened. The pandemic forced people to stay home, which led to more people using social media as entertainment. Influencer marketing represents a $10 billion industry in 2020 and is becoming of increasing relevance for many firms Top Drawbacks of Influencer Marketing for Your Business. Social media has become a huge platform for influencers and brands. TikTok has been the biggest platform for short-form video content. In a recent survey, 56% of U.S. consumers said they bought something based on an ad they saw on TikTok, and 36% said they were willing to try by The Top Marketing Trends of 2024 & How Theyve Changed Since 2023. TikTok also forms the For You Page, also known as, an explore main page into curated videos based on your video interactions, so if you like a lot of animal videos, you will have more animal videos to view, compared to someone whose interest is cars. Short, straight-to-the-point videos have shown more effectiveness for people with fast-paced attention spans. The difference between Gen Z and previous generations has shifted marketing into outdoor advertisements, such as billboards and social media. Statistics show On Instagram, 60% of users in the United States are younger than 34, and on TikTok, nearly 40% of users are teenagers between 10 and 19 years, Navigating the New Era of Influencer Marketing: How to be Successful on Instagram, TikTok, & Co.
Authenticity is one drawback of influencer marketing. Many content creators get asked to use products from different brands and give a positive opinion. Some influencers may enjoy the products, but others make up things for a paycheck. This can mislead the audience, which breaks their trust in the influencer and brand. Social media can easily cancel anything and anyone now. While some influencers genuinely use the products they promote, others may simply be looking to make a quick buck by Top Drawbacks of Influencer Marketing for Your Business. Cancelling causes brands/people to lose a lot of supporters. If there was an influencer who did something wrong, the viewers could bring down their social platform, such as their following. On a more serious note, social media can also be a world of scams. Back in 2015, there was a situation with Kim Kardashian promoting a pregnancy sickness drug collaborating with Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals. The medication was later flagged by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and the post was taken down. If consumers were to not research products recommended first, they could easily be the victim of social media marketing.
Within recent years, social media and influencer marketing has brought back old and new trends. VR, podcasts, and AI are all examples of old and new trends popping up in the social media world. Podcasts are not new but are back on the rise. 2023 was an excellent year for podcasts. According to a 2023 report by Edison Research, 42% of Americans ages 12 and older have listened to a podcast in the past month – up 5% from 2020 and 30% from 2013 The Top Marketing Trends of 2024 & How Theyve Changed since 2023. Growing up I never listened to podcasts until around 2023. Nowadays some podcasts have started on TikTok and made their way to Spotify. The versatility of podcasts has increased significantly and generated a younger audience as well. Suburb Talks and Rotten Mango are some popular examples. Suburb Talks is a group of younger friends talking about their life experiences, it is a light entertaining podcast you can listen to for some laughs, or just to hear peoples different outtakes on life. Rotten Mango on the other hand is by Stephanie Soo, this podcast consists of some of the worlds dark crime stories. VR and AR, also known as virtual and augmented reality was popular back in 2021 but died down by 2023. The market for VR/AR dropped by more than 27%, although as of 2024 there has been talk about higher investments. Even Apple recently released a VR/AR headset with a 3D camera. The technology for VR/AR can be pricey, especially in the past when the technology was newer, but this trend is slowly coming back as these products are becoming more attainable. Onto the newer trends making their way into social media, artificial intelligence or AI. In 2023, 48% of marketers we surveyed reported using AI for content creation, such as writing blog articles, website, and social media copy The Top Marketing Trends of 2024 & How Theyve Changed since 2023. Even to this day, marketers are still investing lots of money into AI. Artificial intelligence is taking over on all fronts, from social media to websites, to applications. These are just a few examples of popular up-and-coming trends in the social media world. Many influencers have made content using these trends, bringing it back to popularity. How many of these trends have you used or been interested in personally?
Influencer marketing is only going to keep increasing as technology gets better and better. This is an up-and-coming trend that companies should look into, if they have not already to increase sales. Social media has also allowed regular people to achieve their goals. If marketing is on point, it can allow people from all over the world to give themselves a chance to achieve something bigger.
Here are the questions:
What phrases, sentences, or ideas that strike you or seem memorable? Please be sure to explain why they are memorable.
What do you want to hear more about? Please be as specific as possible.
What is almost said that you would add or what is missing, for you, that you would add?
What discussion (debate) is your classmate explaining, and what are the key points for the two or more sides?
What reason(s) did your classmate give as to why the discussion they explain should be of interest to their audience (non-business major college students)?
Please offer two specific comments, with examples, about your classmates writing. One comment should highlight an effective example of your classmates writing. Your other comment should point to something your classmate could adjust, revise, develop, or in some other way improve. Both comments should be offered from a generous place.
Tell your classmate something you learned about your own writing process, essay, or ability to engage with someone elses writing as you worked on your feedback comments.
