60 Minutes Tracks Follows to Dollars
This week, 60 Minutes, arguably the standard-bearer of traditional, old-school media, did a segment on the new guard of millennial social media influencers, and for those of us in the biz, it was must-watch TV. How fitting the show aired around the same time DJ Khaled was capturing his son’s birth on Snap.
We’ve written about influencers before:
- how to become one,
- what they’re doing in food and wine,
- how to plan an event with them, and of course,
- what’s happening with women online,
but we’re calling out the 60 Minutes segment because it’s significant that a primetime television show introduced these social stars to their audience. The segment features Logan Paul, Juanpa, Bachelor aka King Bach, Amanda Cerny, and of course, Kim Kardashian – entertainers who have amassed millions of followers on YouTube, Vine and Instagram. Paul, Junapa, Bach, and Cerny have become Internet famous by producing content that appeals to a millennial audience. They post fun pics, create crazy videos, and stage 6-second loops that entertain. Kardashian, as we all know, is famous for being famous. But like Paul, Cerny and Bach, she has built a following by providing all-access to her life.
Marketers looking to reach their followers are willing to shell out tens of thousands of dollars for a single mention or “shout out.” As Paul tells 60 Minutes’ Bill Whittaker, “Anyone on the Internet with eyebrows is a bargain,” to these brands. Maybe.
Measuring ROI from influencer programs isn’t simple unless you’re going for reach. That’s because analytic tools allow you to see instantly how many views each piece of content receives and what the demographic profile of a viewer is. But tracking sales is more difficult. This new breed of 20-something influencers isn’t all that different from the women who built the mom blogging category – real people who built a platform by providing direct access to their opinions and their lifestyles. And a full 10-years after that group emerged online, the jury is still out when it comes to ROI. Some of these socialcelebs drive undeniable results, and some, well it’s questionable.
What is crystal clear: the media landscape is forever altered and brands need to stay in the know on who the emerging stars, and platforms, are. And the best way to do that? Be there beside them.
We’re there! Follow Double Forte on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Snap. 