Eat. Drink. Social.
As a food tour guide, Justin Oba gets to show his favorite foodie spots to Seattle tourists on a regular basis, but his Instagram account (@ObaliciousPNW) allows him to flex his foodie knowledge to a global audience. In our most recent podcast episode, Justin shares how his passion for food led him to his current profession and eventually his role as a foodie influencer. We talk about the photo apps he uses to edit his delicious food pics and a 5 lb. burrito challenge in the latest episode of Eat.Drink.Social.
To hear Justin’s episode and other food and beverage influencers, subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you may listen.
This Month's Spotlight: The Trifecta Gala
This Kentucky Derby, we teamed up with the Trifecta Gala, a charitable red carpet gala, to run their social platforms. To give people a taste of the event, we relied heavily on live feeds across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, bringing the red carpet and celebs like Steve Harvey, Usher, and Vivica A. Fox to followers of the account. We made it a point to highlight charitable partners and sponsors throughout the evening using brand-specific hashtags.
While the social accounts saw steady growth leading up to the event, the real surge occured when a partnership with social influencer Dominic Ciambrone (@TheShoeSurgeon) was announced. The Shoe Surgeon created a limited number of Derby-edition Nike shoes, one pair of which were given away on Instagram. The giveaway drove more than 5,000 followers on the Trifecta Instagram account over the course of only a few days, and proceeds from the auctioned shoes went to one of Trifecta’s charitable partners: The V Foundation. The shoes were also on display at the gala in a glass case and caught the attention of John Calipari who signed a pair, adding to the buzz!
Instagram Stories by the Numbers
Raw and personal, brands from all over the world are utilizing Instagram Stories to show a more human and relatable side. A few numbers behind Instagram Stories:
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More than 500 million users have utilized IG Stories in 2019.
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One-third of the most viewed Instagram Stories are from business and brands.
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70% of Instagram Stories are consumed with the sound on.
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96% of U.S. marketers said they plan to use IG Story ads.
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93% of marketers said they will use Stories more often in 2019.
New Features
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LinkedIn will liven up its newsfeed with the introduction of “reactions.” You’ll now be able to respond to posts with Like, Celebrate, Love, Insightful, and Curious.
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Be on the cutting edge of Twitter. A new prototype app--“Twttr”--gives select users the option to be the first to test new features.
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Instagram will introduce Call-to-Action icons which will allow users to buy tickets to events, place orders, shop, and more.
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Facebook is expanding its news feed preferences. You can now select which people and pages you see first within your feed.
Try this out: 3 tips for running a successful Instagram Takeover
As algorithms change and social feeds become more cluttered, brands are constantly changing their tactics to keep followers’ attention. From pay-to-play content to Instagram takeovers (where a brand hands over the keys to its account), businesses are getting creative to keep their message in front of followers. Read more...