In the coming weeks we’re going to hold a magnifying glass up to each individual rule, adding further detail, additional insights, and real-world examples taken from the work we help execute every day from our New Rules for Influencer Marketing

RULE 01: ENTERTAIN, THEN INSPIRE OR EDUCATE

Today, we’re looking at the first rule and I think most important shift in how we create and consume content. It is not the shift from photo to video, but from content that is informative first to entertaining first. It is the most cited characteristic (40%) that Gen Z and Millennials are seeking from content creators when they launch those apps.

Before we address how to create more entertaining content, let’s talk about why this is happening…

1.
DIMINISHING FAMILIARITY

For years, influencers could rely on a relationship with their audience to guarantee a base level of performance. That’s all over now. The algorithm is the bouncer at the door of the proverbial club — without being entertaining enough to stop the scroll, your content won’t be shown to a broader audience. It’s a toll-booth that you pass through not based on the authenticity of your content or the depth of knowledge you share in it, but by your ability to entertain.

‍2.
"HEY GUYS!" TO HOOKS

For years it seemed every YouTube or Instastory opened with influencers saying “Hey Guys!” to their audience.  As ubiquitous as that phrase was, it’s all but disappeared from the timeline. Familiarity and a sense of community has been replaced with hooks and trends.

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3.
CONSUMER TASTE AND EXPECTATION

I was having martinis at Casa Cruz last week with some friends and we began talking about movies. Specifically, about how nice it is that there are interesting, bold and some downright weird movies being made right now. From Oppenheimer to Poor Things, (and everything in between), it feels like a breath of fresh air after over a decade of formulaic Marvel movies and soulless sequels and remakes. It is a reminder that consumer taste is a constantly evolving and fickle thing and that what entertained and captivated us last month is likely to bore us in the next.

It’s why our sponsored content mix shifted from 90% still imagery to 90% video in less than two years; people just wanted something different. It’s also why we’ve watched the dominant style evolve from considered atmospheric content to content that feels comparatively less-polished and more spontaneous. Ultimately these platforms are bending toward immediacy (aka entertainment), not education, and, as marketers, we either leverage that reality for our collective benefit or begin learning to enjoy the taste of mediocre results.

WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN?
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You must bring
"First Date Energy"

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So: we have a set of consumers who want to be entertained, who have grown accustomed to fast-paced, hook-infused content and creators who increasingly aren’t talking to audiences who have known them for years but to complete strangers. It’s why in 2024 we’re telling creators and brands to bring ‘first date energy’ to all of the content that they create.

You have to wine and dine your audiences and bring your best, most energetic, most charming self to every piece of content you create. This isn’t a Wednesday night dinner with your partner of 7 years but that first 30 minutes when you started to fall in love with them.

Cheers,

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James Nord
FOUNDER & CEO

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