Dive Brief:
- With more publishers on Snapchat Discover, some are finding that in order to get their content in front of the right audiences, they are having to come up with innovative strategies to do so.
- For instance, the Food Network is looking to influencers to help amplify its reach on the messaging app, according to Digiday.
- Social media stars will help produce new content on the platform for the Food Network, which the network hopes will help it expand its audience.
Dive Insight:
Influencer marketing is a popular strategy with brand marketers right now. It has emerged in the past few years, gaining traction among marketers looking to reach specific audiences that are following the influencer.
According to recent eMarketer research, two-thirds (67%) of marketers reported using influencers for content promotion and more than half (59%) reported using influencer marketing tactics for product launches and content creation. Brands that leverage influencers for campaigns stand to benefit from the wider exposure to niche audiences as well as greater ROI over other tactics.
While working with social influencers is not a new tactic for the Food Network, it is a strategy it is still experimenting with. In fact, according to Digiday, Snapchat is not yet a profitable endeavor for the brand.
“The question is, how quickly will it materialize and what will the business look like afterward,” Vikki Neil, Scripps Networks’ svp and gm of digital, said recently, according to Digiday.
Food Network's newest influencer campaign is set to debut over the weekend on its Discover channel with a snap from beauty and wellness influencer Hannah Bronfman, who hosts "Feel Good with Hannah." The series will kick off with three pilot episodes featuring Bronfman making healthy snacks. According to the Food Network, Bronfman's snaps get about 22,000 views on average on her personal account.
One concern brands partnering with influencers on Snapchat could have is that success (or failure) using influencer marketing and the messaging app is not easy to measure. However, comScore and Snapchat are reportedly are in talks to bring traffic measurement to the messaging app's Discover portal.
For its part, the Food Network looks to continue experimenting with the platform and influencer marketing, saying it wants these partnerships to go beyond one-time deals.
"We want to develop new talent as much as new pieces of content. The goal is to see which ideas work and how we can grow from there," Deb Puchalla, vp of content development for Scripps Lifestyle Studios, told Digiday.
