The evolution of Influence in the Digital Age has created a significant shift in trust. Today, consumers increasingly trust and are influenced by those they choose to interact with online. In 2017 alone, digital will influence 77% of all retail sales. And with more marketers investing in Influencer Marketing & Relations as an always-on marketing strategy, share of influencer voice has emerged as a critical indicator of market share and competitive advantage.
Never has this been more transformative than for the food & beverage industry, where increased transparency around packaging, nutrition, and lifestyle benefits on social media are helping drive double-digit category growth. In a new series of benchmark reports, we’re analyzing share of influencer-generated content (IGC) in high-growth categories, starting with a niche at the forefront of this digital shift: energy bars. Fueling fitness fanatics and moms-on-the-go alike, ecommerce sales for snack/energy bars increased 10% in 2016, to $416M.
Among the trends we learned from the brands leading influencer-generated content share of voice include:
- IGC category leaders earned 2.3x higher engagement per post when compared to the category average.
- IGC from SOV category leaders delivered on consumers’ core snacking needs: packaging, ingredient transparency, and performance impact
- IGC category leaders position core products in high-impact visuals with other ‘Superfood’ categories and trends
- IGC category leaders were supported by the lifestyle habits, advocacy, and nutritional needs of pre-existing or brand-developed niche communities (i.e. paleo, team ambassador programs).
Download the report below to learn which brands had the greatest influencer SOV in the last year, as well as examples and insights from IGC category leaders.
DOWNLOAD
