OW Digital Goes To The Cyprus Social Media & Influencer Marketing Conference!

It was a different kind of work day for some members of the team, as we attended the 2nd Cyprus Social Media & Influencer Marketing Conference on 8th June in Nicosia, where we were part of a fully inspiring environment filled with insightful ideas, emerging trends, and illuminating presentations. 

The conference welcomed on stage many leading experts from international brands, such as Google, Hurricane Media, and Fanbytes, along with some local influencing panelists and speakers from the industry, including our very own Head of OW, Stavriana Nathanail. 

It was a one-stop shop for all things social media and influencer marketing and how they can and should be implemented into modern-day strategies. Digital marketing is an ever-changing industry, and now more than ever, brands and agencies alike need to adapt at a fast pace to the demands of customers, in order to figure out what’s working and what’s not. 

Here are the 5 key pillars that we learned from the conference: 

The most important aspect of the conference was the pillar of authenticity and how it is a key component that should dictate all aspects of digital marketing. People want to see and hear from real humans, instead of having an immense focus on branding and selling. By prioritizing authenticity and transparency, meaning the human element, brands can build trust and foster long-term customer loyalty, in order to ultimately separate themselves from the competition and build a trustworthy community. 

33% of Gen Z-ers have bought a product based on an influencer's recommendation within the past three months.

Trying new stuff is always a good thing. Brands may sometimes fear failure and not enough engagement, but that is still part of the learning curve. Shoving products and services in people’s feeds doesn’t work anymore, as people are looking for more authentic connections. Focusing on inbound marketing strategies to experiment with new directions to figure out what the audience actually wants and appreciated, can only lead to success and great online bonds. 

There’s no better platform for both authenticity and experimentation than TikTok. It is a social media tool that is for everyone! It’s an opportunity for all brands and users to showcase realness, entertainment and relatable content and figure out the best way to utilise all its benefits in a way that is platform-native and works best for you. 

Another important part with regards to all social media platforms was mentioned by several speakers and was very much consolidated by the Brand and Communications Director of Burger King UK, Soco Núñez de Cela. The concept is that in order to be successful on any social site, you also need to interact with it! Scroll away, read the captions, get a feel of the trends and stay in touch with everything that’s happening in the moment. Soco Núñez de Cela was very specific about not having the TikTok app on her phone and how she therefore stays away from intervening with any decision-making regarding the platform, as she could not compete with the experience of the content creators, who are immersed with the app. 

56% of marketers who invest in influencer marketing, invest in Micro influencers, according to HubSpot. 

Artificial intelligence just had to be part of the conversation. Unsurprisingly, the core of the discussion regarding AI tools was the need to embrace them and seamlessly integrate them as part of everyday practices. The implementation of AI will ensure a sense of adaptability on your behalf and will ensure that your brand does not stay behind on any advancements. 

Macro and micro-influencers have been the topic of discussion recently, as brands look to infiltrate influencer marketing into their strategies. Although macro influencers may have been the most obvious choice thus far, brands seem to be moving more towards micro-influencers as of late, as they can be seen as a better investment both short-term and long-term and also produce trustworthy content that will be viewed as more authentic and real by audiences. There’s surely a space for both in the digital world, as brands need to figure out which works best for them and their ultimate purpose, engagement, and results. 

20% of consumers are actually ready to stop following an influencer should they fail to be up-front about advertising and sponsorships. 

With her presentation on “Influencers: Success Story Gone Wrong”, Stavriana further expanded on the idea of authenticity. With topical references, such as Kendal Jenner’s Pepsi fiasco controversy and Naomi Campbell’s Instagram mishap from her collaboration with Adidas, she made the point that not everything is rainbows and butterflies in the digital world, and having macro-influencers will not always lead to guaranteed results. 

Stavriana kept the humor running as she gave incredibly on-point examples of how micro and macro influencers can deliver different results, and while macro-influencers can drive greater brand awareness, micro-influencers can lead to more purchasing decisions and behaviors. At the end of the day, authenticity and transparency remain key elements. Recognizing the right type of influencer and partnering with the right people who fit the values, tone, principles, and strategies of your brand, is the first step to success. 

All in all, it was an extremely educational morning with valuable insights and tips on how to stay relevant in the modern digital age by interacting and listening to experienced and valued members of the industry. It was an honor for OW Digital to be a sponsor for the conference and a great achievement for Stavriana to be part of such an esteemed group of speakers. Looking forward to the next one, already! Onwards and upwards, marketers!