Founder at Word of MICE & Past-President at MPI Belgium
Mariska Kesteloo
Mariska Kesteloo is an expert in B2B influencer marketing. Her goal is to use social media as a way of adding increased value to events, mostly through micro influencers. In this interview, she tells us the ins and outs of her job.
Exploit the power of social media, create valuable networks and contact the right people to increase visibility of events. Today we talk with Mariska Kesteloo, founder at Word of MICE and B2B influencer marketing expert. She offers us a detailed look at the meetings and events industry from her perspective: marketing and social media. In a frank interview, Mariska shares the lessons she’s learned on her professional journey and this new paradigm of events communications.
Tell us about your career and what drives you in your day to day work.
Ideas are born from frustration, that’s the reason why I started my company. Working as a freelance event professional for years, I visited many tradeshows and exhibitions where I talked with different hotels, venue’s and DMC’s. When I raised the question ‘Why should I organize an event in your hotel, venue or destination?’,often I received an answer like: we have 500 rooms, 10.000 square meters meeting room and we are a four-star property. These are facts and figures I can find online. Isn’t our industry all about creating amazing experiences and connecting the right people? Tell me the story of your hotel, why should I organize my upcoming event in it, and not at the neighbor’s? What is your unique selling point, how do you differentiate yourself from the others, and more importantly, what is your target audience? One size doesn’t fit all! You can’t be an expert in all fields, right? How is it possible that in the Twenty First century we still use the same methods that we’ve been using for the last thirty years, if not more? It’s time for a change!
How did you start working in B2B influencer marketing?
I had been working in the travel industry for more than ten years, with so many active bloggers and vloggers. This made me think: how about we use this medium in our B2B industry? We could use the power of experts, people with a professional experience in our sector, and let them tell their stories in a creative, fun or unique way. It’s always better to be recommended than having to promote yourself. Peer to peer recommendation is extremely powerful. It’s still word of mouth, only that we’re using the online tools called social media.
Testing the idea at IBTM in 2016, I discovered it had potential and, in 2017, I started working full-time. It’s been a huge challenge since then. One little mouse can create a huge impact in your life, so can one micro-influencer, so what if the word was spread by more mice or micro-influencers? That’s when Word of MICE was born!
It’s always better to be recommended than having to promote yourself. Peer to peer recommendation is extremely powerful. It’s word of mouth, only here we’re using the online tools called social media.
What do you find most exciting about being a leader in the meetings and events industry? What are the main challenges you face?
First, I don’t see myself as a leader to be honest. My goal is to inspire others with my knowledge and experiences, to convince them of the added value of influencer marketing, and to use it to its full potential. Our industry is not really ‘early-adaptor minded’ if I was to describe it in marketing terms.
To convince potential clients to invest in influencer marketing is like selling a different mindset. Why? Because the budget that suppliers are spending on exhibitions, folders, flyers, and other activities and events, you want them to invest it in influencer marketing. We are used to doing our sales and promotions in a certain way and I must convince the CFO/CEO to change. That’s a major shift and challenge! It’s a completely different mindset that requires time and lots of patience.
In that sense, I see myself as a disruptor, a change-maker. My drive is to make suppliers more visible in the market by telling their stories through experts and to get in touch with the right target audience.
What would be the best way to dismantle these challenges?
In Dutch we love expressions and the best one to describe it is: If one sheep leaps over the ditch, the rest will follow. The only thing they need is time. As we work on new cases we have more results and it’s easier to convince them from several proven track records. Influencer marketing is not yet common in the B2B market, but it will come, that’s for sure.
Besides, I need to keep my focus, be patient and keep on working hard to continue my mission together with my team. I like challenges, and this is a major one.
Influencer marketing is not yet common in the B2B market, but it will come, that’s for sure.
When measuring the success of an event, which are the most important KPIs to consider?
First, it depends on the strategy of the client. Influencer marketing is a part of the marketing strategy. Do you want to attract a new audience? Do you have a new service or product to sell, or are you opening a new hotel? Do you suffer from a ‘misperception’?
We start from there and investigate the client’s profile, we see what their target audience is. We start with our research, as you can read below in the overview. We set the goals and we follow-up, adjust them and modify them when needed during the campaign. At the end, we collect all the data in a report and we present the full overview.
Tell us 5 tips to pick the perfect influencer for a campaign/supplier.
- Don’t focus on the number of followers but on the quality of their network and your strategy. Therefore, every client has different needs, is looking for a different market, etc. It’s a thorough process to find and to match the right influencer with the client.
- Influencer marketing has endless options, you can measure the impact and adjust it any time you need to.
- Influencers are not those who call your hotel for a free stay and dinner! That’s typical for the B2C market, not in the B2B market.
- The MICE industry is a very particular niche industry and you must be an insider to be, or to become, an influencer. In other words, work only with experts!
- Influencer marketing is a collaboration between the influencer, the client and, in some cases, the agency. Only in this way will the campaign be a success.
Our influencers are not selected based on the size of their communities, but on the quality of their network and published content. Besides, we consider their knowledge, their background, their relationships and their contacts in the industry. It’s an intense process to find and connect with the right person, someone who can create and spread the story of a product or service in an authentic way, and I always tell this to potential clients. We prefer to avoid the word ‘influencer’, as it only creates confusion about their job -it really is! – and their credibility.
So, how does it work?
- Identify needs: we analyze the target audience, preferred channel, timeframe and desired outcomes,
- Scouting & selection: we cast a wide net and we search for beloved personalities and thought leaders in today’s social media platforms from in our database, based on the client’s requirements.
- Briefing: WOM sits down with both customer and influencer(s) to align and coordinate the creative content and brand communication.
- Planning: WOM proposes a communication plan with influencers and a strategy.
- Marketing: the influencer broadcasts branded communication through their channel while WOM follows up closely. During the entire process, we keep our client up to date, delivering insights into the influencer’s performance during each phase.
- Final report: after the influencer’s branded communication comes to an end, we share a final assessment with all available figures.
Which social network do you consider the greatest asset to help spread the word and broadcast an event? What other communications channels do you consider essential?
The world of social media is changing rapidly, and a lot of people get confused when selecting which channel they should use. First, you need to know what social network your current or potential audience is using. Starting from there, you don’t need to maintain all channels. Focus on one or two channels and maintain them, be consistent and professional. That’s already a lot of work.
What advice would you give someone taking their first steps in the meetings and events sector?
Networking is key, this is, getting involved in an association. For me, this has given me the opportunity to get in touch with many people in the international sector. Plus, in the mean time you have access to education. You should also get a mentor. It’s always great to have the knowledge of a senior professional, who can support you in every step of your career. Important: questions which may seem more personal, don’t be afraid to ask them!
Looking towards 2020, where would you like to see innovation within the sector?
If I look towards my business, it would be great if suppliers used the power of social media influencers to share their stories, be visible and be online.
Next, I’m fan of sustainability and diversity in the broad sense of the word. We need to care about our planet, we only have one! I hope we can move towards a more sustainable industry, and innovation plays a huge role here. Also, although many women are working in our industry, the CEOs and GMs are usual men. We need to change that, bring more equality into the entire industry. Working with people with different backgrounds, cultures and experiences is very enriching. Only in this way will we be able to move forward in our industry.
AssociationsSpace – join associations` talks on Twitter Spaces
Twitter Spaces? What’s that? Haven’t you heard of a new way to interact, engage, exchange knowledge and learn? Twitter Spaces is a new feature of Twitter, which allows live audio streaming with invited speakers. Basically, it works like Clubhouse, but on Twitter, and is way better!
Join AssociationsSpace on Twitter Spaces every Wednesday
We have created #AssociationsSpace on Twitter Spaces with Nadia Rubtsova where we talk about all things related to associations every Wednesday at 3 pm CET / 2 pm UK time. Nadia Rubtsova became a very special social audio emcee. During live audio shows, she will talk with eventsprofs, associations representatives, and meeting planners.
Interested in the MICE industry, associations, sustainable and safe events? Well, then it’s an absolute MUST to join our first and next episodes of the #AssociationsSpace.
You can listen to these short conversations during your coffee break or when you’re out for a walk. If you want to stay on top of trends and get new ideas for associations, tune in and participate in our discussions.
Our first episode will be hosted on May 26th at 3 pm CET on Twitter Spaces and hosted by Word of MICE Twitter profile. Follow Word of MICE and Nadia Rubtsova on Twitter. Don`t miss out because this is not a podcast. You will not be able to listen to Nadia’s talk with the guest later.
Today at 3pm CET we will host our first session here on @TwitterSpaces
#AssociationsSpace, where we’ll talk about #safeevents together with @NadiaRubtsova and @myhelsinki @antti_lumi
See you later ? #associations #association #event #eventmanagement #eventprofs pic.twitter.com/bf3Qv4NsSv— wordofmice (@wordofmice) May 26, 2021
Not sure what Twitter Spaces is and how it works? Log in to your Twitter account and simply tune in. We recommend using your mobile phone and Twitter mobile app. Test it, have fun, improve your digital skills and let`s talk about events, conferences, and associations.
Associations Space – 10 episodes
#1 Antti Lumiainen – Safe events
Associations Space” fire chat series starting on 26th May at 3pm CET in collaboration with Helsinki Marketing. Our first chat with Antti Lumiainen will be an amazing start to our new initiative. Nadia will be discussing SAFE EVENTS and what associations can expect when planning their in-person and hybrid events for the near future. The key takeaways will be:
- The top 3 tips the association event planners need to keep in mind when planning their safe in-person or hybrid events this year
- What support do cities provide for the association planners to guarantee safe events?
- How can the association planners be motivated to plan their in-person or hybrid events instead of virtual ones?
#2 Carolina Goradesky – The future of associations
Nadia`s guest for this episode is Carolina Goradesky, PMP, CMM – Events Manager at FIDI Global Alliance. Here’s what we’ll chat about:
- Which trends do we see in association’s events?
- What is the role of sustainability?
- 360 Community & engagement
Fancy a great conversation?
Join our weekly fire chat – the #AssociationsSpace, hosted by @wordofmice! Tomorrow at 3pm CET with @cgoradesky: what is the role of sustainability & 360 community.#eventprofs #associations #eventmanagement pic.twitter.com/BdxpRs0VYV— Nadia Rubtsova (@NadiaRubtsova) June 1, 2021
#3 Antti Lumiainen – Sustainability and associations
This time Nadia encourages you to grab your smartphien to talk about sustainability and associations together with her guest Antti Lumiainen from Helsinki Marketing. They will exchange our views on…
- What role do associations play in contributing to the economic and social sustainability and development of regions?
- What are the benefits of sustainable development for the associations?
- How can sustainable events help associations generate revenue and members’ engagement?
#4 Paula Blomster – Sustainable events and associations
t’s been a tough year for the entire event industry, but venues have been doing such an outstanding job to make sure that in-person events are possible in the nearest future. This is not only about safe events, but sustainable events which will be again our focus very soon.
A fascinating discussion with Paula Blomster, Congress Manager of one of the biggest Expo and Convention Centre in Finland- Messukeskus Helsinki, Expo and Convention Centre. Eventprofs will talk about:
- What is ISO 20121 standard and how can associations implement it in their events?
- The United Nations sustainable development goals.
- Explore new ways to reduce and offset event’s carbon footprint.
#5 Mariska Kesteloo – B2B Influencer marketing and associations
Events are the lifeblood for the associations… Events drive revenue, give exposure, and expand the membership base. So how can you create a bigger awareness for your association’s events? This episode will feature our very own Mariska Kesteloo, the founder of Word of MICE, an expert in B2B influencer marketing. What to expect?
- How can your association leverage the data and feedback from your events to foster growth and create more awareness?
- The secret sauce to creating a fear of missing out for your next event.
- How to use social media and influencers to create a buzz around your event?
#6 Ronald Lim – Virtual events and associations. Case study
360 attendees, 2 days, VIRTUAL Conference. This is the Pediatric Oncology Conference, that took place last week and that we will be discussing as a case study during next #AssociationsSpace chat on Twitter Spaces. This episode will feature Ronald Lim, DES, Business event strategist and technologist, Co-Founder of three companies: Creative Rock, Think Event, Conference People, and the official PCO for many Asia-based associations. What are we going to talk about with Ronald Lim?
- Fresh insights. Case study of Pediatric oncology conference
- Main learning points about running a virtual conference: do’s and don’ts
- Preparation for the association
#7 Usman Khan – Revenue generation and associations.
Which revenue streams can you develop for your association? Next Nadia`s Twitter Spaces guest will be Usman Khan, the former director of several Brussels-based NGOs. Currently Usman Khan is the Managing Director of Modus Europe Limited, a firm that provides consultancy services with a focus on health and social care. During #AssociationsSpace they will talk about?
- Revenue-generating activities: Ways to reach financial stability.
- How associations can create more opportunities?
- What are the challenges that associations are facing
#8 Charlotte Otten – Virtual events. Engagement and associations
Charlotte Otten, Head of Events at Solar Power Europe, is going to be next guest of Nadia`s#AssociationsSpace Twitter talk. Charlotte will share how they pivoted to virtual and were able to provide value to their members, partners and sponsors in a completely new environment.. Topics to be covered during the conversation:
- How did Solar Power Europe association pivot to virtual and how its stakeholder engagement strategy changed?
- What new value and benefits did they need to provide to keep members, partners, and sponsors engaged in virtual events?
Have you missed the talk with Charlotte? Below you can listen to May King Tsang`s recorded tips how to create FOMO effect and engagement for your events and confences.
? @wordofmice @NadiaRubtsova + guest speaker @charlottejotten
for your insights in hosting a virtual conference
Thx also @JaroslawMarciuk for inviting me to tune in today.
Here’s my thoughts on how to keep attendees, speakers + sponsors engaged virtually #AssociationSpace pic.twitter.com/tp2CsxdOBD
— maykingtea aka FOMO* Creator *FearOfMissingOut (@MayKingTea) July 14, 2021
#9 May King Tsang – FOMO creation and associations
Why do some events become extremely popular and others are barely “making it”? We’ll be chatting with May King Tsang – the top-level social media expert, the FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) creator and live content producer. May King Tsang (also known as MayKing Tea) has amazing experience on all topics related to social media, engagement, FOMO effect and online events. Follow May King on Twitter.
What Nadia and her special guest are going to talk about?
- How to bridge the gap between Social Media + PR for the associations’ events?
- How to engage association’s members on Social media?
? Thank you all for joining #AssociationsSpace @TwitterSpaces with @MayKingTea & @NadiaRubtsova today ?@nourtra00456201 @iamronlim @whatnyomidoes @antti_lumi @EmaPirciu @robert_dunsmore @BigSighMedia @ethanlee #eventprofs #associations #wordofmice @wordofmice pic.twitter.com/oE3Ln9TR5G
— Jaroslaw Marciuk ☕️ Call me Jaro (@JaroslawMarciuk) July 21, 2021
#10 Paulus Torkki – Members` engagement and associations
What do associations members want? Every single association is asking the same question and if not, they definitely should.
In her final #AssociationsSpace Nadia Rubtsova will be talking with Paulus Torkki – Associate Professor of Healthcare Operations Management at University of Helsinki, Partner at the Nordic Healthcare Group, and an active member of various organizations.
Here’s what is are going to be discussed on Twitter :
- How can the associations increase members’ active involvement?
- What (new) value should associations offer to stay attractive for the current and new members?
We would like to thank you all for joining 10 Associations Space talks on Twitter.
Associations Space on Twitter hosted by Word of MICE and brought to you in collaboration with Helsinki Marketing and very special #AssociationsSpace emcee Nadia Rubtsova – Helsinki MICE Ambassador 2020-2021. Posters created by Nadia.
The first season of the B2B Influencer Marketing Chat Series
Now more than ever suppliers in the meetings & events industry are struggling; we are all going through a difficult time due to COVID-19 pandemic. But how do you stay in touch with your target audience nowadays? And what kind of content do you post which is relevant today and for the near future? Have you thought of influencers? Perhaps not!
Therefore we want to give you insight, easy to implement tips on a shoestring budget. Because we have a wrong perception of influencers and we want to change your perception. We want to help you to go through these challenging times together.
Now more than ever influencers play a crucial role, they have an audience of followers. These followers trust the influencer and rely on them for tips and suggestions on how to go through these rough times. And it’s not about sales, it’s about trust and relevance.
What are the B2B Influencer Marketing chat series?
Welcome to our LIVE interviews where we talk about B2B influencer marketing in the world of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events). We speak with people from all around the globe about the role, the meaning, the impact and the possibilities of B2B Influencer Marketing on social media and networking platforms. We share case studies, discuss influencer marketing campaigns for destinations and other suppliers from our industry and beyond.
Our hosts for the first series of 10 episodes are Mariska Kesteloo and Alessia di Raimondo.
Who should join our LIVE sessions on Zoom
People from the meetings & events industry and beyond! Planners & suppliers are welcome. If you are working in a hotel, or for a destination, airline, DMC or at the other side as an event planner, join the session.
A practical interview where you get concrete tips on how to continue your communication together with influencers these challenging times, on a shoestring budget. It’s our aim to support planners & suppliers from the MICE industry with our passion and knowledge about B2B influencer marketing, to spread your story in an appropriate way during this pandemic.
How to join the B2B Influencer Marketing chat series?
Join us every Thursday at 1 pm CEST /12 pm GMT LIVE on Zoom. You can participate and ask questions to our special guests. This is the most engaging way to be part of our series of interviews.
Follow us on Eventbrite and sign up for the next live interviews with influencers, entrepreneurs, and many other interesting guests from the MICE industry and beyond. You can register and participate for free.
World of MICE – events on Eventbrite – free registration
What if you missed a live episode?
In case you missed our live session, listen to our conversation on your favorite podcast channel. We upload the whole interview to the following podcast channels: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Radio Public.
Blog posts
Do you prefer reading over listening? You can read the entire conversation from each interview on our website.
1. Alessia di Raimondo and Mariska Kesteloo
During this episode with Alessia and Mariska we will cover the following topics:
- How to set up a successful B2B influencer marketing campaign in 6 steps?
- How to find the right influencers for your company
- Budget friendly tips in these turbulent times of global pandemic
Listen to our conversation on Spotify podcast or read a blog post How to set up a successful B2B influencer marketing campaign.
2. Patrick de Pauw – Employer Branding
For our upcoming edition we have invited Patrick de Pauw, co-founder from Social Seeder, to talk about employer branding and of course influencer marketing.
What will you learn from Patrick:
- What is employer branding?
- Why is employer branding now more important than ever?
- What is the link between influencer marketing and employer branding?
- And how companies can benefit from the use of influencer marketing and employer branding?
- Receive suggestions and ideas what you can do to keep your target audience and employees engaged
Listen to our conversation on Spotify podcast.
3. Giovanna Lucherini – Destination Marketing
For our upcoming edition we have invited Giovanna Lucherini, director of the Napoli Convention Bureau in Italy to talk about destination marketing and of course influencer marketing. What will you learn?
- Why has Napoli chosen to work influencers dedicated to the meetings & events industry?
- The role of influencers during the campaign and after?
- The outcome of the Napoli Convention Bureau campaign
- The role and responsibilities of influencers during the Covid-19
- The future of destination marketing and the role of influencers
Listen to our conversation with Giovanna Lucherini on Spotify.
4. Ivo Franschitz & Henrik von Arnold – Ambassadors & Influencer Marketing
For our upcoming edition we have invited Ivo Franschitz and Henrik von Arnold, the co-founders of Enited, to talk about the role of ambassadors of tomorrow, and B2B influencer marketing. What will you learn?
- The current definition and role of ambassadors & influencers for destinations
- Why do play ambassadors now and in the near future a bigger role, especially during Covid-19 and after?
- What are the benefits of an ambassadors program on a short and long term?
- How can you adapt your current ambassadors program?
- How do you select the right ambassadors and keep them involved on a long term?
You can listen to our conversation on Spotify.
5. Keith Jenkins – Ambassadors & Influencers
For our upcoming edition, we will host Keith Jenkins, the founder of iambassador – the leading travel influencer network. In this edition we will talk about the challenges of the travel influencers, and the role of influencers now and in the near future in the travel & MICE industry. What will you learn?
- The role and impact of travel influencers before Covid-19
- How travel influencers have pivot their businesses
- How destinations and other suppliers can benefit from influencers and what are the reasons to work with travel or MICE influencers
- What the MICE industry can learn from the travel industry
- The future of influencers for the travel & MICE industry
Listen to our conversation with Keith Jenkins on Spotify.
6. Dries de Geyter & Dennis Lippens – How to measure the success of your B2B influencer marketing campaign?
For our upcoming edition we have invited Dries de Geyter and Dennis Lippens, founders of Deer Lord Games, and passionate digital marketers. In this edition we will talk about the challenges of how to measure the success of a B2B influencer marketing campaign.
A crucial question to ask yourself and your team: how will we know our B2B influencer campaign is a success? This question is often posed as “What is the ROI (Return On Investment)? The exact return is incredibly tricky to calculate, but there are different measures of success and you should be very mindful about how you will quantify success if you want to keep winning. And if you don’t measure your mistakes, you’re doomed to repeat them. What will you learn?
- How to structure your B2B influencer marketing campaign?
- How to define the outcome of your campaigns?
- What are the tools and platforms you can use to measure the outcome?
- The metrics clients and influencers can use themselves to track the data?
- Insights how and when to measure the outcome after the campaign
Listen to our conversation with Dries and Dennis about How to measure the impact B2B influencer marketing campaign.
7. Amanda Thurlow & Sabrina Meyers – How to work with influencers in the MICE industry?
For our upcoming edition we have invited Amanda Thurlow, Sabrina Meyers and not to forget Alessia di Raimondo, all passionate MICE influencers.
A question we receive a lot, how can an influencer contribute to my company? There are many options and possibilities and therefore we will talk with 3 passionate influencer from the industry to gain more insights about their work. Also to which projects they have contributed in the past, the tasks they have done, and of course how the pandemic has impacted their business.
In this edition we will talk about the work of the influencers, and what they can do for your company and the projects they have done in the past. What will you learn?
- Understanding the process; how to work with influencers?
- How to select the right influencer for a campaign?
- How influencers have changed their business during Covid-19?
Listen to our conversation with MICE influencers on Spotify.
8. Rupa Shah – Influencers & brands: what are we allowed to do and what not?
For our upcoming edition, we have invited Rupa Shah, owner of Hashtag Ad Consulting. She’s an authority in the industry and with her years of knowledge, we will dive into this important and often ‘overseen’ topic.
If you are a brand, what are the rules and regulations that you need to apply if you start working with influencers? Yes, there are rules that you need to apply. But some of the criticisms still levelled at it are that it is unregulated; it is the Wild West of the marketing world; that influencer fraud, fake followers and non-disclosure of paid-for relationships is rife. But is that really the case? And is it a global problem or are there just a few rogue states where this kind of marketing anarchy is tolerated?
What will you learn?
- Insights about the rules and regulations for companies if they start working with influencers
- What are the obligations for the influencers who are involved in the campaign?
- Important items about cross border campaigns
- Examples from professional examples who applied the rules & regulations
Listen to our conversation on Spotify with Rupa about ads and regulations for influencers.
9. Julius Solaris – Influencers in the MICE industry
We are excited to announce that we will interview Julius Solaris, one of the biggest influencers from the MICE industry. Julius Solaris is the founder of Event Manager Blog. During this interview we will gain insights about his journey, how he got started with blogging and where’s standing today being acquired by Skift.
What will you learn from Julius Solaris?
- Gain insights from the biggest influencer in the MICE industry; how Julius started with his blog and where’s he’s standing today
- The growing importance of digital marketing
- How to get started as a MICE blogger
- His vision on the world of B2B influencer marketing and influencer marketing in general
Listen to conversation with Julius Solaris on Spotify.
10. Tom Augenthaler and David Wing- B2B Influencer Marketing in different industries
We are excited to announce that in the final episode we will interview Tom Augenthaler and David Wing, both known in the world of B2B influencer marketing. During this interview, we will gain insights into how other industries have implemented B2B influencer marketing, what have they learned from their failures and successes. And besides they will share relevant case studies.
Tom Augenthaler is the founder of the The Influencer Marketer, speaker, consultant and trainer. David Wing founded Wing Digital Marketing. Two passionate founders and fans of B2B influencer marketing.
What will you learn from B2B?
- Gain insights how other industries have implemented B2B influencer marketing
- The failures and successes stories
- B2B influencer marketing case studies
- The role of influencers and thought leaders in a B2B environment
- Their vision on the future of B2B influencer marketing
Listen to our conversation with Tom Augenthaler and David Wing on Spotify.
Jois us
If you have an inspiring story and/or experience which could be relevant for our audience, please contact us: mariska@wordofmice.com
Meet Word of MICE
Word of MICE is the first and only global influencer community for the MICE industry. We inspire hotels, venues, destinations and other suppliers to employ Social Media Influencers as an integral part of their brand strategy and explore the true potential of influencer marketing. We create unique creative, tailor-made campaigns for all suppliers in the MICE industry over the globe.
Our B2B clients appreciate our years of experience in the MICE industry combined with an innovative product to bring their brand awareness to the next level.
The future and trends on Instagram in 2021
Welcome to the second series of the B2B Influencer Marketing Chat Series. We continue our conversation with Phil Gonzalez. In this post we will focus on the future of Facebook`s platform and trends on Instagram in 2021. Read the first part of our interview Influencer Marketing on Instagram.
Tips and recommendations for Influencers on Instagram
Mariska Kesteloo: Phil, how do you see Instagram evolving? Because like you said, it started as a small start-up. And then the entire evolution of communities and influencer marketing came. And you see now that influencers became really fragile. Because if Instagram closes tomorrow your account, which is possible, then of course the influencers also lose their jobs including their followers and the content. So it’s a really fragile structure because the Instagram profile is not their own platform.
I remember that Jaro (Jaroslaw Marciuk) and you also had issues with your Instagram communities during the US presidential elections. So how do you see that evolving? So how do you see Instagram regulations? Do you have any tips for influencers, how to become less dependent on the Facebook platforms?
Phil Gonzalez: I think that the first thing is that all the influencers are quite aware that today our life and our professional destiny are in the hands of Instagram. Every day I talk with influencers who write to me and say – Phil, my reach on Instagram is going down. I reply to them – Yes of course, and you can be sure that in the next year your reach is going down because they are interested in that. They classified us and they say you are a usual content creator and pro content creator.
These people (pro content creators) make money on Instagram. Facebook is going to decrease the reach of their posts on Instagram. So, all these people will be interested in putting some money in advertising so at least Facebook will make some money from influencers. Okay, so that the first step.
My recommendation to influencers is that you have to be the brand that will not depend on Instagram anymore. It’s the case of my friend, the cook. She’s a cook, she’s on TV, she writes books. Tomorrow if Instagram goes down, she will be known for her personality. We have to take the opportunity as influencers to build prsonal brand.
That’s why many bloggers changed their Instagram handles to their real names. They used to have a brand name in blogs, and they changed it to a real name because they understood they had to build their own and strong personal brand. My tip for people on Instagram would be that.
The future Instagram
I may predict that Instagram is going to decrease the reach and they are going to do something new on Instagram. That’s my intuition, I think they will try to get some money on influencers. The first step would be with shopping, they are very interested in promoting shopping ads, shopping on Instagram, and Instagram Checkout.
They will propose the Instagramers and the influencers to put stickers on their pictures to be like a kind of affiliation program like Amazon. So that would be a way to say that you can earn money, so we control you.
Secondly, they will propose to the content creators to have pre-rolls on the IGTV. What would it mean? Like be the company that we start to say before to contract fee, I will say Phil, give me I will go to Instagram and say I want pre-rolls in the channel of Phil. So Phil will have only a small rate of this 50% or 40% but not 100% of the campaign anymore. (Jaro – do you get this?)
Why Instagram disables accounts?
Mariska: So you will see it actually evolving to a more commercial channel and less content. That’s really, really interesting. Before we go to the questions you can also say what happened to Instagramers Community and also Jaro`s community, it was closed down. It also means that some people are very afraid and dependent on Instagram.
Phil: Yes, right now we have big complications, we have big problems on Instagram. Currently, Instagram is pursuing and trying to fight against bots. That’s something they never solved very well, really. I think that if I work with Instagram, I would have said you should have done it before, much before and we didn’t have this problem of bots, fake news, fake likes and ghost followers etc.
Instagram is now very aware that they have a huge problem with the American Congress. Instagram and Facebook can have an impact on the elections and can make an impact on fake news. Now they are fighting against accounts that can be a network. So Instagramers (also called Igers) is a network is all over the world. So, they think that we can be an organized network that tomorrow could provoke change in the opinion of the people. That is why Facebook is deleting our accounts one by one and we have to ask to restore them.
I would say to people that have accounts, that may look like a bot or like republishing other people’s posts, you have to be very careful with that. Instagram is going to fight against organized networks all around the world, even if they are a nice community like ours.
And the second thing is that yesterday they change the legal norms. You have to read very, very well the last updates of Instagram Community Guidelines and Instagram Terms of Use. I think many accounts could be blocked or closed just because they are not following the rules they implemented yesterday.
Trends on Instagram in 2021
Mariska: It’s really interesting and for us, it means we need to be up to date with the regulations on Instagram. We also have a question about trends on Instagram. Any predictions for 2021?
Phil: Ok, let`s talk about trends on Instagram in 2021. I can give you some tips for the future. I think it’s quite clear with the last changes in the usability of the navigation of the app these last weeks. I don’t know if you saw that we have like right now different frames of the app. If you manage several different accounts, you will see probably that your different accounts are not the same. Okay? Instagram app has like three or four different frames right now. And I think that they are testing what is the best way.
Reels and Shopping
This last change made us nervous. Now at the bottom of the screen you can see Shopping and Reels. Another frame is the one with Explore, Reels and Shopping. Another one is Shopping, Reels, Explore.
But let’s say that shows clearly the trend. In 2021 Instagram Checkout is the big game of Instagram. I think they will implement the big stores, big brands on Instagram so you can pay directly from the Instagram app to Zara, H&M, Nike etc. Thanks to Instagram Shopping, they will give more opportunities for small shops to do their business on Instagram and trying to get some commissions on the payment. That would be big stuff.
IGTV – video on Instagram
Now let`s talk about IGTV and the new Instagram feature – Reels. I think Mark Zuckerberg, before the COVID-19 came, was thinking of attacking YouTube through IGTV. He developed it and announced it. The new separated application IGTV was prepared to receive a lot of longer-form videos. But what did happen?
Mark Zuckerberg was about to explain to the people that we could have money through new video features. They were preparing a strategy to say to YouTubers – come to IGTV and you will have money.
TikTok vs Instagram
Suddenly Trump says I’m going to close TikTok in the US. Mark Zuckerberg decided to stop IGTV. I think he waits for a moment and will not going to fight against YouTube now. Facebook has more interest in promoting Reels. It will try to win the game and focus on short videos on Reels. Personally, I think, even if TikTok will have problems in the US, it will not change much. I think the people that use TikTok will not use Instagram Reels as they use TikTok. Why?
In my opinion, it’s not the same mood. Probably I can be a user of Instagram, but when I want to do something special I will go to TikTok, and probably I will share this video on Instagram because I have my biggest audience there. Reels is a thing that people don’t quite understand. They say Reels it’s a kind of Story, but they don’t understand that new feature.
In 20201 we will have to be very focused on what’s going to happen with Reels and further developments of Instagram Shopping and Checkout.
Instagram Campaigns
Jaro: Can you share your experiences as an influencer in the campaigns with destinations or hotels? We know from your profile that you’re an ambassador of a chain of hotels. So what’s your experience as an influencer?
Phil: Travel and destinations have been the most promoted in all history thanks to Instagram. There were so many destinations we didn’t know through the leaflets, catalogs, or even websites. When the travel destinations started to be promoted by blogs and travel bloggers, who started to give a lot of information about places all around the world in their blog. And then a little bit of Facebook. But really the explosion, the biggest the massive promotion of destinations in the world has been on Instagram.
For example, now you go to a place, a very special place in Spain, the lavender fields. Certainly, people go there because they saw it on your influencer pictures. There are like 10 spots that you will see dozens of times in traditional publications, but there are a lot of spots that people discovered thanks to Instagram. So for me, it’s unbelievable, that there are people in agencies and even DMOs, still doubting the importance of Instagram in this area.
Is it worth creating new profile on Instagram?
Jaro: The final question to Phil. Is it still worth starting a new profile on Instagram?
Phil: Now? Yes, I think so. Sometimes I have to be very careful because I am a 10 years old Instagram user, so sometimes I say Instagram is bad, but that’s not true. You have still a lot of opportunities on Instagram.
If you start on Instagram now, you have to start with very interesting content, you have to upload a very differential value on your content and may really create a community. And that means that Instagram is terribly time-consuming. And I say to all companies and influencers – you’re will not do Instagram properly with 10 minutes a day, forget it!
Mariska: Yes, indeed Instagram is really time-consuming. I think you need to choose wisely which platform you’re going to use. Thank you so much Phil for your insights about Instagram and also to hear your vision about the future of the platform. Thank you so much for your time. I hope we will meet all on Instagram – we’re on Instagram so you can follow us you can follow Phil @, Jaro @ and me @. So thank you so much for joining and your engagement.
And see you next week Thursday at 1pm where we talk with Tim Williams, the CEO from Onalytica about B2B influencer marketing. See you and thank you so much.
The second season of B2B Chat Series
Welcome to the B2B Influencer Marketing chat series where we talk about B2B influencer marketing in the world of MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Events). We speak with people from all around the globe about the role, the meaning, impact and possibilities of B2B influencer marketing. You can listen to us and our guests on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts.
We launch the second season of B2B Influencer Marketing chat series in November 2020. Follow us on Eventbrite and signup for coming chats with influencers, CVB`s representatives and many other interesting guests from the MICE industry and Social Media world.
Sign up for our next episodes of B2B Influencer Marketing Chat Series: World of MICE – events on Eventbrite registration.
About our host and Instagram influencer – Phil Gonzalez
Philippe graduated in Administration and Business Management. He participated in several “start-ups” in the early 2000s until he joined Orange´s content management team in Spain. Later, he worked for 8 years as Head of Digital at Amc Networks International in Spain which is a leading broadcaster of television channels and produced successful series like ‘Mad Men’, ‘Breaking Bad’ and ‘The Walking Dead’.
In 2011, as a hobbyist, Philippe started a blog called www.Instagramers.com and then founded the Instagramers Network, the most important Instagram fans’ association in the world. Instagramers or #IGers is a congregation of millions of members in more than 500 cities in more than 80 countries. #IGers has more than 500 million pictures tagged on Instagram and is one the hashtag most used ever.
In 2014, Philippe inaugurated the very first Instagramers Gallery at Fundación Telefonica, Madrid, a place where mobile photography is considered as a new form of social art.
He works as Brand Ambassador for companies like Heineken and Leica in Spain. He is a digital consultant, conference speaker and teacher too. He published five books till now, three of them about Instagram and two about “Executive Mindfulness” and “Digital Disconnection”. You can follow Phil on Instagram @philgonzalez and LinkedIn.
