Influencer marketing can have the appearance of something which works based on hunch or instinct. Maybe if you have a fashion or beauty product to launch, and infinite budget, you just have your people call Selena Gomez’s people, and you’re done.

Of much more interest to our readers, we believe, is the role of influencer marketing in less splashy campaigns, the role of micro-influencers, and even the part played by influencers in B2B marketing. But the bottom line is authenticity. Selecting the right influencers for your brand or campaign means weeding out those who have inflated followings and artificial engagement. A stunning 22% of those who follow influencers, for example, are thought likely to be inauthentic accounts: that’s according to HypeAuditor, an influencer platform which specializes in vetting influencers (it has a database of some 19 million).

The influencer may be great, but what about their audience. HypeAuditor has distilled metrics into an Audience Quality Score; it’s not the only thing to look at while selecting influencers, but a low AQS will likely mean low impact.

Read more here.

Amidst all the change we’re experiencing in the world today, marketers may wonder what their role should be at the intersection of principles, profit and purpose. And can we as marketers contribute to our best collective future? The answer is yes, says MJ DePalma, Microsoft Advertising’s Head of Multicultural & Inclusive Marketing. Microsoft Advertising calls it Marketing with Purpose.

Marketing with Purpose is about building a brand that’s welcomed into people’s lives by earning their trust and upholding their values. It starts with respecting their right to privacy, being transparent and designing equitable experiences.

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Change has come to define the past year, and it will probably define the next one, too. Some marketers are exhausted from pivoting from one surprising development to the next. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Operating with agility can help you succeed today, stay ready for anything, and even save both time and money. Join this webinar to learn more.

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Where should marketing operations sit within a business structure? A simple answer might be — with the marketing team. In practice, that’s not always the case. In a presentation to MarTech, marketing operations specialist Kelly Jo Horton described three organizational models:

• Digital center of excellence;
• Business systems-centered marketing operations; and
• Revenue-centered marketing operations.

Researching best practices for each marketing organizational model is necessary to completely execute the strategies and tactics behind each model. Marketers need to make sure all team members are educated on implementation of a new model, along with the expectation of their roles.

Read about the models here.

Register today to access 80+ tactic-rich sessions, empowering keynotes, inspiring case studies, and useful demos from senior-level marketers… all free.

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Martech conglomerate CM Group has acquired Selligent, an omnichannel marketing cloud platform. Selligent now joins other CM Group brands including Campaign Monitor, Delivra and Liveclicker. 

CM Group’s products currently have over 70,000 customers and the acquisition will bring their annual revenue to over $250 million. With the acquisition of Selligent, CMG Group will also expand further into European markets and have an increased presence in the entertainment, financial services, media, retail and travel sectors. 

Why we care. This acquisition could accelerate Selligent’s growth. CM Group plans to enhance mobile app messaging, analytics, and personalization capabilities for Selligent, while CM Group brands stand to benefit from Selligent’s AI expertise.

Read how Selligent helped transform the digital experience for the Minnesota Vikings. 

“If you’re wondering how to replicate an in-person event online, you’re thinking about it the wrong way. Instead of asking how you substitute online for in-person, focus on the more essential question. Ask how you can best drive engagement remotely.” Mark Roberts, CMO, PGi.