When measuring digital influencers, engagement is everything
Why engagement?
Everyone knows the old adage: if a tree falls in the woods, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? Similarly, if a tweet is sent around the world and gets zero engagement, did it really exist? The promise of social media is connecting the world and allowing people from all walks of life to communicate with each other. User activity reveals in real time what’s resonating and what isn’t by how individuals interact and engage with content. The value of engagement cannot be understated, It is quite literally the data equivalent of millions of people telling brands and content owners exactly what they care about most.
Why Fallon Is 'Less Famous' Online: Different Metrics for Different Contexts
The amount of engagement that new social influencers generate often dwarfs what you'd expect from "traditional celebrities," who are better known for their potential to reach as wide an audience as possible.
Compare someone like Connor Franta to Jimmy Fallon.
Shocking? Connor Franta has a more engaged fanbase on social media than the most popular talk show host in the United States. Not only is Franta’s engagement rate higher that Fallon’s - Franta also manages to drive more total engagements despite having a reach of 25 million fewer people.
Grace Helbig vs. Kelly Ripa
As we sift through the data a clear trend emerges...
And again, Helbig - a YouTube star who has more online engagement and reach than Ripa, a traditional star who's been on TV for more than 20 years.
Digital vs. Digital: Jenna Marbles and Prank vs. Prank
For good measure, ZEFR also dived into a “digital vs. digital” comparison, since being “digital” doesn’t automatically mean that you’re flying high in the world of online engagement. Even when it comes down to YouTube celebrities, massive reach does not necessarily correlate to high engagement. To help show the nuance going on in this new online world when it comes to knowing who to trust, compare YouTube sensation Jenna Marbles with the comedic stylings of digital creators Prank vs. Prank.
Again, as illustrated above, just because a digital star like Jenna Marbles can boast about widespread reach, Prank vs. Prank reveals just how crucial it is to measure actual engagement once a campaign gets underway. Reach will only tell you so much. Engagement is where the real connections take place. And, this holds true across celebrities, across platforms, new and old alike.
Conclusion
It's important to avoid any oversimplifications here. As traditional celebrities continue to better adopt and integrate new platforms as part of their image and reach, we should expect engagement rates to rise. Ultimately, brands can't reduce this new age of influencers to a one-size-fits-all strategy. You need to track the rise and fall of different personalities across each platforms to make sure you end up working with the right people.
And, the amazing part of all of this is that these influencers are willing to work with brands in creative ways. Combine that creativity with passionate audiences, and the result is a level of authenticity and accreditation that only engagement metrics can truly speak to.
Zach James is the co-founder of ZEFR. He tweets @ZachJames