This week we're diving into the exciting world of influencer relationships and collaborations! Social media has changed the way brands can connect with their audiences, opening the floor to two-way conversations and community building.

The days of shouting your message from the hilltop are over. Now we're able to have conversations and develop long-lasting relationships by connecting directly with people! It's a welcome change from the one-sided communication of old-school advertising.

What's New?
This week we have some articles on how influencers are taking over digital ad budgets and some more Google drama with Daily Mail! Check out the links below!

Branded Content, Influencer Marketing Make Up Biggest Slice of Digital Ad Budgets - Marketers are putting 20% of their digital ad budgets into branded content, and influencer marketing combined, meaning these complementary practices account for a larger portion of digital marketing budgets than any other category, including paid search, display, paid social and digital video.

Daily Mail Sues Google Over Search Rankings - The parent company of the Daily Mail, Mail Online, Metro, and several other UK publications has filed a lawsuit against Google, claiming the search giant manipulates search results on its site.
What's Working?
Social media is a powerful tool that allows users to reach hundreds, thousands, and even millions of people.

Instagram alone has over 1 billion active users globally.

From establishing an online presence to growing your brand awareness, social media can help generate traffic and drive your business.

Influencer relationships and collaborations can take this a step further by opening up the option to share audiences with others in your niche or industry.

Here is a quick breakdown of what we'll be talking about:

What is an Influencer?
People often see Influencers as some person behind a phone when they are independent media companies.

They've built themselves a social empire that gives them the power to affect purchasing decisions of others because of the authority they've gained.

They have a following in a distinct niche.

Two of the biggest influencers on the planet not only have a massive following but also get fantastic engagement on their posts, showing that their audiences are invested and active on their channels:

* Ryan's World is a children's YouTube channel featuring Ryan Kaji and his mother, father, and twin sisters. The channel usually releases a new video every day and has 46.16 billion total views and 29.1 million subscribers as of March 28, 2021.
* MrBeast - is an American YouTuber, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, with over 10 billion views and over 60 million subscribers. He has been credited with pioneering a genre of YouTube videos that center on expensive stunts.

Why Use Influencer Marketing & Collaborations