Influencer marketing is undergoing a significant transformation, according to Parade founder Cami Téllez and former TikTok executive Jonathan Kroopf, who have established Devotion, an AI-powered platform designed to enhance brand engagement through influencer partnerships. Their approach comes at a time when traditional metrics, like follower counts, are becoming less relevant in determining a creator's effectiveness.
Devotion employs AI technology to streamline the process of identifying, reaching out to, and managing relationships with creators, marking a shift toward a more scalable model of influencer marketing. "Brands need to transition from collaborating with 20 to 30 creators monthly to partnering with 500 to 1,000," Téllez explains. This new paradigm emphasizes a less personalized approach compared to the typical one-on-one agreements that agencies are accustomed to executing. She argues that most marketing agencies struggle to adapt to this high-volume model primarily due to a lack of technology that fosters meaningful engagement. “Our software is designed to closely align with business objectives, ensuring successful outcomes,” she adds. Kroopf compares the collaboration between brands and Devotion to traditional brand-agency partnerships, but notes that their advanced technology allows for a much larger operational capacity.
The importance of scaling influencer marketing efforts cannot be overstated, especially as the creator economy has rapidly evolved over the past couple of years. A pivotal change has been the diminishing return on investment from large followings. Unlike before, where brands relied heavily on macro-influencers—those with 100,000 to over a million followers—current trends reveal that smaller accounts can achieve significant visibility more easily. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram have altered their algorithms to promote a broader range of content beyond users' immediate social circles, making it easier for audiences to discover new creators.
Téllez reflects on the original approach brands took toward influencer marketing, stating that relying solely on a small group of high-reach macro-creators to build brand equity and awareness has proven ineffective. With the landscape shifting towards content consumption from accounts that may not even be followed, she states that it's imperative for brands to reevaluate their influencer marketing strategies to stay competitive.