Everywhere Agency is a social media, content and influencer marketing firm. They blog about a variety of industry topics.

Everywhere Agency Presents Under the Influence


This week, Everywhere Agency held our inaugural Under the Influence event at our offices to bring Atlanta’s marketing and influencer communities together to mix, mingle, and learn. The panel discussion focused on how to leverage influencers to tell authentic stories that truly resonate with audiences.

Our expert panelists represented agency, brand, and influencer perspectives and consisted of:

  • Amy Mason, VP of consumer media and influencer marketing at Weber Shandwick
  • Tracey Del Moral, director of marketing for OshKosh B’Gosh/Carter’s
  • Ciji Tatum, public relations manager at Cox Communications
  • Emma Loggins, influencer extraordinaire & founder of FanBolt.com

Here are our top insights from the discussion:

  1. Do it for love: Emma Loggins, who’s been in the influencer game since 2002 warned, “Don’t do it for the money. Do it because you love it. Success is a long way down the road.”
  2. People connect with people: Brands are finding that content created by influencers garners significantly more engagement on their social channels than branded content produced in-house.
  3. Find the right fit: Whether you’re an influencer or a brand, the key to telling authentic stories is to make sure you’re working with the right partners. Influencers should be able to feature their genuine perspectives in content while honestly representing brands.

Be sure to subscribe to our Under the Influence newsletter to find out all that’s happening in the influencer marketing space and come to our next event.

If you were able to attend, check out this photo gallery to reminisce about the good times we had.

 

 

Influencer Networks: More Than the Sum of their Parts

Once upon a time, here at Everywhere Agency, before there were influencer networks, we had a giant Excel spreadsheet with the names of hundreds of bloggers from near and far who published on platforms like Blogger and Typepad. We were a social media marketing agency who used these “mommy bloggers” to post and increase the reach of our clients’ messages and drum up awareness for their products and initiatives. We tracked, tagged, and became increasingly overwhelmed by the sheer size of our spreadsheets – and an influencer marketing agency was born.

 

Over the last 8 years we have expanded, grown, and developed into a fully-fledged influencer marketing agency – evolving right along with the micro-influencers who helped us create successes for our clients. As their content (and their rates) gained a larger share of the marketing mix, we saw that an influencer marketing wave was about to hit – ready or not. We took our lists of names and built our newly trademarked database and search system, InfluencerConnect® as a solution for scaling.

 

These days, everyone and their mother seems to have an influencer network or a new platform for running campaigns, which has led to a lot of philosophical questions here at Everywhere Agency about what having a network really means. We’ve sat through a litany of demos of platforms promising to allow us to sit back and count our cash but have hit a roadblock at every turn. As the self-serve ads and databases of influencers continue to saturate our market, the differentiators of our agency and in-house network, Everywhere Society, are becoming increasingly important to distinguish. Maybe one day they will get it right, but until then, here’s why we refuse to join the ranks of automated platforms.

 

You’re building our unique stories, not pushing out ads: We don’t spoon feed our influencers content to share. We give them parameters and inspiration – and then get out of their way. We pay these people, not just for their numbers, but for their ability to create quality content and to offer authentic narratives that feature our brands in an organic way. We find that content that’s been pulled off a technology platform, always feels like “brand speak” does not perform as well, and automation is inherently not authentic.

B***h Better Have My Money: Many of the platforms available require you to process payment through their service. The majority of influencers are freelancers, meaning that they don’t have the security of a regular paycheck. At Everywhere, we pay within two weeks of proof of campaign completion even when our client may be paying us on a net 60 basis. We have discovered that reliable payment, processed quickly translates into influencers going above and beyond the call of duty. They’re more open to making edits, creating extra social shares, and generally enjoy working with us more. When MODE went down in flames, they left a wake of unpaid content creators that had no one to contact, and no way to recoup their payment. Trust in payment is just another way we build our relationships.

 

Human Touch: The database “push messaging” eliminates the level of contact we want to have with our network. Despite all the growth and evolution we’ve experienced over the years, there are a few things that didn’t change in our approach to influencer marketing. We still write individual emails and read every word of the blogs that are produced for our clients. We still pick up the phone to answer influencer’s questions and hug them when we meet IRL at conferences. We still send flowers when they have babies and cry when we lose one of our own. Humans form relationships – and are more likely to do their best work for someone they like and have a genuine connection with.

 

Essentially, we have an influencer network built of people – with names, families, aspirations, and more importantly, a point of view – and we still care a whole lot about them. Until we can find a form of automation that doesn’t cheapen our relationships, we’ll happily continue to do things our way.

Society Spotlight: Lori Felix

More With Less Today began in 2009 as a hobby when Lori Felix’s youngest was leaving for college. Lori found herself combatting “Empty Nest Syndrome” through the creation of her blog because, to her, being a mom means being helpful and answering questions all day long. With her kids out of the house, launching a […]

Everywhere welcomes Autumn Gilliam to the team!

We’re adding another season at Everywhere! My name is Autumn Gilliam, and I just joined the ladies of the Everywhere Agency team as an Account Manager. After traveling around the world and testing out a range of job positions and industries, I’m thrilled to learn and contribute to the dynamic world of social media and influencer marketing!

Autumn Gilliam

Autumn and her dad back in the day!

As an Army brat, I often find it hard to sit still, which is evident by my moves from North Carolina to Virginia, Ohio to NYC, back down to Washington DC, and now further south to Atlanta. Each move has allowed me to experience working in a new industry – from non-profit, education, fashion, and defense. I feel like I’ve done a little of everything. After all of that moving around I’m really looking forward to the opportunity to just sit still and plant some roots in Atlanta!

To keep it interesting here are 10 random things I’d like to share:

  1. One of my favorite quotes/mantras is, “My peace is non-negotiable.” When it comes down to it, I try to be intentional about making myself a priority. Don’t compromise the things needed to preserve your sanity! You have to decide that some things, no matter how profitable or attractive in appearance, are just not worth your time, energy, or peace.
  2. Some of the best career advice I’ve ever gotten was to find a mentor who you see yourself in early! My female mentors/role models have been instrumental in shaping and visualizing what success looks like for me.
  3. I LOVE chocolate! Men, desserts, people, universities, Labradors, the whole nine…

    Chocolate cake makes everything great!

  4. Contrary to popular assumption, I wasn’t born in autumn. I’m actually a Christmas Eve baby!
  5. I have Misophonia. Trust me, it’s a thing. Moist mouth noises are my kryptonite.
  6. I wish someone had stressed the value of internships to me while in college. Testing out career paths and industries while still in an academic environment is wildly beneficial to navigating life post graduation.
  7. I lived in Germany for about 4 years during elementary school and then again in high school. Unfortunately, I didn’t retain much of the language beyond ordering food and curse words.
  8. When faced with a writing assignment for work, like drafting a release, pitch, or story architecture, I always recommend doing three things: create an outline; brain dump, write like mad, and get it all on paper; walk away and revisit for edits later.
  9. I love words! I’m one of those people who pick up new words randomly and introduce them in common conversations with my friends. Word a Day is one of my favorite apps.
  10. While working in NYC, I was fortunate to be introduced to a lot of useful challenges, people, and brands. Sometimes career elevation and growth rely solely on what you’re exposed to. I got to work for large and small brands with varying needs – each project added another tool to my very fashionable Prada tool belt. 😉

Autumn Gilliam Goals

“That’s All” - Miranda Priestly




4 Ways to Rock a Blogging Conference

 

If you’re in the influencer world, you know that a blogging conference is a great way to get connected – whether it be with brands or other influencers. Maybe you’ve never been to one but you want to and now you’re ready to take the plunge. Don’t worry – everyone starts out a newbie and can go on to conquer a conference!

Conferences can be intimidating, especially if you’re going alone. Then there are so many, it’s easy to wonder how to choose the right one. Some of my favorites are Mom 2.0 Summit, the Women in Travel Summit, ShiftCon and Blogalicious. Ultimately, you’ll want to go to a conference with a theme and sponsors that would fit in naturally with your blog content.

If you’re new to the game, here are four ways to make the most of any conference!

 

  1. Network, network, and oh yeah, network!

Conferences are less about what you know and more about who you get to know. Of course, you’ll want to learn a lot at sessions – but do take advantage of the ample opportunity to network! We don’t have to tell you that influencer marketing is all about collaboration. Sure, you run your channels, and you’ve built your brand, but you don’t become a success all on your own. You have to grow your audience and content, and who better to learn from than other influencers?

Influencers have told us before: “It’s a competitive market.” Instead of thinking that way, look at them as people who are trying to be great and maybe you each have what the other needs to get there. Sharing is caring! We love meeting and working with different influencers, and conferences are a great place to get that face-to-face time.

We have a Facebook group for all of the influencers in our network, Everywhere Society. It’s a place where all of our influencers can connect with each other and foster those relationships. Conferences allow you to do that in real life. Don’t shield yourself from making a new #BloggerBestie because they could be competition – they need you as much as you need them.

 

  1. Pack the right things

The most obvious things in the (influencer conference) world are most likely what you will forget to pack. Grab the suitcase, add these things, and when you’re done you can take your “ready to go” selfie!

  • Business cards: First and foremost, bring them! It’s the tangible connection between you and everyone you meet. Not bringing business cards signals that you’re not prepared or that you aren’t that serious about your blog.
  • At least one backup charger: Unless you have some new, magical phone with an endless battery, you’ll need it. Every sponsor has a photo opp, and the rest of the day you’ll be on social media and snapping pics with your new #BloggerBesties – all of those will suck the life right out of your phone.
  • Notebook: We can’t stress this enough, even in 2017, you’ll want to write things down in a non-digital format. You’re going into session after session, and you’re meeting people and brands that can propel your brand forward in between them. Trust us, you’ll have a lot of notes to look back on because it’s truly too much to remember

 

  1. Have a plan and know it!

From the moment you buy your tickets, don’t be surprised if you get an email at least once a day. Don’t disregard them as spam and delete them, but read them and form a game plan. Conferences pack as much as they can into a very short time frame. You’ll want to do it all and meet everyone, but be strategic and focus your time where it’s going to be the most beneficial to you. Know the brands that you’d like to work with and have your pitch ready. Make them want to reach out to you once they’re back in the office! But make sure you grab their cards so you can follow-up.

 

  1. Engage

Every conference has a hashtag. Not only are other influencers using it but so are brands. Make yourself known before you ever even get your badge at check-in and join the conversation early on. Want to take your engagement up a notch? Be a conference ambassador. We love taking members of Everywhere Society to conferences with us – either as brand ambassadors or agency reps. Our #BloggerBestie Ady of Verbal Gold recently went to Women in Travel Summit to represent society and encourage all these phenomenal travel bloggers to join our network. This was a major value add for us as we’ve recently taken on some major travel brands. Leticia Barr attended Mom 2.0 Summit with us as a brand ambassador for our client Domain.Me. This is an awesome way to gain a sponsorship to a conference and build a relationship with a brand.

 

The only thing left to do is decide which conference is in your future. Here’s a list of some conferences we’re considering attending this fall. Will we see you there?

Society Spotlight: Emma Loggins

Emma Loggins is a self-professed “geek girl” who’s been taking the Internet by storm for 15 years, since her founding of Fanbolt – a blog and online community for television, film, and video game enthusiasts. As a result of its growth and success, she’s conducted over 1,000 celebrity interviews and served as a host and correspondent for tons of entertainment-related events. She’s even dabbled in sportscasting, recently reporting on behalf of Autotrader at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee.

But, Emma’s not all fun and games. She also founded Women’s Business Daily, a site targeted at millennial entrepreneurs “who are chasing their dream and making it happen,” as she puts it.

Emma Loggins

Everywhere Society Spotlight Questionnaire

  1. What are you reading these days? “Infinite Jest” by David Foster Wallace
  2. Tell us about your most epic childhood birthday party. Probably my Sweet Sixteen. It was epic in the sense that you probably think… We played board games and chess – it was incredibly nerdy and absolutely perfect!
  3. Who’s your spirit animal? A great white shark
  4. Okay then, so who’s your doppelganger? I’m told all the time that I look like Emily VanCamp (also known as Agent 13 in Captain America).
  5. If you had to describe your personlity with a cocktail what would it be? Why? An Old Fashioned – strong but still sweet, and keeping it classy while still having a blast.
  6. The one product you absolutely cannot live without is: My planner. I still write everything down – appointments and to-do lists!
  7. Shout-out to your bloggy BFF! Matt Rodriguez at ShakeFire
  8. Confession time: Who was your first celeb crush? Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford.
  9. So, you’ve got writer’s block. Tried and true trick for getting over it? Step away for a little bit and re-energize yourself. Watch a movie, read a book, get lost in Pinterest. And then return to your original project with a set of fresh eyes.
  10. Top 3 pet peeves in life: People that don’t shut cabinet doors, put down the toilet seat, or leave crumbs on the table.
  11. What’s your number one blogging/content creation tip? Using a content calendar to plan out your content strategy. I use an editorial calendar plugin on WordPress that helps me see where I have holes, so I can be sure to fill in with content.
  12. We love working with you and hope you feel the same about us. What’s been your fave Everywhere campaign to be a part of? The Gilmore Girls live tweeting a campaign. I was such a huge fan of that series when I was younger – so being able to work with it in my adult years was amazing!

3 Things to Know about FTC Guidelines & Influencers

Not long ago, when brands thought about FTC guidelines they considered commercials they were producing, magazine ads, and other traditional advertising methods. As more and more brands adopt social media strategies and enlist influencers to create sponsored content, we need to be increasingly mindful of disclosure.

Having a solid plan to avoid the steep FTC penalties is an absolute must, not to mention that failing to disclose can cause consumers to lose faith in your brand – decreasing their likelihood to shop or engage. Here are three things you should do to make sure you are in compliance while using social media influencers to promote your product or service.

1. Facebook: Tread Carefully!

Facebook recently expanded access to their branded content tool, allowing influencers to opt in to directly link their posts to brands, as opposed to an old-fashioned tag. This gives the brand access to the post analytics such as reach and engagement. Brands also have the option to share and boost the content. Once an influencer opts in, their branded content will now be labeled “Paid” right next to the time stamp, as well as clearly mentioning the brand name.

Brands beware! This does NOT mean your influencers are in the clear for FTC disclosure. This feature assists with transparency and could very possibly be approved by the FTC as a means to disclose at some point, but let’s not jump the gun here. Facebook says specifically, “Publishers will still be responsible for complying with any relevant advertising regulations in their markets, including providing necessary disclosures indicating the commercial nature of the content they post.” So yes, #ad is still a must… for now.

2. Video Content: Disclosure in Motion

In a world where content is king, video is the ultimate boss. As more platforms evolve and create new ways to share video content, that means it’s time to update your disclosure policy. Think about it: Instagram Stories, Facebook Live, and Snapchat allow users to create content that is essentially temporary.

In general, when creating content on Instagram Stories or Snapchat, you should at least disclose at the beginning and end. Why both? Because after 24 hours, that initial disclosure is lost into the abyss, and if someone tunes in after the introduction has expired, it may be lost on them that the content was sponsored.

The FTC specifically states that disclosure on video ads, must be “On the screen long enough to be noticed, read, and understood.” And no, #sp does not cut it! Unlike YouTube video content, where the entire video lives forever, disappearing content requires that you cover your disclosure bases a bit more carefully.

3. Plan Ahead: Set Rules for Those Guidelines

Because the FTC requirements vary depending on the platform and content, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, and the FTC guidelines do provide some room for interpretation. However, that excuse won’t keep you from getting fined if you inadvertently fail to comply!

Working with an agency like Everywhere that specializes in social media and influencer marketing can make all the difference. We work with our clients to determine how to most clearly disclose for the type of content they are sharing. Whether this is a simple #ad or a unique disclosure statement that we develop with the brand’s marketing team, we always keep FTC guidelines top of mind.

Once you’ve determined which type of disclosure is best for the content you’re sharing, be sure to clearly communicate that to the influencers. Disclosure can’t be an afterthought, and being upfront with influencers about expectations is just one of many ways to ensure you stay in the FTC’s good graces.

In addition to understanding the importance of these standards, we’re extra motivated to keep up with best practices because our very own CEO, Danica Kombol, is on the board of WOMMA. Also known as the Word of Mouth Marketing Association, this group of thought leaders is one of the primary industry organizations advocating for ethical marketing practices. In fact, they offer an on-line course on “The Ethical Use of Social Media for Marketers,” which takes all of 45 minutes and helps demystify the FTC guidelines.

Still, there are those who wonder what’s the worst that can happen? In addition, to losing customer loyalty and purchasing power, brands can be slapped with rigorous penalties and hefty fines. Warner Bros. was recently in hot water for paying influencers to promote a new game, “Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor.” Influencers raved about the product to their viewers but failed to properly disclose that they were being compensated for the content. Warner Bros. got off easy with a warning and strict guidelines for any future activations. However, other huge brands have received more than $100 million in fines from the FTC.

The moral of the story? When in doubt, over-disclose. It’s not spammy – it’s trustworthy and will serve your brand better in the long run.

Society Spotlight: Mitch Chaitin

Mitch Chaitin initially started blogging at Gay NYC Dad to share the adoption journey of his son – whose birth he witnessed in the delivery room. He then continued to chronicle his life as a gay man in a same-sex marriage and raising a child in NYC to show America that families are more similar than different. He writes about their adventures, struggles, and travels. He also dabbles in reviews and giveaways because they’re fun - and bring great opportunities to his family.

Mitch Gay NYC Dad

Everywhere Society Spotlight Questionnaire

  1. Your current jam is: “JuJu on That Beat.” Now that my son feels cool as a senior in middle school, he will dance with me. He even let me win the Halloween dance-off at his school where they require me to be security. Or so he thinks!
  2. Tell us about your most epic childhood birthday party. I had a bowling party when I was 10 years old, and we lived in the Bronx. Forty-seven years later, I still have the bowling pin the alley gave me, and it’s next to the bowling pin my son received at his 10th birthday party! I am sentimental that way.
  3. Who’s your spirit animal? I’ve never felt one, but my favorite animal is the elephant. I love oversized things!
  4. If you had to describe your personality with a cocktail what would it be? Why? Diet Pepsi, no ice. I have been sober for over 20 years, so caffeine with no calories is what I am all about. Something that gives a quick get-me-up, without the wasted space that the ice takes up.
  5. The one product you absolutely cannot live without is: English chocolate.
  6. Shout-out to your bloggy BFF! Linda from NYCSingleMom. Our kids went to elementary school together, and she taught me how to blog. It is hugely helpful to have someone to bounce everything off of in this world. Plus, after six years, she still laughs at my jokes. That’s reason enough to keep her around!
  7. Confession time: Who was your first celeb crush? David Cassidy from the Partridge Family. I loved his singing, and I tried to copy his haircut. I wasn’t successful in either situation, but I was an oblivious kid and didn’t even know it wasn’t working.
  8. What was your first concert? How was it? Earth, Wind, and Fire. It was scary driving into Manhattan from suburbia and being in a huge crowd, but I loved their music, and that made everything better.
  9. Who’s your ultimate blogspiration? My son. I started the blog to get his adoption story on paper, and then it grew from there. He is my pride and joy (also now a teenager and all that comes with that!), so writing about him and our life together is what keeps me going!
  10. So, you’ve got writer’s block. Tried and true trick for getting over it? I often times will block out a post – write a skeleton entry without anything creative. Pictures, links, descriptions. Once I have half of the story on paper, I feel that I have accomplished something, and the story usually flows soon after. It is the fear of the blank page that holds me back, so I try not to leave the page blank.
  11. Top 3 pet peeves in life: Only three? People at the gym talking loudly on their cellphones in areas where they are not allowed, people looking at their phone about to walk into you on the street, and my husband’s loud chewing at meals.
  12. We love working with you and hope you feel the same about us. What’s been your fave Everywhere campaign to be a part of? Because I feel militant in how important it is to protect the kids, this Domain.ME-sponsored post about online safety.
Arianne Kaldewey Face

Everywhere welcomes Arianne Kaldewey to the team!

Hey guys! My name is Arianne Kaldewey (that’s pronounced: Uh-ree-ahn Cal-duh-vy), and I just joined Everywhere Agency as the new account coordinator. I’m excited to be part of such an innovative and fun company! I’ll be bringing my problem-solving skills and creative mindset with me, as well as my experience working on press & public affairs at the British Consulate here in Atlanta. I’m also a semi-recent Georgetown University graduate. Hoya Saxa! (Please don’t ask me what a Hoya is).

Here it goes – ten things you didn’t ask to know, but I’m going to tell you anyway:

  1. My favorite social media platform is Instagram because a) it’s a great way to showcase your brand and personality with fewer words and more visuals b) fluffy animals doing funny things!
  2. The best piece of career advice I ever received was: “Find a way to say yes to things.”
  3. I guess you could say I’ve got international flair. I’ve spent a good chunk of my life abroad. Before I reached high school, I lived in Germany, Australia, France, England, UAE, Barbados, Oman, and the USA.
  4. Prior to joining Everywhere, I crafted tweets and Facebook posts on everything from British Pie Week to the state of the UK economy for the British Consulate!
  5. I have two mischievous yet Instagram-worthy cats (Stella and Bear). They do cute things like scream at me when they’re hungry and sit on my chest at 4 am. (Follow me @arianne.k for kitty shenanigans!)Bear and Stella Cats
  6. I was an international politics major in college, which means that I don’t shy away from even the biggest problems!
  7. Mascots and pretty much anyone in full character costume scare the hell out of me. My most scarring childhood memory is running into the “Bananas in Pyjamas.”
  8. My favorite productivity hack is a simple one: de-cluttering my desk when I feel overwhelmed!
  9. I teach Yoga Sculpt at CorePower Yoga in my free time and love trying new fitness classes!Arianne Beyonce Pants
  10. I was an early adopter of social media, specifically at the age of 10 when I made my hi5 (Who remembers that one?!) account to my parents’ dismay.