Collective Voice Report: Brands and Creators Should Rethink Their Content Strategy in the Election Season

New report explores how the 2024 election season will affect content and branding strategies in the creator economy

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As the 2024 election season picks up, the media environment will be increasingly crowded by a deluge of perspectives and conversations on every platform. The creator economy is no different.

A new report from premier creator marketing platform Collective Voice, titled "76% of Consumers Want Election Content from Creators," investigates the election's impact on content strategy, brand partnerships, consumer perception and creator responses. As we move into an already busy fourth quarter, it's crucial that marketers and creators rethink their content strategy during election season.

Key findings from Collective Voice's new report include:

• Creators are embracing political and election-related content.
  • The election has prompted a marked increase in related content from creators. 61% of consumers reported seeing election-related content from their favorite influencers, with 70% of those aged 25-54 noticing an uptick.
  • Almost half (46%) of creators have adjusted their content and partnership strategies in light of the election and the potential impact of their personal political statements on promotional activities and brand alignments. 
• Consumers are more responsive to the authenticity of a creator's brand partnerships than to their political leanings
  • 54% of consumers said it's more important for a creator to endorse a diverse range of brands than to share their political beliefs
  • 33% of consumers said they are more likely to purchase products promoted by creators who share their values.
• Creators should consider adjusting their content strategy in the period running up to the election.
  • 76% of consumers are open to engaging in political discussions with influencers, provided they are respectful, positive, and educational. Ensuring that influencers align with brands is essential for appealing to these consumers and leveraging their openness to political content.

"Understanding the impact of election-year dynamics on creators is just one piece of the puzzle," explains Clair Sidman, VP of Marketing at Collective Voice. "Brands need to consider how these shifts affect their overall content strategies to engage hyper-focused audiences effectively and optimize campaign performance."

To ensure brand strategies remain impactful and relevant in this politically charged environment, Collective Voice also recommends that brands explore alternative creator-led strategies that account for the election's impact on the U.S. advertising ecosystem, including:

• Leverage TikTok's Culture-First Approach: TikTok's unique culture-first approach emphasizes creative and engaging content over traditional advertising formats. By focusing their efforts on TikTok, brands can tap into its vibrant user base and benefit from its algorithm that promotes authentic and trend-driven content.
• Consider Substack as a Social Media Alternative: In contrast to conventional platforms, Substack offers brand engagement with highly trusted sources through newsletters and direct content delivery. Utilizing Substack can enable brands to bypass mainstream media saturation and take advantage of personalized, high-value content to connect with audiences.

"To enhance brand campaign effectiveness, marketers should tune their advertising strategy to the peaks and valleys we expect to see in this fall's election cycle," added Sidman. "Anticipating and leveraging swings in the demand for premium ad units will create opportunities for savvy media buyers to strengthen their Return on Ad Spend (ROAS). As a direct consequence of election content ad load, CPMs and Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) in most media will increase, making this fall an ideal time to invest in creator-led marketing strategies that take advantage of creators' highly-engaged audiences without having to pay out premium CPMs to reach them."

For more best practices and additional findings, read the full report HERE. For insights into Collective Voice's innovative approach to creator marketing, visit www.collectivevoice.com.

About Collective Voice
Since its inception in 2008, Collective Voice has been a trailblazer in the creator marketing landscape, offering cutting-edge tools, transparent data, and unparalleled resources. Leveraging years of expertise, we forge meaningful connections between creators and top brands, resulting in award-winning content and sustained success. For more information, visit www.collectivevoice.com.

Media Contact:
Katie Stevens
[email protected]

SOURCE Collective Voice