Facebook’s New Feature is a Brand-Influencer Matchmaker

July 3, 2018

Influencers are truly becoming the center of the digital universe. And in hopes of drawing more prominent creators to the platform, Facebook has unveiled a new Brand Collab Manager. The service operates as a sort of search engine –– or if you need some more romancing, a dating service –– for brands and influencers.

The Collab Manager is Facebook’s second attempt to attract influencer talent on the site. Because the platform has never been an influencer hub, Zuck needed a new venture to put FB back on the map. The platform first tried getting in on the game with Facebook Watch last summer. However, competing against media giants like YouTube, Hulu and Netflix kept the feature from really taking off.

This second swing hopes to get influencers on the platform to show them what Facebook can offer for creators. Although most have retreated to Instagram and YouTube –– both of which have greater engagement results and more developed monetization models –– Facebook’s greater total users provides an opportunity for unprecedented reach.

Currently the only way for influencers to make money on Facebook is via in-stream ads, which can scare of audience members by interrupting their content. So, to attract influencers to the site, Facebook is keeping their hands off all partnership earnings –– at least for now. By showing the potential that sponsored content holds on the platform, creators may be more likely to publish on the platform and bring their following with them.

The feature is currently limited to select brands and creators in the United States, so getting on the list means registering with Facebook. Influencers are also being instructed to like the pages of brands they’re interest in working with –– so keep an eye out!

As the Collab Manager becomes more open, brands can pair creator insights –– including location, preferred content types and website –– with introduction videos and media kits to best inform their decisions. Pairing all this information with the creator’s content history will help brands ensure credibility and select the perfect influencer for their next product placement or sponsored post.