Exploring Influencer Marketing Strategies from Multiple Perspectives

By Casey Huczko, Intern at Cultivate

On September 5, 2025, influencer marketing experts Lindsay Bumps, Erin Torres, and Nick Mattera joined a panel discussion on influencer marketing. Organized by the Yankee Chapter of PRSA and Cultivate, with moderation by Lisa Lance, Yankee PRSA Chapter President, and Abbey Berger-Knorr, Senior PR & Communications Associate at Cultivate and Yankee PRSA Member. The event explored strategies for finding success in today’s crowded influencer landscape.

*Lindsay Bumps illustrates some of her favorite marketing campaigns throughout her career, Erin Torres and Nick Mattera seated to her right.*

Meet the Panel

Erin Torres, founder of Travel Like a Local: Vermont and marketing consultant for Live Local, turned her early social media hobby into a platform for building meaningful brand partnerships.
Lindsay Bumps, an influencer marketing consultant and former Influencer Relations Lead at Ben & Jerry’s, now collaborates on social justice initiatives and teaches marketing and PR at Champlain College.
Rounding out the group was Nick Mattera, Vice President at global influencer agency Ykone, where he leads luxury brand campaigns across fashion, beauty, lifestyle, and travel.

Trends in Influencer Marketing

What shifts in trends have you seen in influencer/PR marketing? What platforms are the most popular and critical to influencer marketing?

The panelists highlighted a major shift toward nano- and micro-influencers, whose engaged audiences often outperform celebrity endorsements. While TikTok offers viral discovery, it’s inconsistent; Instagram remains strong for storytelling and everyday marketing, YouTube is essential as a search engine, and X holds weight for advocacy. Ultimately, success comes from being platform-diverse and strategy-driven; “influencer marketing is not a ‘should have,’ it’s a must-have.”

In PR, Muckrack, and Cision are two standard databases for finding reports to pitch. In the influencer world, what are the favorite technologies or tools to find influencers to pitch?

When it comes to finding influencers, Erin favors referrals and long-term relationships over databases. Lindsay pointed to platforms like CreatorIQ, Traackr, and MightyScout, while Nick highlighted Ykone’s private database and the importance of culturally savvy team members, reminding that strong content performance is often the best discovery tool.

Relationship Building

What are some of the best influencer pitching strategies PR professionals should know?

The panel stressed that successful pitching comes down to creativity, respect, and relationship-building. Erin emphasized balancing audience needs with brand goals. Lindsay reminded that “behind every profile is a human being” deserving kindness and fair negotiation. Nick encouraged treating partnerships as lifecycles and shared how small gestures of support, like with influencer Alix Earle, can foster lasting trust.

How do you build long-term relationships? Rather than one-off collaborations?

To build lasting relationships, Erin suggested year-long or multi-year programs for deeper impact. Lindsay shared Ben & Jerry’s Inside Scoop program, which turned critics into advocates by bringing them into the process. Nick added that sustained partnerships also require attention to analytics, such as tracking hashtags and engagement to maintain momentum.

How do you balance influencers’ creative freedom with brand guidelines and requirements? How can brands that partner with influencers still showcase authenticity within their content, such as product reviews?

When balancing creative freedom with brand guidelines, Erin stressed the need for clear expectations around posting and flexibility. Lindsay added that most brands should provide briefs, budgets, and boundaries, even if some benefit from organic reviews. Nick summed it up simply: “The magic happens in the middle ground.”

What red flags do you look for when deciding to work with a specific influencer?

When assessing influencers, Erin cautioned against partnerships that do not align with brand values. Lindsay highlighted the risk of inflated followings from bots and suggested using vetting tools like Patcha. Nick recommended reviewing an influencer’s history, engagement, and past collaborations in addition to growth metrics.

Campaigning

What are some of your favorite influencer campaigns?

When asked about favorite campaigns, Erin pointed to collaborations with Dunkin’, Kayem, and Healthy Living, though she finds the most fulfillment in supporting local businesses. Lindsay reflected on Ben & Jerry’s creative partnership with Netflix, her playful “pupfluencer” campaign, and her current work with Ben Cohen to make political stories more accessible. Nick highlighted Ykone’s success with Formula 1, which boosted the sport’s U.S. rankings, as well as Wynn Resorts, a former skeptic now embracing influencer marketing.

Creating Value

What is the value of incorporating influencer-led campaigns?

The panel agreed that influencer-led campaigns provide unmatched value. Erin emphasized that alignment drives authenticity, since audiences quickly spot anything forced. Lindsay described influencer marketing as “priceless,” offering vast reach at relatively low cost while complementing traditional PR. Nick added that many influencers now function like agencies themselves, delivering strategy, content, and audience reach.

What are your predictions for the future?

Looking ahead, Erin reminded that “our biggest constant is change,” while Lindsay cautioned that predictions can shift within weeks and urged brands to stay proactive, listen, and track metrics. Nick predicted a major move from traditional SEO and SEM toward social media as the primary search tool, especially for Gen Z.

Closing Thoughts: Authenticity, Adaptability, and the Road Ahead

The panel agreed on one essential truth: influencer marketing is here to stay. Success comes from building authentic partnerships, tailoring content to each platform, and staying adaptable as the digital landscape shifts. Whether through micro-influencers driving local impact, long-term programs that build loyalty, or creative campaigns that humanize complex stories, the path forward is clear; brands that listen, respect their partners, and embrace authenticity will thrive in the ever-changing world of influencer marketing.