M2.0 Communications knows that in the world of social media, forming real connections is key. Our Influencer Manager and Tiktok extraordinaire, Thalia Valdivia, shares her story and approach to building lasting and authentic influencer partnerships.
In this age where everyone is vying for a spot on social media, forming real connections seems to be a tall order. Yet, at the heart of M2.0 Communications’ influencer management service, a simple philosophy persists: building genuine relationships. We had a sit-down with the agency’s Influencer Manager, whose journey from traditional marketing roles to the exciting world of influencer management is as captivating as her knack for forging successful influencer partnerships.
Learning on the Go
Thalia Valdivia, the influencer relations manager at M2.0 Communications, has had an incredible journey in the world of influencer management. Her marketing background from Mapua University equipped her with a solid foundation in consumer behavior, audience demographics, and content creation. Despite influencer partnerships not being popular during her college days, Thalia’s experience as an industry practitioner has allowed her to continuously learn and adapt to new trends.
“By extending my understanding of how the business world works through the lens of my professors, mentors, and even classmates, I am able to contribute more to M2.0’s services.”
After college, Thalia worked as a marketing associate at a real estate company. She spent four years in that role, which gave her a taste of different marketing strategies, from old-school to digital. Not only that, but it also taught her the art of negotiation, a skill that would come in handy in her current job as an influencer manager.
Thanks to her experience in the real estate industry, Thalia became a pro at ensuring both influencers and clients were happy and hitting their goals. It became second nature to her.
Now, she’s taking her professional journey to the next level by pursuing a Master of Business Administration at De La Salle University Manila. With this move, Thalia aims to expand her industry knowledge and grow her professional network.
A Day in Digital Life
As an Influencer Relations Manager, her typical day revolves around being active online, staying updated with trends, and finding influencers that fit the needs of M2.0’s clients. She and her team have Instagram and TikTok group chats where they share online content and trends as resources for their client work. Thalia has also developed strategies to stay focused, such as setting timers for scrolling on social media.
Thalia is known for her efficiency in finishing work on time. She believes in offloading projects as early as possible, allowing her to plan her life and make time for her personal interests. Creating checklists and crossing off tasks gives her a sense of fulfillment and keeps her productive.
“To be honest, I am a workaholic. I work hard and ensure that I finish my projects ahead of time. I like to offload projects as early as I can.”
Building Bridges with Influencers
Building great relationships with influencers is a priority for Thalia. She ensures to keep track of their personal accomplishments and goes the extra mile to send personalized gifts for special occasions. These efforts help strengthen the relationship and show appreciation for their collaboration.
One standout success story for Thalia is the marketing campaign for Blued’s livestream feature launch. By partnering with popular Filipino queer influencers who represented the app’s target market, the campaign became a resounding success–a testament to the research and strategy that go into every influencer marketing campaign executed by Thalia and her team.
“One of my favorite projects is our marketing campaign for Blued’s livestream feature launch. We were able to tap the right influencers who we knew represented the app’s target market.”
She has also worked with several outstanding influencers, including Sassa Gurl, FEATR, and Megan Young, and Mikael Daez. Their interesting stories, good communication skills, and ability to advocate for brands instead of just promoting them made these collaborations successful. Looking ahead, she is keen to work with beauty influencers and medical influencers, believing they will continue to reshape the marketing industry.
Keeping it Real
Her personal preference for consuming news through social media platforms like TikTok has shaped her work in influencer management. She believes that visual storytelling, authenticity, and algorithm-driven content are key factors in successful influencer marketing partnerships.
“Being on the beat allows me to be on trend, identify competitors, and find influencers who perfectly fit the needs of our clientele.”
It is crucial to ensure the authenticity and credibility of the content shared by influencers. To do so, Thalia and her team carefully monitor influencers’ social media channels, their content, comments, and interactions with fellow influencers. She also uses tools like Affable to gather accurate data and information that best represents the influencers, ensuring the clients’ needs are met.
Forecasting Trends
Looking to the future, Thalia envisions influencers ruling the digital marketing landscape. As more people turn to the internet for entertainment, social media becomes easily accessible, allowing anyone to become a content creator or influencer. In this evolving landscape, M2.0 Communications will continue to play a vital role in helping clients navigate the world of influencer management and leverage the power of influencers to reach their goals.
“Audiences gravitate towards influencers who are authentic and personable, a character they can empathize with and relate to. As Influencer Managers, our goal is to identify influencers who not only embody our clients’ brands but also resonate with the appropriate target audience.”
Thalia’s journey as an Influencer Relations Manager shows her dedication, adaptability, and passion for the industry. With her education, real estate background, ongoing MBA studies, and insights into the ever-changing influencer landscape, Thalia is slowly but surely becoming an opinion leader in the world of local influencer management.
M2.0 Communications is a public relations firm that helps brands tell meaningful, data-driven stories. As an influencer marketing agency in the Philippines, M2.0 has built an extensive network of media contacts and media influencers to help clients with their PR and marketing strategies.
Learn more about our work by visiting our case studies page.
