NFTs. Maybe you've heard of them, maybe you haven't. We explain more about what exactly NFTs are in this article. And you'll find out right away why so many people and organizations have shown an interest in NFTs in the meantime.

The abbreviation "NFT" stands for "Non-Fungible Token. "Non-Fungible" means that it is unique and there is no alternative to replace it. As proof of this uniqueness, you get a "Token." And these tokens are registered in a blockchain, giving them their value. 

The new Mona Lisa is a digital file

The unique nature of an NFT makes it excellent for creating scarcity for digital art. But how does that work? In the analog world, people have long been accustomed to scarcity. After all, there is only one Mona Lisa or one autographed shirt of a particular soccer player during a particular game. A replica is worth less. But in the digital world, everything is copyable. After all, you can stream a song infinitely and a digital photo is shared on social media in unlimited numbers. By registering a digital file as NFT (for example, number 001 of a photo or video), the file becomes unique, creating scarcity, and thus the digital file also gains its value. Just as we have been used to in the analog world for some time. 

Exactly what the value will be, time will tell. Just as it does with analog art. However, organizations can already assign additional benefits (and thus additional value) to an NFT in the short term. For example, purchasing an NFT version of a Kings of Leon album entitles you to a front row seat at a concert and access to additional content. 

NFT adds value for athletes and artists

Even DJ Don Diablo, and none other than soccer player Lionel Messi are deploying NFTs as a new revenue model. So it seems that the entertainment and sports world is embracing this blockchain solution. 

Not yet convinced about NFTs and their added value? Then be sure to read these examples:

  • American artist Mike Winkelmann, aka Beeple, was the first to put a digital artwork like NFT up for sale. He did so through a traditional auction house, Christies. And it was not without merit. The artwork fetched some 58 million euros;
  • In just four minutes, Don Diablo sold the film of a digital concert (Destination Hexagonia) as an NFT for 600 Ether, equivalent to about $1.8 million (exchange rate at the time, ed.);
  • PSG acquisition Lionel Messi will release three to four NFTs this month, giving fans access to the "Messiverse. Perhaps a consolation prize for the Catalan club that could no longer afford the striker.

Optimize your fan relationship with NFTs

By the way, it is important to realize that NFTs are primarily a way to optimize the fan relationship and increase the perception of fans for your brand or personality. A good relationship ultimately determines whether you emerge as the winner or loser in the relationship economy. Organize your contact with fans smarter, and your NFT will automatically become more valuable.

Want to learn more about NFTs? Get access to the replay of the "Next Level Talk" webinar from Sept. 7, 2021, where the "Godfather of Content Marketing" Joe Pulizzi talked more about the future of NFTs and Content Marketing.

(In this post, I used portions from articles by my colleague Denis Doeland.)

The lockdowns are not only causing a tough time financially for Michelin restaurants. On social media, chefs are also having a hard time keeping things in order. NXTLI shows how the restaurants that have survived are performing on digital, in the still ongoing second lockdown.

Michelin star list leaked

March 27, the 2021 Michelin stars list is accidentally announced. Due to a technical glitch in the Michelin app, 10 chefs are being made happy early with their first Michelin stars (Ouhajji, 2021). An analysis of digital achievements of these chefs will follow in a subsequent update.

Large portion of Michelin restaurants inactive on socials

NXTLI's analysis shows that since the second lockdown, Michelin restaurants have found it challenging to stay active on social media. There are restaurants among them that do not post at all on at least one of their social media channels, such as two-star restaurants Sabero and 't Nonnetje, for example.

Furthermore, Spectrum, de Groene Lantaarn and 212, all three in the top 20 of the Top 100 Tasty 2020, are leaving Facebook completely ignored. As a result, people don't know what these restaurants still offer in corona time, which can raise questions about takeout and delivery options.

Staying engaged with followers is crucial in this day and age, both financially and for image. Our colleague Ognjen Jovanovic states the following on the Digital Capability blog: "It is crucial to invest in digital reputation right now, even though in the corona period many companies' income will come under pressure or shut down completely. Unfortunately, it is almost inevitable that in the hardest hit industries, such as events and hospitality, not everyone is going to survive. The companies that are best able to maintain their fan relationships (via social media and other channels) during this period will stay on consumers' minds. This puts your company in the best position to get off to a flying start when the world goes off the grid again. You may even discover new, digital revenue models in the meantime to bridge the period."

't Lansink and Sinne show what is possible

Yet there are restaurants that do remain active. Restaurant t' Lansink shares with its followers that food can be taken away at the "Frites Boutique Foodtruck" and provides weekly updates on this. His giveaway of one of the dishes creates a lot of engagement. 

Sinne also remains active on social media and, like 't Lansink, posts about its take away options. The restaurant shares content about the special menus it is offering for Valentine's Day and Easter.

Colleague Denis Doeland comments, "The turnaround currently being brought about by the coronavirus is not unlike the paradigm shift that was already caused by the third and closely followed fourth industrial revolution. The new - mostly digital - developments confront an organization with a 'do or die' choice. If you don't transform to a digital first company, your business or business model is doomed from the start. Even after corona. If you have the opportunity or ambition to keep your business alive during the corona period, then you have only one choice: invest in digital. Michelin restaurants now have the perfect opportunity to build the relationship digitally through their own website and social media."

Vista has best digital start of the year

Restaurant 't Raedthuys announces that it delivers its 5-course "Star Thuys Box," which also resonates with its followers on socials. Restaurant Vista scored best on socials in the first months of this year, based on factors from NXTLI's Digital Reputation Index

Vista posts like the other restaurants that remain active in corona time about the different menus available in the house. The post about the Michelin star the restaurant may receive for the 4th time this year provides the highest engagement. 

Ognjen Jovanovic: "Our experience shows that many companies operate blind or do not create the right context when it comes to social media performance and maintaining fan relationships. When this performance does get measured appropriately and measured against competitors, everyone involved gets motivated to get the most out of digital reputation. Nothing fuels the fire better than healthy competition."

Rise in posts in March

NXTLI's data shows that most restaurants are more active on socials in March than in January and February 2021.

For example, three-star restaurant De Librije is having a difficult digital start to the year. In January the restaurant posted nothing and in February too it shared little with its followers. However, the only posts in February about online cooking sessions did score well. March sees an increase in the number of posts, with the one about retaining the three stars providing the most engagement. The same goes for De Kromme Dissel, which posts more in March than in early 2021. As such, it is a special month for the restaurant: it is receiving its 50th consecutive Michelin star. This makes De Kromme Dissel the record holder in the Netherlands.

Conclusion

So far in 2021, many Michelin restaurants are silent on one or more of their social media channels. Some restaurants do manage to remain active, with posts about delivery and takeout of their dishes doing well. 

Content about the retention of Michelin stars also genepricing a lot of engagement at most restaurants. In general, more is posted in March than in January and February.

How do Formula One drivers score on social media? In the coming period, NXTLI will be tracking how the races affect the online performance of the drivers. Do wins on the track also mean wins on socials? First, we look back at how the drivers got through the winter break online. Then we look at how things went at the first race.

Formula 1 drivers' social media rankings and their digital reputation index score

New teams are boost to online performance

Sunday, March 28, was the day that Formula One fans and drivers have long looked forward to: the start of the new season. During the winter break, there is generally little new content to share for drivers. However, one thing that does particularly well with fans is the announcement of drivers with their new team. The top three best performing drivers on socials over the winter break - Daniel Ricciardo, Sergio Perez, and Sebastian Vettel - are all driving for a new team this year. For these scores, NXTLI analyzes the Digital Reputation Index, which includes post rhythm, post interaction, engagement, and follower growth.

Vettel gets warm reception

January is a quiet month at Formula One on socials. For drivers driving for the same team this year, there are few updates to share with fun fans. One exception is Vettel, who, despite his small amount of posts, is creating very high engagement. The driver is sharing his first posts with his new team. The video of his arrival at Aston Martin is viewed nearly half a million times.

New cars catch on

February saw a slight increase in drivers' online activity. The new season is getting closer, leading to more content to share. Ricciardo is doing best this month. Especially his post of McLarens' new car scores very well. Nicholas Latifi also shows how to successfully present a new car. Furthermore, Pierre Gasly and Valtteri Bottas are making good use of the opportunities to keep their fans warm with their updates towards the new season.

Masters on track, quiet on socials

In Bahrain, Lewis Hamilton again shows his worth and takes his first win of the season. Verstappen follows him closely in this exciting race, taking second place. 

Verstappen and Hamilton, the biggest players at the moment, score poorly online in both months. As seen in this article from last week, Mercedes is not active in these months, which is also true for Hamilton. With by far the most followers on social media, he is missing out on the opportunities this presents. He says he is focusing and preparing for the new year and therefore is less active. 

Verstappen, who like Hamilton has a very large online reach, also scores low. He posts little, so his engagement is also lower than average.

Conclusion

The winter break in Formula One causes drivers to be less active on social media. The drivers racing for a different team in the new season are exceptions to this rule. They have the most engagement, which combined with updates such as the team's new car, makes for a No. 1: Daniel Ricciardo. 

Verstappen and Hamilton are missing many opportunities for online engagement with their fans, but may change this in the new season. Furthermore, there are three rookies: Yuki Tsunoda, Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher, the son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher. Soon we will show you how their performances on the track have an effect on the various social media channels. 

Want to take control of the results of your content? Then read more about the Next Level Impact Programs
Want the tools to beat your digital competition? Read more about the Reputation Monitor

NXTLI analyzes and publishes on various other social media achievements including the top 100 DJs on social media.

Formula One (F1) is waiting for the starting gun to kick off the new season. In recent months, the sport has been in the news a lot. Which new drivers are joining which teams. Which teams have remained relevant on social media over the winter break and which ones haven't? A lot has happened this offseason. As the new season gets underway, NXTLI is looking at who is No. 1 on social media using its digital reputation index.

Formula 1 Teams' social media rankings and their digital reputation index score

Many changes in December 2020

December is traditionally a month when teams say goodbye to their drivers and make way for new ones, so too in 2020. Furthermore, teams get new sponsors, and two teams even get a complete rebranding:

Racing Point becomes Aston Martin F1 and Renault F1 becomes Alpine F1. A lot is changing in this month. That presents opportunities for increasing visibility and engagement through exciting content.

Perez and Haas provide involvement

Aston Martin, with the rebranding and announcement of Sebastian Vettel, is making particularly good use of the opportunities December offers for engagement on socials. Furthermore, the retirement of Sergio Pérez is generating a lot of engagement on Instagram and Facebook.

Haas F1 is doing best this month (December). Haas F1 - like Aston Martin F1 - owes this mainly to frequent posts about their two new drivers, Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin and the farewells of both existing drivers. In addition, their win campaign creates a lot of engagement with the posts.

Lawrence Stroll has big ambitions

Lawrence Stroll, the new CEO of Aston Martin, indicated on the site Racefans that the team has "serious ambitions to get fans more engaged with the team," for "both the next generation of fans and the hardcore fans." He wants to ensure "a new look for Aston Martin F1 where fans are more involved with the team." Social media plays a crucial role in this, according to the CEO (Collantine, 2021).

Our colleague Denis Doeland comments: "Digital content is seen by many sports company executives as an opportunity to increase revenue. Not only is it a way to respond to changing content consumption (from linear to online), but it also offers another benefit. Thanks to digital content, sports companies, such as Aston Martin F1, become less dependent on live events. Indeed, more revenue streams are emerging, unhampered by (the measures against) the corona virus, for example. Lawrence Stroll is pursuing such a course. That's cool to see!"

Aston Martin gets socials in order

January is usually a quiet month in F1. The cars are not yet presented and the season has not yet started, which makes it difficult for teams to create and keep posting content.

Yet Aston Martin F1 has once again managed to keep their socials in order despite this challenge. NXTLI's analysis shows that posts about the new team contributed to this. Furthermore, they shared highlights and throwbacks from their races, which resonated well with fans.

Mercedes misses opportunities

Mercedes post noticeably less in January, resulting in decline in engagement. This may be due to stability in the team and lack of newsworthy changes: no new car or new drivers. The team is missing opportunities by not sharing highlights, throwbacks, and beautiful or funny moments to keep fans warm.

"Did you know that millennials now watch highlights of sports events for almost as long as they watch live sports? The underlying pattern is clear: there is much more demand for shorter content, because that suits the shorter attention span of younger viewers better. By the way, sports fans who are not millennials are also watching many more highlights of sports events. One of the benefits of shorter, on-demand content, is that sports companies become less dependent on live games (which can't go on because of corona). Mercedes completely misses that open-ended opportunity." said Doeland.

McLaren and Red Bull successful

February is the month when teams announce their cars and start driving. This is reflected in the data: a slight increase occurs. More posts leads to more engagement. Fans want to know how the cars of the different teams are doing.

Mclaren is doing well and Red Bull is also successfully introducing their new car. Mercedes keeps their car secret for a long time and posts less. Williams Racing keeps a low posting rate, which automatically makes for less engagement with the posts. The latter is also true of Ferrari.

Conclusion

All in all, it can be seen that off-season opportunities abound to keep fans engaged with teams through the various socials. Content that does well across all teams during the winter break is about new names, farewell drivers and new cars.

In doing so, it is notable that the less prominent teams score high in the off-season and the larger teams, such as Mercedes and Ferrari, do better within the season. The question is whether this will continue as the season approaches. These answers will follow in our F1 update next month. Also keep an eye on our channels next week for the F1 drivers' social media performances!

Want to take control of the results of your content? Then read more about the Next Level Impact Programs
Want the tools to beat your digital competition? Read more about the Reputation Monitor

NXTLI analyzes and publishes on various other social media achievements including the top 100 DJs on social media.

There is a new No. 1 DJ in the world! Frenchman David Guetta tops the DJ Mag Top 100 2020. Of course, as a DJ, he has almost the most fans in the world. But that doesn't immediately make you the best performing DJ in the digital landscape. During the corona crisis, few DJs were able to perform analog, which is why their digital reputation should determine which DJs belong to the Top 100 right now. David Guetta reaches only place 66 in the DJ FACT Top 100!

NXTLI provides the data for the DJ FACT Top 100. This list is published monthly by This Is Our House. In this article, you will find an analysis of four DJs (out of the more than 350 DJs provided by the DJ Mag Top 100 over the past 15 years) that NXTLI researched. All of them are in the DJ FACT Top 10.

The top 10 DJs with their average Digital Reputation Score in parentheses

Marshmello (#1)

The absolute best is Marshmello, who saw his follower count on YouTube grow by 2,800 percent since 2016. This artist can call himself the No. 11 most successful artist on Spotify and No. 11 on the DJ Mag Top 100 in 2020. Marshmello scored several billion-stream hits in recent years, including "Friends," "Happier" and "Alone. 

He posts an average of one post a day and three YouTube videos every month; thus, he shares a constant stream of content with his fans. He proves that such an achievement is not without reward, as his online reputation grew by a whopping 400 percent. That is why he is ranked 1 in the DJ FACT Top 100!

Kygo (#2)

In the DJ Mag Top 100, he dropped and rose in recent years. In 2020, Kygo ranks 28th. In doing so, he is the No. 53 most-streamed artist on Spotify; his greatest hits score billions of streams. Online, he is most successful on YouTube, where he achieved 11 times more followers in four years. 

Several times a month, lyric videos, making of's, livestreams, remixes and more appear here - even in the current corona crisis. With his huge catalog, he was recently awarded the artist with the most top 10 hits on the Billboard Dance Chart. With a second spot, Kygo is given much more credit. His labor since 2016 is thus rewarded!

Alok (#3)

The No. 3 DJ from the DJ Mag Top 100 2020, Alok, has 22 times more followers today than he did four years ago. The multiple Best DJ of Brazil grew into an international celebrity in recent years. With hits like "Hear Me Now" and several successful remixes, we can find him at all major music festivals. 

The Brazilian regularly shares content online, both about his musical career and his private life. That fans feast on private is evidenced by how much response there is to posts of his family life and gender reveal party. A third spot in the DJ FACT Top 100 is more obvious.

Charlotte de Witte (#7)

Those who realize that the lockdown offers opportunities are techno queen Charlotte de Witte. Like many other DJs, she posted livestreams on Facebook and Instagram, which is already a good idea. What made her growth explosive is reposting outtakes from the streams several times a week. This way, she maximizes the use of a livestream and ensures that, even during the lockdown, she consistently shares beautiful content. As a result, her follower count grew by an average of 50 percent on Facebook and Instagram, a consistent posting rhythm and high engagement. With this, she realized a spot in the DJ FACT Top 10. Entirely deservedly so!

The entire DJ Fact Top 100

Check out the entire DJ Fact Top 100 below and read more about the background of this fact-based DJ ranking.


Conclusion

The corona crisis offers not only challenges but also opportunities for artists who cherish contact with their fans. The motto for artists remains: decide how often (rhythm) you want to reveal content (consistency) and then keep it up (discipline). This is the real challenge: this combination of rhythm, consistency and discipline is often underestimated. If DJs meet this challenge (successfully), they can ensure that content contributes to fan relationship growth precisely during the corona period. 

Smart artists and festival organizations are increasingly focusing on creating and publishing relevant content. By deploying the right content at the right time, the fan relationship can be tightened, deployed and maintained. So remember: the lifeline of the dance industry is the artist-fan relationship, and you want to optimize that lifeline. Especially when there are no festivals happening.

Gini Wijnaldum turned 30 today, a special milestone. Since the beginning of 2019, we have been part of Team Gini and have witnessed many amazing moments. This is a small compilation of the personal, sports and digital highlights during this period.





Pioneer in Music & Sports

Gini has a great love for music and a good feel for the latest hits. Almost two years ago, he launched his first playlist on Spotify, the Matchday Mix. Made up of tracks he likes to listen to during warm-ups before games and listens. Gini was one of the first athletes to launch such a playlist, his lists on already have more than 40,000 followers and can be listened to on all major streaming services.

In the corona period followed the Cooldown Mix, the counterpart of the Matchday Mix with music for while relaxing. Recently, Gini was the first athlete with guest playlist on TikTok. The playlist even topped the Sounds Page on TikTok UK for several days. Updates to his playlists are announced weekly on Friday on his social media, with a selection of his favorite new tracks and suggestions from his fans.

Gini Giveaway

Gini is in awe of getting close to fans and sharing unique experiences with them. He has already raffled off spots in his skybox at Liverpool several times among his fans on social media. The fans were allowed to participate in a sumptuous dinner before the game, and Gini was not shy about spending an hour chatting with them afterwards. 

In cooperation with the soccer platform 433, Gini organized another cool win action. And recently, he raffled off 4 season tickets for his youth club Sparta among his followers, to give fans and club a boost during the corona period.

The World's Greatest Football Awards

Liverpool looked set to founder against Barcelona in the first game of the 2019 Champions League semifinals, they fell behind 3-0 at Camp Nou. Hopes of a comeback had already been given up by many. But in the return at Anfield, Liverpool completely made up the deficit, thanks in part to two fantastic goals from Gini. The comeback of the century, starring Gini.

His social media flooded with comments, new followers and he was written about in all sports media. At that time, Gini was one of the most talked about stars in the entire world.

A month later, Liverpool finished the job, winning the Champions League by beating Tottenham Hotspur in the final. During the parade in Liverpool, where hundreds of thousands of fans were in attendance, Gini's fans were able to follow along via his livestream on Instagram. They even witnessed live the moment Gini dropped his phone in the crowd and got it back from an observant fan.

The following season, Liverpool was stronger than ever, with Gini in the starting lineup, Liverpool won the Premier League in historic fashion for the first time in 30 years. Unfortunately, due to the corona-lockdown, fans were unable to celebrate the moment in person. For this, Gini launched a special Instagram filter that allowed fans worldwide to digitally join the party anyway.

Gini also experienced a great period with the Dutch national team. Orange qualified for a major tournament for the first time in a long time. And Gini made his debut as captain in a game where he immediately scored a hat trick and seized the moment to make a statement against racism together with Frenkie de Jong. 

Family and Photography

Gini is a loyal and caring person a has a special bond with his friends and family. Since he discovered the love of photography, he also captures his special, personal moments in beautiful images. 

From his vacations in Dubai where he gave fans an inside look into his daily life in collaboration with the lifestyle platform Men With Class to the photos of his infant son Julián just after his birth.

Gini's fans get genuine insight into Gini's life both on and off the soccer field, he tries to involve his fans as closely as possible with his own experiences. As far as we are concerned, this makes him one of the most intriguing soccer players in the world. 

NTXLI wishes Gini an incredibly happy birthday and many more wonderful moments to come!

See more highlights of Gini Wijnaldum on his website.


List of DJ Mag is dated during corona period, time for new ranking: DJ FACT TOP 100!


Marshmello is the DJ who ranks best on social media. Over the past five years, the artist's number of followers on YouTube grew by a whopping 2,800 percent, according to research by Denis Doeland and NXTLI. Belgian techno DJ Charlotte de Witte is also scoring high by sharing content with her followers during the corona period. The insights from the research led to the first-ever DJ FACT Top 100, which as of today will be published monthly on the site of dance platform This Is Our House.

Denis Doeland and dance platform This Is Our House have long advocated replacing the DJ Mag Top 100, also known as the Top 100 DJs, with a new, more fact-based ranking. With DJs no longer performing analogously and the DJ Mag Top 100 having been criticized for years as a subjective popularity poll, they felt the time was right to launch a data-driven alternative. 

The top 10 DJs with their average Digital Reputation Score in parentheses

Continuous research and alternative parameters

"I am constantly researching how DJs perform on social media. During the corona crisis, almost no DJs were able to perform analogously, so the current DJ Mag Top 100 in its current form is dated. There is only one way we can measure how DJs are performing: by comparing how the digital relationship with their fans is. That leads to streams and views that affect performances. That's why it's time for a new list for DJs, measuring this fan relationship and the effects that come from it. Marshmello is at the top of this ranking with his impressive follower growth and engagement with his content" states Doeland.

Editor-in-chief Mark van Bergen of This Is Our House has been agitating for years against what he considers the disproportionate influence of the DJ Mag Top 100. His opinion articles in the media resonated with dance fans. "DJ Mag's list is largely about DJs winning souls with the public," he said. 

In doing so, Van Bergen regularly advocated the importance of another, more objective chart. "There are so many more parameters than just popularity to determine which DJ is really the most successful. It is therefore also the intention that this list will soon be given even more body, by also embedding elements such as numbers of streams, (digital) performances and earnings. Of course, ultimately it remains a matter of taste as to who is the best DJ for you, but it is interesting to look at who really performs best based on all available measurable factors."

Marshmello as absolute standout, Charlotte de Witte on the rise

Marshmello is No. 1 on the alternative DJ rankings. Since 2016, his follower count on YouTube grew by 2,800 percent. Incidentally, he is now ranked No. 5 in the DJ Mag Top 100. Marshmello posts an average of one post per day and three YouTube videos every month; thus, he shares a constant stream of content with his fans. Doeland: "Marshmello proves that continuous performance on social media is not without reward, as his online reputation grew by a whopping 400 percent."

Techno DJ Charlotte de Witte is also throwing high points. She not only posted live streams on Facebook and Instagram, but also reposts outtakes from these streams several times a week. "This is how she ensures that, even during the lockdown, she consistently shares beautiful content. As a result, her follower count grew by an average of 50 percent on Facebook and Instagram and there was a consistent post rhythm and high engagement. With this, she realized a spot in our DJ reputation top 10," said Doeland.

DJ with the optimal fan relationship is longest lasting

This fan relationship reveals how strong, vital and happy the bond between a DJ and his fans is. This bond is particularly measurable during the corona period. Based on the digital reputation of DJs, we determine a Top 100 and an overview of the life lines of different DJs emerges. So you can see at a glance who comes out of the corona crisis well and who has to work to "earn back" his position.

Doeland: "Smart artists make sure they maintain contact with their fans precisely during this corona period. With no physical festivals taking place, they need to create and publish relevant content regularly and consistently. If they don't, the fan relationship disappears and they are forever at a disadvantage after the corona period. The opposite is also true: those who optimize the relationship with fans now will soon win over the competition."

Check out the first-ever DJ FACT TOP 100 here.

They are all in the DJ Mag Top 100, but on social media, each DJ handles it in his or her own way. Marshmello goes like crazy, Daft Punk hits the mark completely. This and much more is revealed in our analysis of all the social channels of the DJs in the Top 100 since 2016.

Market-wide, DJ social behavior - and success - is highly seasonal. The winter months do a bit worse structurally: less is posted and interaction is lower. When festival season starts in April, all metrics rise: the flood of new content and the collective enthusiasm for a festival summer manifests itself in higher rhythms and interaction. Despite that difference, the number of followers simply increases even in the quiet months.

But not every channel is equal.

Facebook

One particular trend is the sharp decline in the use of Facebook. Whereas until 2017 people were still very actively posting content and thus achieving good engagement scores, that collapsed considerably in 2018. For corona time, the top 100 was at a steady 50% of what it once performed - actually posting half as much and interaction and engagement also halved. Mar with 2.3 billion users, it is still the largest social medium. There are still plenty of opportunities here to maintain your relationship with fans worldwide.

YouTube

At the same time, YouTube began to grow stronger and stronger. In four years, the average number of followers for a DJ from the Top 100 actually increased 2.5x. We all know Major Lazer's world hits "Lean On" and Marshmello's "Happier. A billion views used to be a world record, today it is an achievable goal for top artists. This great relevance of YouTube is also evidenced by how eager fans are to interact by liking, commenting and subscribing. By no means a channel to be ignored, the Top 100 is smart to post content with growing regularity.

Instagram & Twitter

A bit more in the background - but certainly not irrelevant - are Twitter and Instagram. As a growing channel, Instagram has more and more users and features. Consequently, the average number of followers has more than doubled. Moreover, interaction is significantly better than on Facebook, and this also seems to motivate DJs to post something more often. It is no empty expectation that Instagram will become even more important in the digital public domain in the future.

Twitter has been losing users for years, but DJs notice little of this. Their follower numbers haven't gone up or down in four years. Interaction is still high, although posting content has become a lot less impulsive than it used to be. So don't let those declining users fool you: the target audience is fine on Twitter as well.

TikTok

And then, of course, we have the booming TikTok. A platform on which many children discover new music and make creative videos with it. The platform is now being used more and more by an older target group and more and more artists are also slowly starting to discover this platform.

The corona bubble

And then the pandemic broke out. In the fall of 2019 - in the middle of the usual winter dip - the news reports came in. Not much later, Asia went on lockdown, DJs posted massive messages about cancelled shows. It led to a slight uptick in socials but two months later, things went on lockdown worldwide. There was motivation, optimism and opportunism: countless DJs and events started livestreaming. The post rate was never higher and views were skyrocketing.

Other socials were also used to keep fan relations strong in the crisis. But it turned out to be unsustainable. The longer the crisis lasted, the more DJs dropped out and stopped posting content. In the festival-less summer, things didn't get better. On all channels, the number of new posts dried up. Releases were delayed and there were no livesets, aftermovies, Insta Stories or brutal photos.

Last September reached the deepest point yet. Despite the channels bulging with followers, few DJs are managing to keep their online reputation high. It is a kind of power vacuum: those who want to grow can take advantage of the inaction of the greats just now.

Want to know more about digital reputation?

Soon we will publish research with the individual performance of the best and least performing DJs on social media. NXTLI is also going to publish a new index every week. Starting with Eredivisie, Formula 1 and all Michelin restaurants in the Netherlands.

See how the Digital Reputation Index is created. Want to know what your company's (or your own) digital reputation looks like within that of your competitive landscape? We would be happy to set up your own Digital Reputation Monitor for you as well.

Those who want to grow online would do well to measure their online performance. The Digital Reputation Index is an excellent tool for this. It measures the most important metrics, allowing you to discover how your channels are performing compared to those of competitors.

Almost everyone uses social media such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitter and Pinterest. These social media platforms are unimaginable and incredibly widely used worldwide. Your presence in the online, public realm takes place on those social media. The same goes for competitors. They, too, are active on these channels.

How much insight do you have into the performance of your organization (or yourself) on social media relative to competitors? With the Digital Reputation Index, we enable you to periodically measure the performance of your organization's channels and those of the competition.

The Digital Reputation Index maps your digital landscape based on 4 metrics: Post rhythm, Post interaction, Engagement and (real) Followers growth. Let's take a closer look at these metrics.

1. Post rhythm

Online, you need to post content with regularity. The post-rate metric shows the frequency and regularity in which you post - and that of competitors.

2. Post interaction

If the content is actually relevant, the post will get likes and comments. This is what the post interaction metric is for. High post interaction means that individual posts are performing well.

In the long run, two other metrics become relevant: engagement and page growth.

3. Engagement

A channel on which two posts are made in a month, both of which have high interaction, will have high post interaction. Engagement measures the extent to which post interaction is consistent over a period of time. So the channel with the two posts (with high interaction) would have a low engagement score. After all, only two posts were posted in an entire month.

4 Growth of followers

A channel that is attractively found to score well on the preceding metrics grows the fastest in (real) followers. We express this in the metric page growth; the number of new (or lost) followers.

Digital Reputation Index

Together, these four metrics form a complete picture of how a company or person scores on a specific channel. We express this in the Digital Reputation Index, which combines these four metrics of your channels. We always start with the baseline measurement, in which we answer the question: how did this organization or person perform on average so far? Per channel we set a value per metric. This shows how the company scored on the channel in question.

Then all scores are periodically compared to the baseline. Does a company have ten percent more followers? Then it has a follower index of 110. It is also relevant to compare an organization's performance with that of its competitors. This reveals the results between them. Divide the market average by its own metric and compare it to the baseline measurement. This creates the index value that shows growth relative to the competition.

Ultimately, all index values average out to a final average. This forms the digital reputation index of one social media channel. The average of all channels together forms the global digital reputation index. Measuring all individual channels creates a ranking. Those rankings answer questions like: which company performed the best in my industry this week? Or which company has the best score of all time?

This data very efficiently shows what the social media success factors are within a specific industry. What channels, what type of content and what post frequency are valued in this industry? You can also do follow-up analysis, discovering why a specific competitor is performing better. What can you learn from this organization? The Digital Reputation Index gives you the insights to optimize your social media strategy and grow online.

What does the Digital Reputation Index for your online landscape look like?

Want to know what your company's (or your own) digital reputation looks like within that of your competitive landscape? We would be happy to set up your own Digital Reputation Monitor for you as well.

What do Bol.com, The Dutch Lottery, Bas Smit and Bavaria have in common? Not only are they successful brands, but above all, their online presence is well organized. Their online reach and fan base grew tremendously by consistently sharing thought-provoking content. With the right insights, anyone can achieve such a successful digital reputation strategy.

9 out of 10 consumers buy a product or service from a company they follow on social media, Sprout researchers found. Moreover, 75 percent spend more money each year on companies they follow. In short: those who want to engage people and achieve higher sales must have their online channel reputation in order during and also after corona. NXTLI has developed its own Reputation Index in recent years. In order to realize a grip on its clients' online channels.

Fan relationship is essential

"The fan relationship has become the most important business capital of companies in the dance industry. Especially during the corona period. The whole organization must be geared to that. Investing in the right insights can improve the fan relationship and multiply value. Especially in the area of content, organizations need to make great strides now. Of course, what applies to the dance industry applies to any industry or sector. If you are not able to build a valuable digital relationship with your audience during the corona period with relevant content, chances are you will lose the competition when this period is over," said business and industry hacker Denis Doeland.

Ognjen Jovanovic in charge of data at NXTLI concurs:

"In our experience, many companies operate blind or do not create the right context when it comes to social media performance and maintaining fan relationships. When this performance does get measured appropriately and measured against competitors, everyone involved gets motivated to make the most of their digital reputation. Nothing fuels the fire better than healthy competition."

Digital Reputation Index offers relief 

Those who want to achieve online success follow the principle of "Relevance-Consistency-Discipline. First, you determine what content is relevant to share (Relevance). Next, you determine how often you want to reveal these aspects (Consistency). Finally, the key is to keep it up (Discipline).

Also measure how you are performing on digital channels. Is your channel relevant? Then your fan base is growing and there is a lot of interaction with posts. Whether you are consistent enough is shown by your posting rhythm (the regularity with which you post) and that of your competitors. If your post-rate is consistent, these metrics will be stable or growing over a longer period of time and your engagement is high.

The Reputation Index measures, combines and analyzes the above metrics of your channels and those of the competition. This allows you to see at a glance your digital heartbeat and an industry benchmark. This will give you answers to questions like: which channels are performing well, which not so well and which content works best?

With the Reputation Index, you develop a feel for your industry. You will discover the success factors of the competition: what are they posting on which channels to reach their target audience. And what can you learn from them? These insights give you unprecedented advantages - you might almost call it an unfair advantage.

Social media as a lifeline

Doeland recounts an article in the leading Mixmag. "There was an interesting piece published last year, with the nothing to the imagination title: 'FUCK THE ALGORITHM.' This piece raised the question of whether DJs can have a career if they don't use social media. That question is very relevant now, because artists like Nils Frahm and The Black Madonna decided at the time to distance themselves from social media.

Imagine if you would have made this choice before the corona virus broke out. That basically means you signed your death warrant. The consequences of this choice become grimly visible in the Reputation Index and directly affect the primary revenue model, which is streaming. In the long run, it makes a DJ less attractive to book, because you are likely to have fewer and fewer streams without social media."

In addition, data analyst Jovanovic states, "It's crucial to invest in digital reputation right now, even though in the corona period many businesses' income will come under pressure or shut down completely. Unfortunately, it is almost inevitable that in the hardest hit industries, such as events and hospitality, not everyone is going to survive.

The companies that are best able to maintain their fan relationships (via social media and other channels) during this period will stay on consumers' minds. This puts your company in the best position to get off to a flying start when the world goes off the grid again. You may even discover new, digital revenue models in the meantime to bridge the period."

Do or die

The turnaround currently being brought about by the coronavirus is not unlike the paradigm shift previously brought about by the third and on the heels of the fourth industrial revolution. The new - mostly digital - developments present an organization with a "do or die" choice. If you don't transform to a digital first company, your business or business model is doomed from the start. Even after corona. If you have the opportunity or ambition to keep your business alive during the corona period, then you have only one choice: invest in digital. Indeed, the other choice is to go out of business.

Disillusionment and fatigue are bad advisors and impact the value of your business. To get through the "do or die" wall and survive, you have to make quite a few fundamental adjustments to the business. That requires firm choices. The only certainty is that it is time for change.

Now that every organization is challenged with transformation, it is well and truly "do or die. There is no turning back, no second chance; the path taken must lead to success. Even if the primary revenue model is not working optimally right now. Given the dynamics and unpredictability, accurate planning is unfeasible.

Organizations must bring professionals into the fold, trust them with their professionalism, their commitment to common goals and their intrinsic motivation. The coming months until the spring/summer of 2021 will have to be dominated by digital reputation.

Conclusion

The corona period is very challenging for many companies. But it presents an excellent opportunity to gain an edge over competitors in the digital field. For many companies, the best thing they can do now is to invest in digital reputation. By doing so, they secure the long-term future.

NXTLI has created several industry indices that we will publish soon. Such as the Digital Reputation Index for DJswho have been in the DJ Mag Top 100 for the past 15 years. And an index of more than 400 Dutch festivals. Both indexes use data from 2016. NXTLI is also going to publish a new index every week. Starting with Eredivisie, Formula 1 and all Michelin restaurants in the Netherlands.

Want to know more about digital reputation?

See how the Digital Reputation Index is created.

Want to know what your company's (or your own) digital reputation looks like within that of your competitive landscape? We would be happy to set up your own Digital Reputation Monitor for you as well.