ORLANDO, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

IZEA, Inc. (NASDAQ:IZEA), operator of IZEAx®, the premier online marketplace connecting brands and publishers with influential content creators, has announced Promoted Posts at IZEAFest 2017. The first of its kind service enables IZEAx marketers to programmatically increase the exposure of sponsored influencer content through paid media buys on the leading social networks.

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IZEA Announces Promoted Posts. (Graphic: Business Wire)

“The effective organic impressions on any social media post are a fraction of the potential reach that could be achieved with paid amplification,” said Larry Beaman, Executive Director of Strategic Planning at IZEA. “While brands commonly use paid buys on social media to promote owned content through their brand handles, the most effective content is still that which is created by influencers. Our new Promoted Posts service combines the best of both worlds: the engagement of influencer marketing with the reach and targeting available through paid placements on the social platforms.”

Content produced by influencers through IZEAx can now be promoted by simply clicking a button next to the post. Doing so allows the marketer to invest in additional amplification through paid media with dynamic audience targeting features. Marketers are able to evaluate the highest performing content within IZEAx, then pay to have that content reach more people - both in and out of the influencer’s sphere of followers.

Promoted Posts is possible through IZEA’s direct technology integration with the social network ad management platforms. Currently, brands are unable to promote an influencer’s post through a traditional ad buying platform.

Beaman continued: “We have seen engagement up to 10x of what brands typically see on a post promoted through their own social handles. Consumers like to engage with real people much more so than brands or companies. Promoted Posts helps marketers optimize their spend against the best influencer content and scale campaigns far beyond what was previously imagined.”

A new Promoted Posts dashboard will be added to IZEAx, providing a consolidated view of all content being promoted. The service is initially launching for Facebook, but will be social platform agnostic in the future, all within a single interface.

Promoted Posts is in beta and will be generally available in the coming months. To schedule a preview demonstration, visit http://www.izea.com.

About IZEA

IZEA operates IZEAx, the premier technology platform that connects marketers with influential content creators. IZEAx automates influencer marketing and custom content development, allowing brands and agencies to scale their marketing programs. IZEA creators range from leading bloggers and social media personalities, to A-list celebrities and professional journalists. Creators are compensated for developing and distributing text, videos, photos and status updates through social media. Marketers receive influential content and engaging, shareable stories that drive awareness. For more information about IZEA, visit www.izea.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are based largely on IZEA's expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond IZEA's control. Actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements as a result of, among other factors, competitive conditions in the content and social sponsorship segment in which IZEA operates, failure to popularize one or more of the marketplace platforms of IZEA and changing economic conditions that are less favorable than expected. In light of these risks and uncertainties, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information contained in this respect will in fact occur.

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