Let’s discuss the top 8 influencer marketing trends, including some of the biggest ones that we think will emerge.
Weslee Lauder is our Influencer Marketing Manager and one of our Digital Account Managers by day but by night he is the Influencer in Residence at Arora Online.
For someone who has been involved in influencer marketing on both the brand and creator sides since 2020, a lot has changed and I wanted to give you a little bit more insight into where the industry is headed, so, in this article, I’m going to discuss the top 8 influencer marketing trends.
To Influencer Market Or Not To Influencer Market
It is no longer a debate whether Influencer marketing is an important marketing tool; in fact, it should be an integral part of budgets and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.
According to projections, the industry is expected to reach $80 billion dollars in value by 2028, up from about $1 billion dollars in 2016. I find that pretty unbelievable: to see that big swing in influencer marketing’s growth is mind-blowing.
If you’re a brand or influencer and want to learn about some of these trends, or if you’re a creator and want to stay on top of trends or just keep an eye on your industry, then please read on.
Different Styles Of Influencers
Firstly, we’re seeing increasingly diverse types of influencers. You no longer need to be a celebrity or model or someone who works in fashion or travel to have some time of influence; online influence is being developed by regular people who have influence over a community or have access to the right audience: basically taking their “real life” influence and bringing it online. If you take a mom for example, she may have some influence in real life, but is now able to tap into that influence online.
New Niches
Brands are seeing value in collaborating with people who have different kinds of niches and in that, we’re seeing more and more everyday folk develop their influence because a) we know, like, and trust them and b) there isn’t this need to learn from celebrities in niches that don’t need them. Kim Kardashian isn’t REALLY gonna teach you much about something being sold by Builders Warehouse… in fact, we would find that a little ridiculous which is why we are seeing the underrepresented elbowing their way to the front of the influencer queue.
Different Kinds Of Platforms
There is a definite shift in what platforms are the heroes of influencer marketing. Gone are the days of only being on Instagram or TikTok specifically, because there are huge, untapped niches on smaller and different platforms that brands are seeing value in tapping into. I’m seeing platforms like YouTube Shorts, Twitch, and Reddit seeing a rise in influencer collaboration. So, 9 ¾ is ready and waiting for you, you’ve just got to step onto the platform.
Transparency Of The Deal
People will literally green-screen your conversations with them and show people how you’re either undercutting them or treating them. They will also share what they got paid and will compare it to counterparts of a different race or gender and expose the pay gaps and divisions. Basically, your correspondence with them is public knowledge, so keep it clean, kids. This coupled with influencers no longer seeing value in trade exchanges as they don’t entirely match the value of the content creation from a time and impressions perspective. Free stuff is great but payment is what will actually get you the content.
Quite literally: Time is money; so pay properly. You’re paying for time, expertise, hiring of equipment, and the creativity to name only the basics of content creation, and if you don’t know what the going rates are, ask for the influencer’s rates card and if it’s too outside your budget, THEN negotiate. This brings us to trend number 5.
Expenny Henny!
I am definitely seeing creators hit a wave where they reach a really high level and are no longer affordable, so they will probably need to become their “own brands” and will need to start collaborating with less, more specific brands to be paid what they’re worth. So if you’re looking to work with huge influencers it may need to be a different type of collaboration that’s different than just paying an influencer to promote your product on social media in posts or Reels. Perhaps look into collaborating with a big influencer to become an ambassador for the brand which would create a deeper sense of authenticity around the influencer’s endorsement. More budget is being spent on sponsored short-form video content than on sponsored posts because video is king on social. As a result, brands are seeing the value in cross-posting short-form video content across multiple social channels, adapted in the ideal way per platform.
#Ad
More is being spent on sponsored short-form video content than on sponsored posts and with that brands are seeing the value in branching out into crossposting video short form on all platforms. If you are new to video short-form filming, here are simple tips to assist :
My Top Three Tips on how to film your own content include:
- Avoid overhead lighting. Use front lighting.
- Stabilize the camera by using a tripod or gimbal.
- Never shoot one long video, always cut after each take/ talking point. This will help you when you edit; you will be able to identify the clips you would prefer to use verus the ones you should delete.
The World Of White Listing
Brands are focussing on developing quality relationships with the infleuncer with whom they are able to see results. Brands will pay the influencer to run ads from the influencer’s account and not from the brand’s account. This will go hand-in-hand with brands seeing value in influencer-generated content, where influencers use their likeness, talent, and persona in content and the brands post it on their feeds. There is a shift from influencers posting on their own platforms, and instead, they create content for the brands to post on their own feeds.
I’ve Got A Package
Since brands are focused on developing more quality relationships with influencers, creators are developing package deals with a variety of deliverables, which can be more expensive than merely paying for a post, but keep in mind it’s more work, time, expertise, and less 1-for-1 trade.
If you’d like to explore influencer marketing and strategies around it or just read up about the ins and outs, do so by clicking here or contact us on info@aroraonlinesa.com
Article written by Weslee Lauder.
