As you plan your upcoming influencer initiatives, keep an eye on the latest industry and influencer marketing trends. If you consider influencer marketing as part of your overall marketing strategy, this year will be more competitive.
How can Instagram assist creators? Why do so many people work with micro-influencers? Should you invest in vertical video?
We’ll cover all of this and more in this article about the top influencer marketing trends to watch this year, so scroll down to learn more and stay ahead of the curve
List of the 5 top influencer marketing trends to watch
#1 Long-term influencer partnerships
Influencer marketing was once thought to be a type of gorilla marketing strategy. It came with an “anything goes” and “strategic” attitude. Because influencer marketing was a newer approach in the marketing mix, early adopters had few standards to measure performance. All these early adopters knew was that it was a new and potentially lucrative marketing channel worth investigating.
We’re seeing far more methodical strategies emerge, such as long-term relationships or ‘always-on’ ambassadorship, now that influencer marketing approaches are increasingly common in a brand’s marketing strategy. Why? Here are some noteworthy advantages that brands should be aware of:
- Increasing brand awareness
- Increasing confidence and authority
- Reaching the intended audience
- Boosting conversions
- generating leads
- Stay current by connecting with a larger market
#2: Video content and live streaming for better engagement
Because video content can hold a viewer’s attention for longer than static posts, it is quickly becoming the primary focus of social media marketing. Marketers are using short clips to increase engagement and brand exposure among millennials and Gen Z, from TikTok to Instagram reels.
Live streaming has also been demonstrated to be an effective marketing strategy. When combined with influencer advertising, live streaming allows prospective buyers to interact with influencers who are familiar with the product, discuss it, and buy it all while watching the video.
#3: User-generated content
From Instagram trends to #OOTD photos, user-generated content is the new trend. UGC is taking over the internet. Customers, not brands, create this one-of-a-kind and brand-specific content. Some of the popular user-generated content categories are:
- Unboxing videos
- Beauty reviews
- Branded hashtags
- Photo tags
Because user-generated content can be created by anyone, incorporating it into your marketing strategy can elevate your brand’s authenticity to new heights. Buyers trust user-generated content 2.6 times more than brand-created content, indicating that authenticity should be prioritized in your marketing strategy.
#4: Cross-platform marketing
Customers who are tech-savvy and skeptical now interact with your brand via a variety of devices and platforms. Cross-channel marketing is critical for increasing brand awareness, expanding your consumer base, and staying ahead of the competition. Some noteworthy advantages of cross-platform marketing or agile marketing are as follows:
Meet valuable customers where they spend most of their time.
Every day, your clients spend time across multiple channels. And if you only interact with them via one or two channels, you’re missing an entire world of brand-customer interactions. Cross-channel marketing expands the number of touchpoints with your customers, increasing engagement and the likelihood of securing sales. You’ll be able to meet customers where they spend their time and develop a much better relationship with your company if you combine email marketing, social media, mobile apps, and online ads with traditional offline efforts.
#5: Performance-based marketing
The term “performance marketing” refers to internet marketing and advertising programs in which retailers and service providers pay publishers (also known as affiliates) a commission when a specific activity, such as a sale, is completed. Traditional display advertising prices are paid in advance and are not dependent on the completion of a specific transaction. Because advertising fees with performance marketing are only paid upon the completion of a sale or lead, it is the most measurable way to directly tie marketing program expenditures to results. As a result, performance-based marketing is one of the top influencer marketing trends to invest in this year.
