Do you know influencer marketing is a dynamic industry that has changed a lot since its inception?  Approximately 92% of Gen Z customers trust influencers more than celebrities. This figure is enough to show why marketers are going crazy over the new marketing strategy to increase their brand awareness. Influencer marketing has brought a revolution in the way brands market to their customers. Owing to the popularity of influencer marketing, 39% of marketers are increasing their investment in Instagram influencer marketing. More brands have realized the power of using the right storytellers, or who we call influencers, to promote their products.

It’s a proven fact that influencers on a marketing campaign drive 16 times more engagement than paid or owned media. Whether you run an e-commerce store or a digital marketing agency, influencers can spark conversations around your products, promotions and messaging.

Are you considering utilizing the power of influencers to boost your brand awareness? Even if you aren’t, it would be a blunder not to consider the latest influencer marketing trends. Influencers are more than just good brand ambassadors; they are good marketers as well. If you want to promote your brand, you can learn a few things from them. Let’s see why the influencer marketing industry is booming before we talk about the latest influencer marketing trends.

According to the Business Insider Intelligence Report, the influencer marketing industry is set to double from $8 billion in 2019 to $15 billion by 2022. Although COVID-19 may slow down its impact, one-stop-shop creatives will benefit from higher screen time and closed studios.

Six influencer marketing trends firms must watch out for

If you are considering including influencer campaigns in your marketing strategy, here are some trends you must watch out for. From the rise of creators to the fall of celebrities, some important trends that are changing the way influencer marketing operates include:

1. Increase in the value of services: influencers are loved by people, especially on social media. People of all gender and age groups follow popular influencers. High followers mean more power to influence people, resulting in higher sales for firms. This is the reason why firms collaborate with famous influencers to promote their products and services. The higher the demand of influencers on social media, the higher the value of firms’ products and services. However, the increase in the value of the firm’s products and services due to higher demand not only revolves around money. Influencers always look for meaningful partnerships. Influencers will partner with reputable firms only if they find the firm to be the right fit for them. This means when contacting influencers, you have to offer them more than just money.  By collaborating with you, they must get an opportunity to grow their business.
2. Video marketing is the new trend: do you get tired from seeing identical content firms posts online? Heavily processed images of the perfectly-looking man or woman, giving the illusion of a perfect life? All this can’t help firms to catch the attention of the much-aware and educated audience at present. Today’s audience looks for something real and this is where video content comes into the spotlight. Video content is more engaging as it eliminates generic communication. This is why video content is the most significant influencer marketing trend firms can cherish in 2020. Results show videos are twice as effective in driving sales compared to text-based content.
3. Influencers as content creators: firms can use influencers as virtual content creators to turn brand-owned sites into content hubs. Firms can collaborate with Instagram influencer marketing agencies to leverage the power of influencers to create compelling stories, images and videos. Social media amplification from famous influencers will drive more traffic to brand-owned sites compared to influencers own blog post. By collaborating with influencers, brands can re-invent themselves as the resource for subject matter expertise and relevant content.

4. Use of fewer blogs only program: in the past, blogs existed as the primary audience destination. Lately, there has been a rise in the programs executed on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Snapchat and other networks. Such platforms help in targeting younger generations who prefer innovative content rather than reading lengthy blogs. Innovative content will engage the audience and increase the chances of them purchasing your products. It’s the need of the hour to collaborate with agencies that have expertise in creating cross-channel campaigns.
5. Instagram is a significant channel: Instagram and influencer marketing is a match made in heaven. Data breaching activities are responsible for the decrease in popularity of the social media giant Facebook. On the other hand, Instagram is growing leaps and bounds every day. Instagram is an important place for influencer marketing. Live streaming, stories, IGTV and other features offer a unique platform to influencers to interact with their followers. Without any doubt, Instagram is a great platform for an influencer campaign in the most user-friendly and unique way.

6. Turn to micro- and nano-influencers: If you think influencer marketing is the same as celebrity marketing, we are going to burst your bubble. Influencers reach out to people via social interactions on popular social media platforms. There are different types of influencers and according to studies, 2020 is the perfect time to invest in a Instagram micro-influencer agency. Micro-influencers have a follower strength between 1,000 and 100,000, while nano-influencers have less than 1000 followers. Though their followers are less, they attract more customers and have great dominating power over them. Also, they charge less than famous influencers and are an excellent option for budding firms with less marketing budget.

In addition to the above trends, twitch influencer marketing and CGI influencers are on the rise.  Twitch is a social media platform that allows influencers to stream live video and used by influencers on a large scale. CGI, or Computer Generated Imagery, is the latest star in the world of influencer marketing. They aren’t real but are not much different from real-life influencers, and offer new possibilities for influencer marketing.

Author bio

Social Sensei is the reputable Instagram Influencer marketing agency that will aid businesses in boosting their brand awareness. We leverage the power of celebrities to boost your business and offer a unique and effective way of promoting your products and services.