2020 saw a huge uprise in the number of new influencers and in turn, the industry of influencer marketing saw a surge due to the host of benefits it offers. As this form of marketing continues to skyrocket, it is predicted that brands are likely to invest up to $15 billion in influencer marketing by 2022.
No one can predict what the future holds but we believe that a new wave of exciting and fresh content can be seen this year. To help make your campaigns and strategies simplified, here are the 8 trends of influencer marketing that we believe will be important in 2021:
8 Influencer Marketing Trends
1. Short video content will rule
With the coming up of platforms like Tik Tok (though it is now banned in India, it had bought a wave of short video content in the country), Instagram Reels, Triller, etc., a rise in the short video content has been noted. These videos grab the attention span well due to their short duration and are successful in engaging a viewer with crisp information.
From transformation to educational content, short video content does the justice of putting the message out in a defined manner. According to a report by Cnet, a 50% increase has been observed in the number of users watching live videos on Facebook. Imagine the popularity of video content among people these days and how it can translate into more impressions and higher engagement for your marketing campaigns.
2. Micro and Nano influencers will bloom
Rather than spending a massive budget on macro-influencers or celebrities, brands have cracked the code to greater results and less spending. The answer is, using micro and nano influencers to lead their campaigns.
With 2020 spent in lockdown, new content creators emerged and the count of micro and nano influencers increased. Small brands took the right advantage of this moment to meet their goals.
According to a report by Later, micro-influencers have the highest engagement rates on their content (averaging at 7%)
3. Introduction of new social media platforms & creator tools
Who knew that Tik Tok, MS Taka Tak, Moz, and Chingari will leave all the social media platforms behind with their birth and that they will take over the country? With these new social media platforms arising out of nowhere, there is an increase in platform-based influencers.
This helps the brands recognize the right kind of influencers for their campaign on different platforms. Just a month ago, the audio-social platform Clubhouse saw a huge hype and now every person is using the application.
Apart from new social media platforms, new AI-driven experiments are also in development. CGI influencers like Miquela (@lilmiquela) have come into existence.
4. Influencer long-term partnerships will shoot up
For all the obvious reasons, influencer collaborations are assured to touch new heights due to the advantages it serves. Every social media strategy or campaign has a list of influencers included because every brand is aware of the power of influencer marketing.
Gone are the days when influencers are on-boarded for on-and-off projects. In 2021, influencers will act as brand partners and will continuously promote a brand to drive better reach and awareness.
5. Amplification using Paid Advertising
We know that paid advertising and influencer advertising are two different topics. But ever since influencers have started making content for brands, paid amplification has been that extra boost to rely on to push a content piece to the targeted segment.
Ad targeting helps in a way that it allows us in reaching qualified audiences as well as helps in amplifying the influencer content that performed organically well.
6. Niche influencers for Niche topics
With new brands coming up for different needs, many specialized influencers have popped up on social media. These influencers have expertise in their niche and are qualified enough to vouch for their content.
This aids the brands in acknowledging which influencer truly represents them and has a deep knowledge of the topic. Slowly, influencers have started to make content around their specialized niche, ditching the conventional way of catering to every topic.
7. More brands will shift to partnerships
Small or big, every business now understands the advantages of influencer marketing for their brand. Not only does it earn them followers on social media, but it also earns them credibility, loyal customers, and brand awareness
In 2021, we will see more brands indulging in influencer marketing. This will not only give them the chance to show off their products but also the masses will come across new products beneficial for them.
8. Authenticity is the key to outshining
Authenticity is what the current generation looks up to in an influencer’s content. The generation that has grown up with internet accessibility prefers value-driven content over anything.
They appreciate it when their idols are real to their followers and they give authentic reviews about products or any topic. It shows that their favorite influencer won’t buy them into getting any product.
Conclusion:
No doubt that these new trends will sum up influencer marketing for 2021, but we look forward to newer inventions that will surprise us. Till then, we suggest putting these trends to the test and seeing the results yourself.
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