Influencer marketing trends 2021
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@joppe_dc for Zalando
It’s no doubt that influencer marketing was a success in 2020.
To begin with, 67% of brands used influencer marketing in 2020, and 92% of the consumers showed trust in recommendations from influencers on social media above all other forms of advertising!
The influencer marketing content also delivered an 11x higher ROI than traditional forms of digital marketing.
Google searches for the term “influencer marketing” increased by 325% over the past 12 months. This indicates influencer marketing has been a go-to solution for marketers facing certain challenges caused by Covid. Cancellation of events and the lack of possibility to organize production shoots are amongst some.
Influencers created amazing content from the comfort of their own home, further proving that influencer marketing is cost-effective and that influencer’s creativity can come in handy to overbridge and fill in the needs of different marketing objectives.
But how will influencer marketing look like in 2021?
We’ve compiled a list for you of what we think are going to be the most relevant trends in next year.
Consumer behavior has drastically changed in 2020, and we believe certain things will have an impact on what the influencer marketing landscape will look like in 2021.
More diversity
In 2020, diversity has been the most talked-about topic; from the worldwide Black Lives Matter movement to breaking conventional gender roles and diverse representation of the LGBTQ+ community.
Consumers seek more representation from the brands they shop from or whose services they use. They want to see more of themselves in advertisements and on social media.
Falling behind on this, and taking the old-fashion roads can lead to a lack of inclusivity and diversity, which will have a profound impact on your consumer reach.
It’s a good idea for brands to focus on diversity when making a selection of creators they want to work with. The more your consumers see themselves in influencers’ posts, the more likely they are to feel connected to your brand.
Don’t allow anyone to feel left out. Make sure you represent the wide and diverse audience that is your consumer network!
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@dieudonnee for Zalando
The rise of video content (video, video, video!)
TikTok has exploded in popularity this year. As many people were looking for continuous entertainment online, TikTok proved to be the go-to app.
Its algorithm is impeccable, allowing users to truly only see the content the app assumes they would be interested in seeing. And going viral on video is incredibly easy.
Instagram responded to this by introducing Reels, which is, we cannot deny, a copy of TikTok. Snapchat and Twitter also added their version of Stories to their apps.
All this proves that users are consuming video content more than ever. They are searching for fun, light, snackable content, and brands need to take advantage of this.
Incorporate video in your campaigns as much as possible. The creativity of creators can help in case you do not have enough experience with video content. They know what works best, so you should (and can!) trust them.
Implementing TikTok or Reels into your campaigns will allow you to reach a whole new audience, and be exactly where your consumers are.
And remember: TikTok is no longer just for kids! More and more millennials are joining this app. This means that regardless of your target audience, there is a high possibility to reach them using this app.
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@mauricetteveronique for VLAM
Influencers and creators as your own production team
As we all went into lockdown at the beginning of 2020, many brands were left with a huge problem: cancellation of productions. This meant a lack of content to be used online, on social media, on websites, and in newsletters.
Solution: influencers and creators. From the comfort of their home, in all safety and respectful of safety measures, creators did what they do best: create content.
Brands have massively been repurposing this content, which has ultimately lead to the replacement of huge productions with small-scale, cost-effective content productions.
We believe this trend will continue in 2021. As some productions are re-started, the majority of brands will still benefit from using creators as their own source of stock images.
Instead of setting up influencer collaborations, you can set up a content creation campaign at any moment, and ask creators to create content for you, from images to video, which you can then repurpose in your own communication across all channels.
As we mentioned at the beginning of the article, consumers love seeing influencer content, so make the most of it!
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@drinkingteawithme for Garden Gourmet
Easy shopping
In the latest update to Instagram, the platform has included the Instagram Shopping feature in the spot where the previous notifications tab was.
This push of shopping in the app should signal to brands that shopping via social media apps will become a more common practice with consumers.
Online shopping has skyrocketed in 2020, and this trend will only continue to grow. Except for our advice to focus your attention on online sales and your webshop, it is good to keep in mind to use creators to drive sales.
They can direct their audiences to your Instagram account, from which consumers can easily shop for products using the Instagram Shopping feature.
Make your Instagram account easy to use for shopping, and use influencers as a bridge for consumers towards your account.
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@vanillestilettos for Yuliv
Branded Content tool
We’ve said it once, we’ve said it twice, we’ll say it again: consumers love influencer content!
To make the most out of this fact, we believe brands will focus more on the Branded Content feature.
Next to the creator specifying that the content was created in collaboration with your brand, you now have the option to boost (sponsor) their content.
Imagine a usual Instagram ad, but instead of your brand account, you are boosting the influencer’s post (or Story! Or Reels!).
This has shown to be an effective method of reaching a large audience, allowing you to go beyond the follower base of the creator.
The consumers react more positively when coming across influencer sponsored post, compared to a traditional brand ad.
Invest some of your online ad budget towards boosting influencer content, and reach a new audience!
You can learn more about how this works directly from Instagram via this article.
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@hanneceulemans for Neogen Haircare
2021 will be different
A valuable lesson we’ve learned at Influo during 2020 is that creativity is key.
Adapting yourself quickly to changes in social media and consumer behavior is incredibly important. And influencers who are always up to date with current trends can be a useful tool for your brand to keep up with these changes.
Consumers are getting more and more used to seeing and following creators and influencers, and are becoming more receptive to influencer content. The period of influencers posting perfect images of their perfect lives is behind us. Consumers expect to see more of themselves on social media and in advertisements, and they will react negatively towards brands that don’t follow this trend. They seek genuineness and authenticity.
Creators and influencers have become representatives of brands, giving brands a human face, evoking emotion, and sparking conversations.
For 2021 focus on finding ambassadors for your brand, above quick promotions via product placement. Allow the creators and influencers to be your connection to your consumers so you can learn about what your consumers want and need from your brand; adapt quickly to these demands, and build meaningful connections.
Quick and easy will become superficial and meaningless!
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@blogmama_and_3girlies for Kidibul