Social media marketing has proven to be a powerful tool in promoting brands and businesses. Influencer Marketing in particular has shown continuous growth over the years with new platforms and new influencers keeping the public engaged. This growth has gained traction during the pandemic thereby bringing a lot of opportunities that influencers and brands can explore in 2021 and the years to come.
Here are five trends to consider for your marketing agenda this year.
A bigger and better Influencer Marketing arena. The demographics of social media users have expanded in the past year as people across all age groups turn to digital platforms for shopping, banking, and basic needs. Even the elderly and “non-techie” people have adapted to the new normal and learned to navigate their way in the digital world. In the absence of tangible products to examine, people often rely on authentic and reliable feedback before making any purchase. Given the power of influencer marketing in generating online sales, this demographic growth presents a bigger market to tap and a bigger arena for influencers to compete in.
The increasing popularity of brief but high-impact video content. Short random videos that capture the interest of viewers can be a goldmine not just for influencers but also for neophyte content creators. A number of TikTokers have already earned their millions with dance and challenge videos, pranks, unboxing, tutorials, etc. With Snapchat’s Spotlight entering the scene, influencers and content creators have an additional platform to monetize their creations. In fact, Snapchat is willing to pay millions for videos that go viral. Another reason to tap this influencer marketing trend is to stay relevant. If you want to keep your audience then give them what they want and stay relevant.
Uptake of Live-Selling in e-commerce platforms. Major online shopping sites today have live-selling features on their platforms. This is because consumers have developed an appetite for watching live content as a form of entertainment and connection. Not just that, live stream shopping is also an opportunity for consumers to interact with brands in real-time. With this marketing trend, influencers now take the role of product presenters or brand endorsers as they feature products that they like in their live stream.
Evolution of Influencers. Fresh, relevant, and interesting content is key to keeping your audience. This is why influencers also need to evolve and adapt to the dynamics of social media marketing. Put a premium on personal growth and development to make this trend work for you. Versatility can also go a long way in the field of influencer marketing. Influencer Jeffrey Powers shared how he has evolved from simply doing product reviews and podcasts to creating content, gaming, music, live streaming, etc. He also creates music with his local band Trailer Kings.
The Emergence of New Influencer Marketing Niche. Micro-influencers and specialist influencers have emerged in the last few years. These are influencers with a smaller following but enjoy a reputation of being experts in their field thereby increasing the chances of converting product recommendations into actual sales. For brands, investing in a number of micro-influencers can prove to be more cost-effective compared to investing in one general influencer with a big following. This is because they can reach the precise market for their brand and yield better ROI by spreading their budget across several small influencers.
