Influencer marketing has reached greater heights in the digital realm in the past few years. A recent marketing study revealed that 39% of marketers are gearing up to increase their investment in influencer marketing in order to gain a long-term and effective relationship with their target audience. Additionally, the study also stated the ballpark figure of investment incurred on influencer marketing, i.e., USD 25,000 to USD 100,000. Influencer marketing trends keep on changing with the changing marketing scenario and dynamic customer requirements. With 2019 being kicked off as the year of digitalization where everything will be soon dominated by virtuality, there are plenty of influencer marketing trends that will prove to be beneficial for marketers around the globe.
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Influencer marketing is beyond the concept of celebrity marketing which believes in creating brand ambassadors. Influencers are the commoners who reach out to a great magnitude of people via their social interactions on social media platforms. There are different forms of influencers out there and it is predicted that this year it would be ideal to invest in micro and nano influencers. Micro-influencers are those who have followers between 1,000 and 100,000, whereas nano-influencers have fewer than 1,000 followers. Their follower circle might be small but their authenticity to attract customers would be high, hence micro and nano influencers would be dominating influencer marketing this year.
A common practice that has been followed in influencer marketing since its inception is the short-term deal with influencer campaigns. Brands will select a few influencers according to their social prominence, create campaigns, analyse the result and soon shift to other alternatives, leaving no scope for extending long-term relationships with customers. However, this year we can expect some good changes in the criteria where brands will engage in long-term relationships with influencers because the longer the influencer campaign a brand, the easier it will become for brands to establish their authenticity.
Various marketing studies have revealed that videos contribute immensely to generating a staunch clientele. All the social media platforms have taken this insight into consideration and catered to video content to gain traction. Influencers are the leader of social media platforms, they represent a certain group of people, and they exhibit the latest trends and brands in their niche. Therefore, it is necessary to engage them in the most innovative and interactive way, i.e., via video content.
As ironic as it may sound, while Facebook is dodging data breaching activities that have marginally sidelined its popularity, Instagram its visual alternative is soaring high in prominence. In 2018, Instagram broke the 1 billion active users per month, thereby, making it an influential place for influencer marketing. Further adding to its creative offering like Live streaming, Stories, IGTV, etc., Instagram makes a great platform for an influencer to campaign brands in the most user-friendly and effective way.
The definition of influencer marketing keeps on modifying with time and marketing scenarios. Therefore, it is essential to follow the trend and stay in the lead in order to cultivate a staunch base of brand advocates.
