Even though the influencer marketing industry is new, it is evolving unstoppably. The growth of creative social platforms has propelled the demands of influencers tenfold across many different industries.
After the ferocious years of 2020 and 2021, brands and businesses tweaked their strategies to operate virtually and were offered a new influencer avenue. Influencers have taken the lead and are a crucial part of many brands’ marketing campaigns.
Let’s have a quick look at some promising stats to make influencer marketing’s importance clearer:
- The influencer market value doubled between 2019 and 2021, reaching 13.8 billion U.S. dollars from a 6.5 billion figure three years ago.
- The pandemic brought a 20% decline across traditional digital advertising spaces, but influencers enjoyed a 46% increase.
- It is anticipated that the global influencer marketing platform will reach $84.89 billion by 2028.
- Over 63% of marketers planned to increase their influencer marketing budgets in 2021, and this will increase over the next few years.
2022 is the year for influencer marketing. As the demand, market size, and popularity reach new heights for influencer marketing; you should pay attention to influencer marketing trends for 2022 and invest in them.
Stay hooked and find out how these marketing trends can make a significant difference:
10 Influencer Marketing Trends You Don’t Want to Miss
- Social commerce will boom
The past years have had a head-turning transition from brick-and-mortar stores to e-commerce. This has also challenged influencers to use new techniques to fast-track deliverables. In a nutshell, the opportunities in influencer marketing and many brand sponsorships soared through social commerce.
In 2022, there will be a rising demand for shoppable posts and videos with the potential to create a seamless user experience between influencer content and brands. As more influencers connect with brands in this style, we will see a rising familiarity with this type of marketing.
Tip: Implement shoppable posts into your next Instagram influencer campaign!
- Long term relationships
The right fit influencers for brands are crucial, and finding “the one” — with the best reputation, the number of followers, engagement rates, and more — can be tedious and costly. This is why more brands are looking to harbor long-term relationships (i.e. brand ambassadorships) to create meaningful content and save time and money.
This move is beneficial because:
- It motivates long-term content creation.
- It is a consistent form of brand spokespersonship.
- Continuous content crafting generates audience trust.
- Ultimately, you can be a reliable asset to brands.
Tip: As long-term brand relationships become more prominent in 2022, prepare to make sponsored post packages to capitalize on this trend.
- More collaboration opportunities for nano- and micro-influencers
The recent Instagram algorithm is such that influencers have a hard time engaging, even if they have many followers. This is where nano and micro-influencers with more engaged audiences come in. It is interesting because micro-influencers have the highest influencer engagement rates at around 7%.
Tip: If you are a nano- or micro-influencer, don’t be afraid to share your engagement rates with brands.
- More traction for CGI influencers
Another Influencer marketing trend for 2022 you can watch is the rise of CGI influencers. You might have heard of computer-generated Imagery (CGI) for movie productions, but CGI influencers might be a new concept.
CGI influencers are created by tech-savvy teams using computer-generated imagery and are, in fact, mere digital images with a humanlike online presence. In contrast, in a newer form of influencer marketing, many recognized brands (including UGG, Prada, and Diesel) understand their value. For instance, an exemplary and engaging CGI influencer example is the promotion from car brand MINI featuring Lil Miquela.
Tip: Don’t be afraid to be tech-savvy! Influencer marketing is about challenging the norms and doing something new.
- Employees turning into influencers
Many businesses didn’t anticipate the increase in the need for authentic content. This need has transformed many employees into influencers for genuine endorsements. Employee-driven content seeks inspiration from user-generated content and directly impacts overall brand presence and sales.
The perk of having employees as influencers is utmost authenticity, which a social media influencer can lack for a specific brand. Employees know the ins-outs and can add reliability and trust to a brand campaign.
The employee advocacy programs by big brands like Starbucks, H&M, and L’Oreal see the employees as partners and exhibit their creativity in the best way possible.
Tip: Consider leveraging something similar for the company you work at.
- The rise of social justice campaigns
Over the years, influence has taken a sharp shift. The world saw the change of back-to-back lockdowns and economic uncertainty. That was enough to change how consumers think, shop, and entertain themselves. Social movements also increased, with “Black Lives Matter” being one.
Earlier, brands were shy when talking about hot topics, but now they are bridging this gap and bringing equality. Today Gen Z is leveraging brands that do not mimic traditional marketing tactics and instead, come forward and talk about social topics more outwardly.
Tip: Try partnering with a brand that has social values that you and your followers believe in.
- More focus on diversity and representation
The increasing emphasis on diversity and representation works naturally alongside influencer marketing. In 2022, brands and influencers are working harder to continuously craft campaigns that equally represent everyone for an inclusive environment.
Tip: This trend comes from brands’ audiences, who demand they work upon their representation. What better than influencers to leverage this cause?
- Video content gets more hype
After the announcement that Instagram is no longer just a photo-sharing app, video content became the star. The incredible popularity of video content in mini formats on TikTok and now Instagram Reels have taken this format to new heights. While IGTV (now Insta video) is now taking center stage, it’s safe to say that video content will get pushed more.
Why? Because everyone loves videos. They’re quick to grasp, fun to watch, and accessible.
Tip: Get ready to see more video content than ever and sharpen your skills to present your content through videos now.
- Increased revenue streams
Today, the power of influence has increased, and influencers are earning good money by expanding to other platforms, such as books, reality TV shows, and more. There are now many ways to capitalize on the booming influencer market. Though influencers still tend to draw a significant portion of their income through brand collaborations, 2022 will boost income sources into the beyond.
Tip: It’s easy – don’t be afraid to branch out!
- A significant rise in the data dependency
Planning and data will rule as the marketing trend of 2022. There will be a boost in collaborations that include tracking influencers’ social media metrics to identify if the collaboration efforts are worth it.
Tip: Having a clear outlook on your own social media metrics is something you can use to continue to improve them.
2022 Is The Year For Influencer Marketing
These trends will bring a significant change to the influencer marketing landscape. As this industry evolves at lightning speed, the innovative shifts may get complex to absorb. Still, to survive in the universe of influencer marketing, you’ll have to adapt and change with the trends.
Craft your influencer marketing strategy for 2022 with these trends and get ready to create excitement. To get ahead with your influencer career, work with Atisfyre, which connects you with the most respected brands in your industry quickly, efficiently, and safely.
Even better – it’s free. Register here!
