No matter the size or type of your business, you’ll do well to investigate how influencer marketing can help you reach your audience.
Just like with your chosen sector, there are changes you need to keep up with when it comes to boosting your engagement rates with the help of an influencer.
Here are eight specific trends to keep in mind when working with influencers.
1. Split Your Focus Between Micro-Influencers and Nano-Influencers
Besides a micro-influencer, you should also turn your focus on working with a nano-influencer. Nano-influencers possess higher engagement rates when compared to micro-influencers.
Additionally, nano-influencers are often seen as being more authentic than influencers who have more followers.
Be sure your company’s influencer marketing campaign includes influencers of various sizes. That way, you can connect with as many potential customers and as broad of a target audience as possible.
2. Integrate Video Content
Your influencer campaigns are sure to include an abundance of written content, but is that enough?
These days, effective marketing campaigns must include video content. Consumers lead busy lives, and no matter how much they may love your brand or the products and services you offer, they may not have time to read your latest post or marketing materials.
Adding video to your marketing channels is a new way to get the word out about your brand.
3. Relationships with Influencers Will Become a Long-Term Investment
Although this article is about trends, forging a successful influencer relationship for the long-haul is sure to have a substantial impact.
Be sure to keep this fact in mind as you seek out the right influencer content and sponsored posts to boost your company’s brand.
As an added tip, ask influencers you’re interested in working with how long they’ve promoted certain brands and products.
The response will help you to better gauge whether these individuals are right for you and your business.
4. Authenticity is in the Spotlight
With more companies and their business practices being scrutinized by the public, it makes sense that consumers do a bit of research before trusting an influencer’s word.
You should rely on more than just an influencer’s social networks reach. You also need to rely on that person’s authenticity.
Do some digging to determine if an influencer you’re interested in working with buys followers to boost her or his overall visibility.
To do this, focus more on overall engagement and interactions rather than follower numbers.
5. Sidestep Facebook-Based Influencers
You and your business will both be better off seeking a successful influencer whose primary audience isn’t on Facebook.
If you’ve been plugged into social media news, then you already know about the Cambridge Analytica scandal that swept up Facebook.
As a result, you and your influencers may not have much luck with social media marketing campaigns on Facebook, and the same goes for using Instagram stories.
Investing in influencer marketing with influencers who operate on other social media platforms as well is a good idea.
6. Keep Close Track of Your ROI
It’s especially important that you keep close track of your ROI if you’re the owner of a small business.
This is best accomplished using analytics. With the insights you gain, you have a much better idea of which posts, platforms, branded content and influencers are the best investment.
This trend could be tied to the sheer amount of information available through analytics. You’ll do well to take full advantage of it as you educate yourself on influencer marketing trends.
7. Influencers Will Start to See Themselves as Businesses
While micro-influencers don’t have the same reach or follower numbers as macro-influencers, that doesn’t mean they still see what they do as a hobby.
Instead, expect influencers you contact to conduct themselves as businesses. What that means for you is that you should approach (and treat) them like businesses rather than private citizens.
They’re sure to appreciate your regard for them and how they operate.
8. Disclosing Sponsored Content Will Become Normalized
If you want to sponsor an influencer, expect your influencer to communicate that to her or his audience. This all goes back to transparency and authenticity.
Past generations didn’t have the same views regarding ads, but times have changed. Make sure you’re embracing that change.
Are any of these trends new or surprising to you? Be sure to keep them in mind, no matter if you’re an influencer or a business owner who’s looking to work with influencers.