As a business owner, the last thing you want to do is play catch up with industry trends. A lot has been happening, and you can expect things to keep changing. You will only remain relevant and effective as a business owner if you move with the times. Here are some of the latest influencer marketing trends.
Forging Long-Term Relationships
Influencer marketing is proving to be the game changer for businesses that want to grow their social media presence and at the same time garner honest and positive reviews. For many a brand, the dalliance with influencers has been short-term. That’s no longer the case. Brands are increasingly forging long-term relationships with influencers. Why? Brands need influencers to generate buzz about products and services, while influencers need brands to get deals and sponsorships.
Growing Popularity of Instagram
Instagram crossed the 1 billion user mark in 2018, and it’s giving platforms such as Facebook and Twitter a run for their money. Though the parent company has been dogged by issues, that hasn’t stopped millennials from joining it. This group loves visuals, and the fact that Instagram incorporates some fantastic features from other platforms makes it all the more enticing. If you’re going to engage an influencer, make sure the person has an active presence on Instagram.
Focusing on Alignment
Moving forward, brands will also shift from growing their numbers to alignment when choosing influencers. In other words, they want to work with influencers who match up their target audience. There’s no point of working with a person with a huge following when it’s not going to translate into more quality traffic or online sales. As a business owner, you will be looking at finding the right influencer to push the messages that resonate with your target audience.
Growing Use of Videos
If a picture is worth a thousands words, think about how much influence videos have on fans and followers. Videos are hugely popular and very effective in getting your message across. Back then, marketers and brands shunned videos as they would gobble up bandwidth and ruin user experience. Things have changed. With the advent of 4G broadband internet and widespread use of smartphones, more people now watch videos on the go today than ever before. All the social media networks are cognizant of this fact and have made it possible for brands to create, upload, and share videos. If you’re going to use videos to promote your product, make sure they’re short and direct. Offer handy tips, effective solutions, and information that’s going to make customers and prospects make informed decisions.
Brands Being Candid About Sponsorships
Brands and business owners will also find it necessary to disclose sponsorships they have with influencers. The reason is more and more millennials are willing to read sponsored posts by influencers they already trust. Given that they hate traditional ads, they won’t really mind seeing anything interesting as long as it’s authentic.
Influencer marketing will not only overtake traditional advertising, but it will herald the start of long-term working relationships between brands and influencers. Instagram will lead the pack, users can expect more paid content including videos, and brands who succeed will be the ones who work with influencers who best align with their products.
