Once considered the media equivalent of the wild west, influencer marketing is increasingly a mainstream media channel. One that brings with it a set of considerations more complex than those thrown up by more traditional media placements.
In the past, influencer marketing teased the potential of impressive “viral” views, often from audiences considered desirable but hard to reach. At the same time, influencer content offered little in the way of attribution. With better analytics in place and partners capable of managing the deployment of creator-driven content at scale, the influencer space has matured. EMarketer reported that influencers have also proven resilient amid economic uncertainty and an increasingly crowded space. Influencer marketing rose roughly 3.5 times faster in 2023 than social ad spending.
As people spend more time on social platforms, developing one-sided “parasocial relationships” with everyone from Taylor Swift to high profile Peloton instructors and their favorite TikTok stars, influencer marketing is an increasingly compelling option for brands seeking access to influencers’ highly loyal audiences.
Rise of Micro and Nano Influencers
Mega influencers have long dominated influencer marketing. For example, in 2023 Hilton Hotels went big in more ways than one with a ten-minute long TikTok pairing (who else?) Paris Hilton with big names like Chris Olsen (who boasts over 12 million followers) and Kelz Washington (who reaches almost 6 million fans). Meanwhile, Dunkin’ Donuts put in a big influencer order for National Donuts day, with popular creators like Skyler Bouchard, Sam Ushiro, Megan & Liz and more showing off their love of donuts. The results? Dunkin’ Donuts gained 10x more followers on National Donut Day than their average monthly followers. It also resulted in the highest Snapchat story for the brand viewed to date with a total reach across all platforms at 3MM.
However, not every influencer activation requires creators who command seven (or even six) figure audiences to succeed. Crafty brands are often on the lookout for nano-influencers to act as brand ambassadors. Smaller creators can cultivate highly-engaged audiences with a level of authenticity that comes from being deeply immersed in their area of expertise, rather than being seen as something of a small-screen celebrity.
With less than 8,000 followers, fitness pro Elle Linton is hardly a social media heavyweight. But she’s been tapped by a number of brands for partnerships, no doubt because she represents a type of grassroots authenticity that appeals to companies like running app Strava and apparel brand JD Williams.
Today, brands are recognizing the value of these smaller-scale influencers in fostering genuine connections and driving conversions. Creator monetization on platforms like TikTok gives micro influencers the opportunity to gain revenue from sources other than brand deals, which may give smaller influencers more leeway over the partnerships they make. When sponsored content is smartly aligned, credibility is less likely to be compromised in the process.
Influencer Transparency Isn’t Optional
Influencers are often utilized for their ability to bring authenticity to marketing efforts. Their fans trust them more than traditional marketing channels, and their content often cuts through the clutter of ads that are easier to tune out. However, much of influencer marketing goes undisclosed, even when the advertising brand assumes this will happen.
In 2023, the FTC weighed in with new guidelines around endorsements. There’s an understandable desire on the part of both brands and influencers to keep endorsements relatively inconspicuous, but as the FCC’s Disclosures 101 booklet outlines, disclosures must be hard to miss. Influencers are responsible for ensuring that disclosure rules are met, in easily understood ways. For example, vague terms like “collab” don’t cut it, while terms like “advertisement”, “ad” or “sponsored” are significantly less ambiguous.
Video Content Dominance
While influencer content can include plenty of aspirational lifestyle photography on Instagram, video continues to reign supreme in the realm of content creation. Short-form video platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are experiencing explosive growth, capturing the attention of billions of users worldwide. It’s often the case that platforms like Instagram algorithmically reward content that’s leaning into where the platform wants to be.
The video-fication of Instagram is one reason photographers are seeking new outlets like the rising Cara app (a backlash against content being scraped for AI training models is another). We may see brands follow in time, but video is the go-to format for compelling influencer content.
Purpose-Driven Campaigns Require a Clear POV
Purpose-driven campaigns have become a controversial topic in marketing circles, with one pundit describing 2023 as a perfect storm for purpose. Brands taking stands on a variety of issues have become easily sucked into social media culture war debates, while audiences who may be aligned with the causes brands espouse are often skeptical of brands’ desire to participate.
Pride month is an example of what sometimes looks like a no-win scenario for brands. On one side, social conservatives were boycotting brands like Target for their Pride displays. On the other side, LGBTQ+ critics of brands “rainbow-washing” themselves during Pride with no real long-term allyship in place reflects a desire to see more authenticity.
Purpose in 2024 requires a thoughtful approach that aligns with a brand’s long term actions and goals. A good example of this would be Picsart teaming with gay-owned business directory Everywhere is Queer to highlight gay small business owners and their businesses. This goes beyond aligning with online celebs to empowering niche brand entrepreneurs who are influencers (nano- or otherwise) in their own communities.
Sustainability Done Right
Gen Z is willing to pay 10% more for brands that are sustainable. It’s hard to ignore the reality that the more sustainable the brand, the more believable its messaging is around sustainability. Patagonia is a prime example of a purpose-driven brand that effectively tailors its marketing efforts around a cause that its target audience can deeply connect with. Patagonia’s mission is to save the planet in the midst of the current climate crisis we are in. They focus on making products that give back to the Earth as much as they take.
They lean on outdoor influencers – or as they like to call them ‘Global Sports Activists’ – to share their stories with the world. Patagonia focuses on spreading awareness of important social, environmental, and cultural issues through the content their Global Sports Activists create. This formula offers the brand the chance to inspire its audience authentically.
Another example is ThredUp, which successfully mixes sustainability with influencer marketing. Shoppers can view their favorite creator’s one-of-a-kind secondhand outfits and find similar pieces to turn into outfits inspired by creator’s posts. ThredUp has generated an earned media value of $2.5M via hashtags, reposts, and engagements.
Overall, in order to keep up with the incoming influential generation, brands need to ensure that their brand, and therefore their content, is catering to the desires of their customers.
Data-Driven Decision Making
Data-driven insights are essential for optimizing influencer marketing strategies. Brands are leveraging advanced analytics tools to track campaign performance, measure return on investment (ROI), and identify emerging trends. By harnessing the power of data, brands can refine their targeting, optimize content, and maximize the impact of their influencer partnerships.
Historically, putting a number to influencer campaigns had been tricky. Now, with partners like OpenInfluence, we are not only able to work with creators of all levels, we can track engagement and true ROI by running supplemental paid media campaigns to support and reshare the content.
The influencer content created for brands no longer has to live solely on the creator’s page and only be shared with their followers; now we can bring the content to those who have similar interests and would enjoy the content, even when not a follower.
This content also no longer has to live only on social. We can leverage it across all media platforms, giving the content an opportunity to come to life via Out-Of-Home (OOH), streaming, display, and much more.
Wrapping it Up
In 2024, influencer marketing and content creation continue to evolve at a rapid pace, presenting both challenges and opportunities for brands. By embracing trends such as the rise of micro influencers, prioritizing authenticity, leveraging video content, exploring immersive experiences, championing causes in more credible ways, and embracing data-driven decision making, brands can position themselves for success in an ever-changing digital landscape.
As we navigate the year ahead, staying agile and adaptable will be key to keeping ahead of the curve and achieving meaningful results in influencer marketing and content creation.
Let Kiosk level up your influencer and content marketing strategy. Contact us today.