As eCommerce and social commerce have become our go-to channels for shopping and entertainment, the role of influencers has become central to helping brands convert new customers.

For growth-driven brands, the key to success will be understanding the biggest influencer marketing trends for 2022. 

How are brands getting the most from influencer marketing in 2022?
What types of influencers and social media channels are the most important this year?
What is the future of influencer marketing?

Get the answers to these questions and more in this round-up of the top 7 influencer marketing trends for 2022.

The Top 7 Influencer Marketing Trends For 2022

1. Market growth 

Once considered the ‘Wild West’ of digital marketing, influencer marketing is now a proven and adaptable sales-boosting strategy. It’s a cost-effective marketing channel for brands big and small, so it’s no surprise that the influencer marketing industry is continuing to grow in 2022. In fact, it’s predicted to reach $16.4B this year according to Influencer Marketing Hub. 

Now more than ever before, brands are investing in influencer marketing to strengthen relationships with new audiences and turn social media into a sales generation channel thanks to creator partnerships. 

2. Brands harness the power of first-party data in influencer marketing

Marketers are facing many challenges when it comes to accessing third-party data. Google is planning to phase out third-party cookies by 2023. While 62% of iPhone users are opting-out of app usage tracking following Apple’s iOS 14.5 update. This creates an environment where leveraging first-party data for marketing is more important than ever. 

For the influencer marketing industry, first-party data helps brands identify new potential partnerships. Businesses are analyzing the consumer data they already own to pinpoint valuable customers to activate in loyalty schemes, brand ambassador campaigns, affiliate programs, and influencer marketing partnerships. By deep-diving into their customer’s demographic data, purchase history, and social reach, brands can surface new channel partners from their own customer database. 

This is improving the influencer identification and onboarding processes. Meanwhile, it’s allowing brands to save time on negotiations and briefings as your influential customers already know and love your brand.

3. TikTok influencers drive shopping trends

We know that social media plays a key role in the online shopping journey. Indeed, research from TINT highlights that 85% of consumers use social media to research companies. Yet corporate content won’t get you very far on TikTok. But there’s no need to worry. TikTok creators can help brands to build a presence on the platform that’s so popular in 2022. They are known for their highly engaging and entertaining content which doesn’t feel at all like an ad. That’s what makes these creators so effective at promoting brands authentically on TikTok. 

Influencers on TikTok are tapping into viral trends on the platform and featuring products in their posts which go on to have a massive reach and launch a new shopping trend. Brands have seen a 700% spike in sales in a single week thanks to TikTok.  That’s the magic behind the #tiktokmademebuyit hashtag which highlights the effect of TikTok creator content on influencing shopping decisions. These TikToks also make their way onto other platforms, like Instagram Reels, Youtube Shorts, and Youtube compilation videos, allowing the trend to reach those consumers that may not actually be on TikTok.

With the knowledge that 76% of people have bought something based on a recommendation from someone else, it’s clear to see why brands need to harness the effect of content creators if they want to see an uptick in sales this year!

4. Influencer-generated content converts awareness to sales 

The impact influencers can have on sales applies to all social media channels. Almost all social networks have rolled out social commerce features such as native in-app shops or product catalogs. With this in mind, brands can collaborate with influencers of all types from nano, to micro, macro, or KOL to create authentic product recommendations that can be used at key moments of the purchase journey. 

By sharing content such as unboxing videos, shopping hauls, or how-to guides, influencers can offer product information and social proof, which helps brands target customers at the ‘consideration’ stage of their shopping journey. When it comes to conversion, brands can use influencers in promo code campaigns, affiliate marketing programs, or even live social shopping events. 

Influencer marketing has officially gone beyond promoting brand awareness and boosting social engagement to becoming a scalable and attributable strategy for driving sales for your business.

5. Employee-generated content brings additional authenticity

The advantages to leveraging authentic user-generated-content aren’t limited to a brand’s customer base. Businesses can also harness content created by their employees to increase online reach and engagement for their brand. After all, people like connecting with people, not brands. This explains why posts such as @ricky.federici’s, who’s TikTok video of him creating a Baconator burger earned over 178K views, gain so much traction. 

@ricky.federici Reply to @joegoose24 drop a comment in the chat if u think u could eat one of these bad boys #wendys #bacon #fyp #foryoupage #fy #foryou #baconator ♬ original sound – iammassis

Whether you’re a B2C or a B2B company, your employees are subject-matter experts and perfectly placed to speak on behalf of your brand. Consider encouraging your employees to share thought leadership articles on Linkedin, a behind-the-scenes Instagram Story, or live video from an event. 

6. Video content reigns supreme

The soaring popularity of video content is part of a wider content marketing trend. As of last year, people were watching an average of 100 minutes of online video per day.  Influencer marketers should be tapping into this trend through influencer-generated video content as 55% of consumers are using video to guide their purchasing decisions. A well-timed video from their favorite creator could seal the deal for someone who’s considering buying from your brand. 

What’s more, there have never been so many options for leveraging video content across social media. Whether it’s live video streams on Twitch, a live shopping feed on YouTube, or a 30 second TikTok video, there are so many ways to get engaging video content in front of your audience. With so many options and so much popularity, 71% of marketers plan on increasing video efforts in 2022.

If you don’t have the budget for expensive TV ads or an in-house video-editing team, then collaborating with influencers who are experts in content creation is definitely the way to go!

Related article:

Brief #102: Visual storytelling with video

7. Social platforms are finding new ways to pay creators

We’re already seeing many new ways for content creators to earn money via social media platforms which helps to professionalize their role in marketing. Social media platforms know the value that influencers bring to their audiences. Therefore, they’re investing in new incentives to reward influencers who are posting on their platforms to help generate more engagement and attract new users. Let’s take a closer look. 

• Instagram – In 2021, Instagram announced they would trial a native affiliate tool that would allow creators to promote products available to buy directly on Instagram and earn a commission from their sales. A new initiative being tested already this year is creator subscriptions where creators can set a subscription price for their fans to be able to access exclusive content.
• TikTok – They have committed to spending £231 million over the next 3 years on the Creator Fund. This program has been set up to reward creators on the platform who have at least 10,000 followers and have achieved at least 100,000 video views during the last 30 days. Individual creators can also receive gifts and tips from their fans which translate into monetary payments for their work. 
• Twitter – The platform has already rolled out a subscription model called ‘Super Follows’ where followers can pay a monthly fee to their favorite influencers in exchange for exclusive content. The platform is continuing to invest in helping creators become more professional and manage their earnings with the launch of their ‘Creator Dashboard’ which is currently being tested. 
• YouTube – During 2021 and 2022 YouTube will spend $100M rewarding top creators through the YouTube Shorts Fund. In 2022 YouTube has also announced plans to bring in ways for fans to shop directly via Shorts and integrate fan-funded features like ‘Super Chat’. 

With additional opportunities to supplement their income, we’re seeing more users working full-time as content creators, with even more means to hone their craft. This is great news, as brands are seeing even greater talent rise through the ranks while the industry continues to mature. 

These top 7 trends for influencer marketing in 2022 show how the industry is adapting to the fast acceleration of eCommerce and social commerce. 

We can see how brands are putting authenticity first when it comes to recruiting new channel partners and looking to their own network of organic advocates as the way to drive the most conversions. 

Creators have proven themselves to be valuable partners not only to brands but also to social media platforms who are now taking the lead in funding and training the next generation of influencers. 

This blog was contributed by the team at Upfluence, the leading influencer marketing platform for eCommerce.

The post Top Influencer Marketing Trends for 2022 appeared first on TINT.

The rise in influencer marketing has seen brands from all different industries collaborating with distinguished accounts in an attempt to carve deeper connections with their followers and generate more sales. 

And more brands are catching on to the power of the influencer.

In fact, a survey by Influencer Marketing Hub revealed that 67% of marketers are set to increase their influencer marketing budget over the next year. 

We’ve seen the world of influencer marketing expand and evolve, and it has gone through many adaptations, from partnerships with world famous celebrities to entire TV shows like Love Island that spout out ready-made influencers.

With the industry set to become a $21.1 billion market by 2023, we take a look at some of the trends we can expect to see over the next 12 months. 

2020’s Top Influencer Marketing Trends 

1. A Surge in Partnerships With Nano and Micro-Influencers

Brands are no longer set on signing the biggest celebrity that they can. 

Instead, they are identifying key players in their industry that have smaller and more focused audiences. 

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These influencers are known as nano or micro-influencers, and they tend to hold a lot more value than larger celebrity endorsements because they are so focused.

This is particularly important in an age where consumers crave personalization and authenticity. Customers expect to see marketing messages that speak directly to them, and focused nano influencer campaigns are a great way to create credibility and a sense of personalization. 

Take this campaign from Dove as an example. 

The brand teamed up with Instagram user Msyipsa. The fashion and lifestyle influencer only has 1,600 followers, but they are engaged and hang on every word she says – we only have to look at the comments on her posts to see that. 

Do it Yourself

Start by identifying key nano or micro influencers in your niche (that is, relevant accounts with between 1k and 50k followers). 

Ideally, you want to pinpoint accounts that have a high engagement rate. A quick calculation gives you this info. Add up the likes and comments on a post, divide it by the number of followers, and multiplying it by 100 to get a percentage. 

For example, the formula for this post from Myipsa, which has 170 likes and 14 comments would be: 

(170 + 14) / 1636 (the number of followers she has) x 100 = 11.24% 

This is an incredibly high engagement rate when you compare it to the average on Instagram. 

Reach out to the influencers you identify and work to build a relationship with them.

2. Combining Influencer Content With Shoppable Posts

Shoppable posts make it easy for consumers to make purchases on social media without leaving the platform. 

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Research has shown that social platforms like Instagram are heavily influential in the buying process, with 83% of users claiming the platform helps them discover new products. 

Turning influencer posts into shoppable moments can increase sales even further.

Think about it: if nano and micro influencers already hold immense persuasion power and credibility, imagine how many more conversions you’re going to get if their followers can buy instantly from their posts. 

In fact, an increasing number of influencers are using social media tools to turn their posts into shoppable post for brand collaborations. 

Take this example from influencer saythelees, who partnered with NARSissist to promote their latest concealer. 

Her post tagged the product which, when clicked, took followers straight to a checkout page where they could buy instantly from through Instagram. 

Do It Yourself

Provide influencers with your product catalog (or at least, the product catalog of the items you want them to shout about), which they can then tag in their posts for you.

When their followers click on the tagged products, they’ll instantly be taken to a ready-made checkout page and can buy with one click. 

3. CGI Influencers to Personify Brands

This might sound like something that has stepped straight out of a sci-fi movie, but CGI influencers are actually a thing.

The first murmurings we heard about this futuristic technique was through a PR stunt from LA-based startup Brud, that specializes in robotics and artificial intelligence. 

Their creation, dubbed Lil Miquela, was a computer-generated influencer that grew quite the following. Throughout her time in the spotlight, she has posted about brands big and small, including Spotify. 

At first glance, Miquela’s Instagram account seems just like any other influencer account – there’s pictures of her hanging out with friends, staged scenes promoting fashion lines, and photos of her traveling all over the world. 

Look closer, though, and you’ll see that Miquela isn’t a real person. Each post has been computer crafted to emulate the feed of a real-life influencer. 

Could this be the future?

It begs the question: why spend thousands of dollars sending real people products and flying them around the world when you can create your own influencers from the comfort of your own home or office? 

While we’re pretty sure we’re still far from a world where Instagram influencers are made with technology, we wanted to give this a mention as it’s one of the most creative and innovative techniques in the influencer marketing world right now. 

Do It Yourself

If you’ve got the tools to create a CGI persona, you’re all set. 

It’s important that you create a character that your audience can relate to and understand. Then, it’s a case of crafting stories that combine both them and your brand or products.

Tread carefully with this one so it doesn’t come across as branded messages!

4. Encouraging Employees to Become Influencers

Employee advocacy has really exploded in the past year as brands start to realize that their audience connects better with real-life people than the brands themselves.

Not sure what employee advocacy entails? It’s when a brand encourages its employees or specific team members to become influencers by writing posts, sharing social updates, and creating human relationships with leads. 

Macy’s in-house influencer program is a great example of this.

The brand has worked hard to inspire its workers to share the behind-the-scenes of their job, mention the brand as and when they can, and promote it across their social channels to friends and family.

As a result, they’ve managed to turn more than 300 employees into brand ambassadors. 

“We see this as developing a relationship with our employees. This gives them an incentive to be proud of Macy’s, to make some money and come to work more energized each day,” says a Macy’s executive. 

Do It Yourself

First of all, you need to get employees excited about sharing content. 

You can do this by offering workshops that help spark creative social media ideas, brainstorm topics, and share new content via internal channels so that employees can handpick the content that speaks to them. 

You can also offer incentives for those that post and reward high levels of social sharing through an in-house competition.

5. Expanding Reach By Joining Different Channels

When we think of influencer marketing we tend to think of Instagram – and for good reason. The majority of influencer marketing campaigns over the last year have been run through Instagram. 

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However, in 2020 we can expect to see brands expanding their reach on different channels as younger generations turn to other platforms, like TikTok and Switch. 

We’re starting to see an increase in the number of brands collaborating with influencers on these new, incredibly popular platforms as traditional social channels lose favor with younger generations. 

Take this example from Chipotle. 

The fast food brand teamed up with a series of high-follower accounts on TikTok to promote their #GuacDance campaign.

As you can see here, this one post alone racked up 46.1k likes and 542 shares – proving that, if brands step out of their comfort zone and move away from platforms they’re used to, they can reap huge rewards. 

Do It Yourself

Start by familiarizing yourself with new social platforms and get a feel for the kind of content your audience engages with on them. 

Then identify key influencers in your niche that have decent followings on those platforms and reach out to them in the way you would with any other influencer. 

Make Influencer Marketing Matter in 2020

Influencer marketing is constantly changing and evolving. 

If you want to succeed, stay on top of the latest trends and figure out how you and your brand can get involved – whether that’s by creating CGI influencers, stepping out of your comfort zone and tapping into different platforms, or combining influencer posts with shoppable posts for more sales.

The most important thing is to think about what will resonate best with your audience and start testing out some of these trends over the next 12 months.

The post 5 Influencer Marketing Trends To Watch in 2020 appeared first on TINT.