Influencer Marketing Trends for 2021 & 2022
Influencer Marketing has gained a humongous momentum in the last 3 years with the google searches on the term “Influencer Marketing” booming. Globally, there has been a lot of shift from Traditional Marketing to Digital Marketing and now it is Influencer Marketing that is driving a lot of visibility for the brands.
Influencer Marketing is a contractual relationship between a brand and an individual, who has relatively better visibility on Social Media platforms. This helps a brand/startup to showcase their products/services to a wide audience, at times, even targeted audiences.
Though this kind of marketing is constantly evolving, it is only getting bigger and better for the community and brands. More so with ample short video platforms coming up, the craze is only getting attractive and addictive, as the world sees a shift on these platforms.
2020, changed the scenario:
2020, the year when the world was locked down and brands struggled with their TVC shoots, Influencer Marketing came right in time for many brands to explore. It was the right time to engage with the audiences with some impactful marketing which further leveraged the demand for “Influencer Marketing”
As per the recent stats (By Business Insider), Influencer Marketing is projected at 15 billion dollar industry by 2022. Thus, an increase in the Influencer Marketing budgets is in line with the potential that brands are seeing.
What are the Influencer Marketing trends that seem to continue in 2021 and 2022?
1. Increase in Video Content:
Visual content and short video content are selling like hotcakes around the globe and in India.
Nielsen studies shared that there has been more than a 60% increase in video content consumption globally and India is no exception.
TikTok, a short video platform, created waves (with 700Mn monthly active users in 2020), post which a lot of other platforms have come up. Reels are being heavily promoted in 2021 by Instagram and looking at the reach, even brands are opting for this mode for more visibility and engagement.
2. Rise of Nano and Micro-influencers:
Influencers can have followers (audiences) from a few thousand to Millions. But the trend of roping in Nano and Micro-Influencers by the brands has already set in. Hence it is estimated that Micro & Nano influencers will see massive growth even in 2022. The reason being, Micro-influencers have better visibility in their small community, they enjoy better engagement within their community and popularity, as compared to macro-influencers. Also, roping in Micro and Nano influencers is a budget-friendly marketing strategy for a brand.
3. Being Real and Authentic:
2021 has shifted the focus on putting a lot of “real” content rather than creating and sharing the “perfect life” kinda content. Creators are now focussing on creating content that adds more genuinely to their accounts. They are creating more value to the life of their audiences. Influencers are creating a specific niche for themselves, as “Veganism, Sports, Fitness, Parenting”. Being authentic in their own niche is providing them more credibility and authenticity. So if a brand is coming up with a vegan product, they will look for a specialized influencer, to reach a highly targeted audience.
4. Rise of New Social Media Platforms:
With the way the video industry is booming, a lot of new Social media Platforms are coming up. Invite-only, social audio app, the clubhouse is gaining popularity.
Moj, MXTakatak, Josh, along with Reels have attracted all video lovers, from urban cities to rural villages, across all ages. People are creating more and more short-format video content.
Hence this trend is only expected to rise exponentially till 2022.
5. More investment in Influencer Marketing:
Influencer Marketing seems to be a very effective and cost-friendly method of marking, compared to the traditional modes. Most brands have seen a huge increase in their impressions and brand value post Influencer Marketing campaigns. Brands are expected to join hands with influencers for long-term projects rather than one-off projects. Coz, with better and continuous visibility, comes the sale. It is even expected that performance-based partnerships are expected to increase, as the brands expect a specific number of sales from influencer marketing. Not just performance-based paid media is something that along with influencer marketing is giving results.
Much Love,
Jhilmil
Blogger and Influencer (@hellomommyinme)