Influencer marketing is one of the most common and most effective marketing strategies in 2020. Many of the top brands around the world have tried their hand at influencer marketing in one way or another over the past few years. Affiliate marketing and influencer marketing are both closely liked with many influencers becoming affiliates themselves by offering their own links and discount codes.
With 2021 on the horizon, we look at some of the latest influencer trends and how these might affect upcoming marketing strategies.
What does the data say?
A recent survey conducted by Influencer.com looked at spending Q4 Spending Habits with some interesting results coming through. According to CEO Ben Jeffries, participants in the survey are planning on putting 47% of their marketing spend towards paid media. In comparison, participants will put 27% of their marketing spend towards influencer marketing in Q4.
In 2021, 35% of participants are planning on increasing their investment into influencer marketing. So, why the push on influencer marketing? The answer to this question is simple – consumers engage well with influencers. In fact, according to Influencer.com: “93% of consumers are interested in seeing discounts codes from creators.”
When you consider the fact that around 20-40% of consumers in Western Europe buy products online more frequently than they did last year, a push on this kind of marketing makes sense.
YouTube influencers
YouTube influencers and creators have been popular for a long time but more recently, they are being included in affiliate marketing strategies. Gen Z is a major consumer of YouTube content and so any marketing strategies for 2021 should consider this as a viable option.
According to Influencer.com, 76% of Gen Z respondents said that they watch video content on YouTube at least once a week. If Gen Z is your target audience, YouTube influencer collaborations should not be left out of your 2021 marketing strategy.
Positive content
One main trend that we are seeing for 2021 in relation to influencer marketing is the need for content that offers a sense of purpose. Creators want to show that they are contributing to society and so brands need to offer this. Influencers want sustainable products that don’t contribute to self-image or body pressure. If their expectations aren’t met, they aren’t going to be willing to promote the brand.
With more influencers working with environmentally sustainable and positive brands, strategies and brand images should reflect this in 2021 marketing strategies.
Performance marketing
As the number of influencers present on social media continues to grow, marketing teams will start to look toward performance marketing deals. No longer is it good enough to simply have a large follower count, influencers need to be able to deliver clicks and sales.
With more brands opting for performance-based deals, others might start to follow suit. For this reason, marketing strategies in 2021 might need to be completely overhauled in favour of high-performing influencers who can deliver results.
Tik Tok marketing
Tik Tok is without a doubt a large factor to be considered for any 2021 marketing strategies. Over the past year, we have seen many of the most popular influencers pop up on Tik Tok, promoting brands and offering something a bit different. There is a lot that can be done with Tik Tok and so affiliates should take note of what some of the top brands are doing.
If Tik Tok collaborations with influencers are not on your marketing strategy for 2021 already, you might need to take a step back and rethink this.
Stay on top of trends
Marketing trends come and go but we are certain that influencer marketing will continue to rule in 2020. Affiliates must pay attention to these influencer trends and the data discussed in order to create an effective 2021 marketing strategy
