The hashtag #deinfluencing has racked up around 200 million videos on TikTok and has made its presence felt on other platforms as well. So, is the industry really dying?

We don’t think so. It is here to stay and get bigger. Yet, deinfluencing is making a mark.

Let’s know more about this trend and how it can impact the industry.

Introduction to Deinfluencing

Deinfluencing, in simple words, is “the antithesis of influencing”.

Think about influencing and what it does. Used as a marketing tool, influencing includes hiring the services of influencers to promote a product or service with the intention to boost sales. Now think of its opposite: deinfluencing occurs when you encourage users to NOT buy a product or service.

Deinfluencing aims to help users understand the tactics brands use to “fool” consumers and get them to purchase more. Influencers do not want buyers to blindly follow trends. They are trying to curb overconsumption by highlighting products users do not need because they are:

• Too expensive
• Not worth the hype
• Less likely to be effective

But the twist is that while “depromoting” such products, they plug their recommendations that are usually more affordable and less popular.

They make a simple but valid point: not all popular products are good and not all cheap or unknown products are bad.

The trend has received mainstream attention and many popular names have jumped the bandwagon. While some are using it to promote products they truly believe in, others are making people realize that they often buy products that they do not need, resulting in a waste of money.

Why Is It Trending?

If you are a TikTok user, you must have seen deinfluencing videos. While some people choose to ignore them, some appear to be wondering why so many influencers are taking part in this movement and what’s causing it to trend.

Some people seem to be using the hashtag without knowing what it means simply because it can help them reach a wider audience.

So, why is it trending? To understand this trend, you will first have to understand influencer marketing and how it has become a rage. It’s said to be the “easy and affordable” way to market. Both small and big companies are utilizing influencer marketing to improve goodwill, sell more, and reach a higher number of people. However, a group of people believe that influencer marketing is overdone.

The problem with sponsored products is that they are everywhere and it can get hard to differentiate between real and paid posts. Everyone from Kim Kardashian to Dwayne Johnson is now associated with companies and making sponsored posts.

They are promoting all kinds of products, at times without even knowing how good or effective a product is. They’ll make a post about it for as long as they get paid. Since they enjoy a great influence, they can convince people to buy something resulting in addiction, overconsumption, and other such issues.

The Power of the Influencer

There are several hashtags related to the issue, including the #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt trend that involved people posting products they bought due to social media platforms. The trend highlighted how “influencers” were pushing people to buy things they didn’t need.

Even science has proven that celebs or influencers have the power to encourage people to make impulse purchases. They make videos showing products in a positive light forcing users to quickly make a purchase, often without a second thought.

Deinfluencing promises to tackle this issue and encourage people to live sustainably by making smart choices. Influencers use this term to tell people that they really “care” for them, which is one of the major reasons why the trend has caught up in such a big way. It makes people believe that the other person has their best interest in mind.

They tell consumers what to avoid by highlighting its side effects and mentioning better alternatives. This has proven to be effective in reducing impulse purchases and making people more conscious about what they buy.

Which Brands Are Suffering

A great number of brands seem to be suffering the blow but some are more popular than others. Shien, for example, known for being loved by influencers, is also a controversial name due to shady practices. The fast fashion brand may be affordable but it’s also often in the news for pushing buyers to make more purchases through deceptive marketing and other such techniques.

The brand, however, is very popular among influencers due to its easy affiliate policies and friendly commission structures. On the plus side, consumers seem to love Shien as well. The company offers affordable items and releases 800 to 1,000 new products every day, which can even be purchased for a discount.

So, what’s wrong with Shien? The environmental impact. The brand, available in several countries, experiments with a few dozen pieces of each new item first to ensure it clicks with the buyers. With the company making hundreds of new things every day, it pushes the number to over 30,000 new units per day. Now, imagine how it impacts the environment.

Influencers believe that deinfluencing is necessary to highlight this and stop overconsumption. Moreover, some influencers are not only stopping buyers from purchasing the product but also trying to get Shien to change its practices.

Shien, however, isn’t the only brand facing these issues. Many in fashion and beauty niches are suffering as well.

What Creators and Brands Need to Do

As highlighted above, this new trend is impacting both businesses and creators. Influencers are already worried and brands need to pull up their socks too. So, how can creators and brands fight this trend and stay afloat?

Here are some tips:

Brands Need to Understand That Influencers Will Choose Their Followers First

What Brands Need to Do:

If you look at deinfluencing influencers, you will notice that their loyalty lies with their followers and not always with the brand they choose to work with. Influencers receive incentives in the form of free products and cash payments to plug specific products and while some may only say “positive” things in return, not all are willing to work with bad companies.

Some are very careful about the brand they get associated with. This is something brands need to understand. Influencers will “not” work with bad companies and if you want to continue to work with influencers, you will have to improve your products and services.

With deinfluencing becoming a reality, the balance is shifting from brands to consumers. Influencers have started to say “no” to brands they do not trust in. You need to build your image before approaching top names. In addition, brands need to be open to honest reviews.

Instead of paying influencers or users to remove genuine reviews or editing existing content, they should work on their shortcomings so that people have no reason to talk ill of them.

What Influencers Need to Do:

Influencers need to be “honest” and not work with companies they do not know or trust. The consensus is that money can buy most influencers and they will post anything for money.

If you want to continue to succeed then you will have to change this notion and be more careful about the kind of brands you work with. Stay away from “bad” companies and do not post fake reviews. Even if you enjoy a good reputation today, continuing to plug poor products will hamper your image and force your followers to move elsewhere – to a name they can trust.

Pay Attention to the Language

What Brands Need to Do:

Brands have to be very careful about the language they use as using the wrong words could get them boycotted or canceled. Cancel culture is getting more and more common and brands like L’Oréal Paris, Goodyear, and Goya have suffered greatly.

The best way to solve this problem is to have full creative control over the content that you publish. Influencers enjoy creativity and creating their content but it could backfire as they are not always careful about what to include in campaigns.

Brands need to pay attention to campaign language and highlight real selling points. For example, use words such as climate-certified, woman-oriented, not tested on animals, and made from recycled materials.

What Influencers Need to Do:

Big names like J.K. Rowling and Ellen DeGeneres have been under fire due to poorly chosen words.

People today are being held accountable for their actions. Users quickly judge influencers who push them to buy something unnecessary by using language such as “YOLO” or “Now or Never”.

Today’s generation pays attention to a lot of things, including climate change, sustainability, and excessive consumption. We’re shifting away from excessive consumption to conscious consumption. You need to include this in your content.

We have come up with 7 directions influencer marketing will be heading in 2021 based on our gathered intel and our business projections.

1. Influencer marketing on social media will grow significantly on a global scale

More and more brands and advertisers are redirecting their business strategies from offline to online and the sum of the advertising money online is rapidly growing.

Brands and companies are adapting and changing their perspectives so they can most effectively share their message to their crucial target audience because nowadays physical promotion is limited and hard to achieve. Online influencer marketing is the best option for brands to authentically present their marketing campaign and engage their audience. That’s why we predict that it will considerably grow in the upcoming period.

We believe that the Instagram influencer market will expand around 15% in the year 2021 to $5.86B, up from $5.095B evaluated in 2020. In 2019 Instagram influencer marketing reached $5.24B.

The spending on influencer marketing in 2020 was lower compared to 2019. But this fact is not substantial compared to the statistics in different areas this year.

Marketing companies responded to the pandemic in the best way possible.

2. Micro-influencers’ importance for brand promotion will increase

On social media micro-influencers have existed for a while now, however, nowadays they are rapidly growing. Micro-influencers may have a small group of followers but they can still be more influential than a lot of macro-influencers. This is because the level of engagement with their audience is often higher. Most micro-influencers are unique and create original content while managing their accounts. Their content is more likely to resonate with their audience because it’s not forced. A lot of brands are choosing to partner with micro-influencers because they can easily connect with their target audience.

In 2020 more than 40% of brands were mentioned by Instagram accounts that have 1k-20k followers (micro-influencers). We believe that collaboration between micro-influencers and brands will increase in 2021, and the paid placement using hashtags will also rise.

In 2020 brands have been more tactical when using influencers for promotion. That’s why influencer marketing campaigns with brands and micro-influencers collaborating will increase in 2021.

3. Brands will focus on original influencers with the aid of AI and machine learning

For big corporations brand safety is of great importance. Especially in Germany a lot of brands and businesses are choosing not to partner with influencers. Mostly because there are a lot of “fake influencers” simply out there just to scam companies.

HypeAuditor data shows that approximately 16.85% of the influencer’s followers are not real people but bots and inactive users.

In this day and age brands are more cautious when they are approaching an influencer for partnership. The brands that have greater success in promoting their products via influencers are the ones who research their potential partners. Reviewing their content, and even the reactions and engagement of their followers.

In 2021 technology is allowing more in-depth research of the influencer’s account to protect brands having their marketing campaigns destroyed from scams.

AI and machine learning can already scan and give a detailed insight into the influencer’s account and their activities and they are still upgrading over time.

4. Short videos are the new most popular trend on social media platforms

By using a short video format TikTok became one of the most popular platforms on social media. But even putting TikTok aside the fact still stands that many more platforms are also using this format. Such as YouTube, Facebook, WeChat, and so many more.

Influencers are using the short video format to its full potential and achieving great success. Short videos are used in many different ways such as starting hashtag challenges and makeup tutorials. Creators who use short video formats have a lot of creative freedom. And in their own original way, they are connecting with their followers.

Through the popularity of short video content created by beauty influencers, wellness experts, and many more, influencers are reaching a larger number of people on social media.

We believe that a lot of brands will tend to switch to this trend in 2021 and boost their influencer marketing strategies by reaching their target audience.

5. Brands will think twice before using TikTok influencers for marketing

TikTok will become the most popular influencer marketing platform in 2021, but brands need to think twice before using it.

Primarily, most of the accounts on TikTok are run by a younger audience if you compare it to the other popular platforms in the world of social media and they are not the paying type. More than 24% of the females using TikTok are between 18-24 years old, and more than 15% of the males are between 25-34.

TikTok also has a system that requires payment for entry, if you want to use sponsored branded hashtag challenges.

TikTok as a platform is relatively new that’s why it’s difficult for brands and companies to choose the right influencer for partnership because there are not many examples for them to compare. Brands will also consider their safety because the content created on TikTok can be provoking.

6. Brands will maintain partnerships with influencers

The times when brands used influencers for marketing only for a short period of time are ending. In the upcoming year, we predict that the partnership between brands and influencers will be contracted for a longer period of time. This marketing strategy will prove to be a lot more effective for both brands and influencers in 2021. By building a strong long-term trusting relationship brands will more successfully build their reputation with their target audience.

Soon, the influencer marketing budget will become much higher, but the investment is worth it because brands will be able to inspect the influencer and ROI in depth. Brands will have access to the data of the influencer’s marketing performance which wasn’t the case until now.

7. Virtual influencers will thrive in the upcoming year

The influencer market is enormous, and by the day virtual influencers are becoming more and more popular. HypeAuditor data shows that the success of virtual influencers is much higher than that of real ones. Nowadays through technology virtual influencers are like real ones, they have personalities and lives that they share with their followers and can easily connect with them. Brands are more oriented to the virtual influencers because they dominate the market and in collaboration with them there will never be an argument about creative differences.

→ Find out the latest Influencer Marketing Trends

The post Where is Influencer Marketing Heading in 2021 appeared first on AFLUENCER.

Excitement overload happening right now.  Because we have some breaking news about some big things that are happening in the influencer universe folks.  Big things that come with new opportunities, creative inspiration, and earning potential.

But before you fall off your chair, whip out your favorite notebook, and get ready to scribble down some epic ideas along the way.

First, a slurp of coffee.

Oh and remember to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube to stay up-to-date with the latest news and events in the influencer world.  You can also join our private Facebook Group Afluencer – Hot Brands That Sponsor Influencers for the latest collab opportunities.

Okay.  I’m ready.

We’re about to make some strides with this one.

Update, 20th July 2023: Meta has newly launched a text-based app similar (but better) to Twitter. If you want to know more about it and how to leverage it for your Influencer marketing needs, then check out this article 🢂 The Influencer’s Guide to Threads

Introducing Instagram Reels

Okay.  I’ll skip the small talk and just say it.  Instagram just turned the table around in the TikTok universe.  Yup, influencer folks –  big news on the street is Instagram Reels.  What really is a direct competitor of the sensational entertainment video platform, TikTok.

If you can’t beat them, you join them.  Unless you’re Instagram and owned by Facebook – then you take the competition on.

And for creators and influencers, this news just means more fun.  And more opportunities.  What opportunities?  Keep reading to find out.

How It Works

So ‘grammers, you may have already seen the Reels tab on your Instagram camera.

With Instagram Reels, users can create short 15-second entertaining videos right within Instagram.

Use familiar tools to create multi-clip videos, add effects, search songs from the music library, and edit the speed of the clips.

Sounds like more fun for the Instagram platform, right?

But what’s in it for creators?

Well, for ‘grammers, this is simply an opportunity to reach new audiences.  If your account is public and you post a reel, your content is also discoverable through the Explore page.

This is a game-changer for Instagram creators.

Because as with anything new, this new space is unsaturated.  So, if you’re committed to creating for your audiences and growing your influence, then hop onto Instagram Reels and give it a spin.

And for the rest of us?  Well, lots of laughs and hours of entertainment are in order.

Amazon Launches Live-Streaming for Influencers with Amazon Live Creator App

2020 and its turn of events saw the global e-commerce leader, Amazon, reap a whopping 40% growth in revenue thanks to lockdown shopping in Q2.

Shopping on Amazon literally just ballooned.

With no plans to slow down, the latest lowdown is that they’ve just dropped the Amazon Live Creator app — a live-streaming feature for influencers.

The Amazon Live Creator App just gave a new life to the Amazon Influencer Program.

Now here’s your chance to ride this big wave.

How It Works

With Amazon Live Creator, influencers can now create live-stream videos to engage with shoppers and promote products.  And the showstopper is that these live streams will feature shoppable products.  Boom!

Yup, your viewers can add-to-cart in the middle of your live-action.  With this game-changing feature, the e-commerce giant is bringing content consumption straight to its website – creating somewhat of a social media experience on the marketplace.

And yes fam, you’ll earn commissions on sales.  Ka-ching!

Your streams will automatically appear on your storefront page and your followers will be notified through the Amazon app when you go live.

If you’re a rockstar and happen to climb up Amazon Live levels you’ll unlock additional placements of your content across the website plus higher commissions.

With the variety and diversity of products available on Amazon, this is a lucrative opportunity for influencers willing to explore their live-streaming talents.

To get a feel of it all in action, check out Amazon live-streams happening right now.

How to Qualify

Influencers will need to join the Amazon Influencer Program in order to use the Amazon Live Creator.

And in order to qualify to join the program, you’ll need to be an influencer on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.  Your follower numbers and engagement metrics will be validated – so your numbers are important.  But while they don’t necessarily specify the exact criteria, we have seen some influencers with <50k followers with Amazon storefronts.

Depending on the social media platform you choose to apply with, you’ll know straight away whether you qualify or not.

Once you’ve been approved for the program, download the Amazon Live Creator app and start streaming.

Google Launches ShopLoop

Wait, did Google just launch a “TikTok for e-commerce”?

Shut the front door!

Yes, they just did people.

I wish there was an emoji for this one.  Epic mind-blown.

When video entertainment and e-commerce meet, ShopLoop is born.  The future of online shopping?

Currently available on a mobile browser, ShopLoop presents a feed of rich short-form interactive video content of products promoted by influencers.  Users can discover new stuff and get product info through the videos – ultimately to inspire purchases.

How It Works

Influencers simply create short product videos – these could be explainers or promos – captioned with product prices and epic titles.  And, wait for it… Your affiliate links!

Displayed in a shop-style format, these posts are made to sell.

Like and save features are available on posts, although I don’t see any comment abilities.  Commenting definitely has its place in creating credibility in e-commerce, so perhaps it’s in the pipeline.

Mirroring familiar TikTok features, ShopLoop users can follow you to keep up with your promos, or alternatively, your content can be discovered in the home feed or the various category feeds.

I’m totally loving this way of online shopping.

How To Qualify

I know.  You’re ready for ShopLoop, aren’t you?

By the way, it helps to have a referral code from an existing ShopLoop creator to fast-track your application.  So you may want to be friendly with a few creators to hustle for a referral code.

Provide any one or all of your social media profiles on YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, or TikTok in your application.  There’s no indication of specific criteria such as follower numbers, but judging by the videos already on the platform, I would assume that the quality of your video creation capabilities is an important factor.

You’ll also need to let them know if you’re willing to host live streams.  Not knowing if this is a make-or-break application factor, perhaps it’s best to link up with an existing creator to find out about their experience.

Available niche categories currently include beauty, fashion, home & garden, arts & crafts, electronics, as well as toys & games.

So if you fall into any one of these, it’s your lucky day.

Again, this new thing to drop in the influencer space is currently very hot news.  Now is not the time to snooze.

TikTok Announces the $200M TikTok Creator Fund

TikTokers get a grant?  Whoa, I think I need another coffee.

This is like the green card for TikTok influencers.

The news on the influencer street is that TikTok has just made a big move in the game.  A $200M move.  And just in case you thought that was massive, they’ve announced that they plan to grow the fund to $ 1 billion over the next couple of years.

How It Works

What does this fund mean for influencers?

TikTok has acknowledged immensely talented creators that dedicate themselves to expressing video content through entertainment, humor, inspiration, and empathy on the platform.  Viral videos have seen many creators build careers out of their creative talents through collaborations and partnerships.  Proving that earning a living through creating on the platform is possible.

In an effort to support the livelihoods of dedicated TikTok creators, The TikTok Creator Fund will be distributed to award influencers with additional earnings for their time, dedication, and talent on the platform.  Wow, right?

How To Qualify

TikTok will be rolling out more details about the application process in August 2020, but here’s what we know so far about eligibility:

1. The fund is open to US applicants.
2. Must be 18 years and above.
3. A minimum number of followers is required (specifics are yet to be disclosed).
4. Must be a consistent creator on the platform and must comply with their community guidelines.

YouTube Introduces BrandConnect

2020 sure is a big year for Google as they’re rolling out all these exciting new products.  And with a growth of over 260% in collaboration deals on YouTube, it’s no surprise to hear the news that they’re paying a lot of attention to the influencer marketing space.

YouTubers, this goodie is especially for you.

Three years and some lessons after Google acquired the influencer marketing platform, FameBit, they’ve gone back to the drawing board to create BrandConnect.

This time with a particular focus on authenticity and effectiveness in content campaigns on YouTube.

How It Works

Through BrandConnect, YouTube creators will have access to branded content opportunities.  They’ll be matched with brands based on their channel interests.

This program comes with added tools such as InfluencerLift which measures consumer sentiment on purchase intent, brand recall, and a whole lot more.

And with their new advert technology to allow product purchases and app downloads within videos, earning potential on YouTube just received an upgrade for creators.

How To Qualify

Here’s what we know about BrandConnect criteria for creators:

1. Creators must be part of the YouTube Partner Program
2. Must be 18 years and above.
3. Available to US creators.
4. Minimum of 25,000 subscribers.
5. Must have no active community guideline strikes.

If you’re a dedicated YouTuber, this is definitely a program to signup for – and perhaps even educate prospective brands to show your expertise in the YouTube space.

Conclusion:  Influencer Video Content is Breaking The Internet

And now for a round of donuts to all the video creators out there.  Because news flash: influencer video content is breaking the internet.

Amazon has caught onto live-streaming trends with the launch of the Amazon Live Creator App, Google has dropped a massive game-changer with the entertaining video e-commerce platform ShopLoop, and TikTok is supporting creators with the TikTok Creator Fund, and YouTube is driving authentic content campaigns with BrandConnect.

Live-streaming.  Entertaining e-commerce.  And most importantly, the value of influencers in the online space is ever-growing as we watch big business corporations invest in creator-driven growth strategies.

Influencers, you know what to do.  Go on and get rolling with your video content.

The post BREAKING Influencer News: Reels, Amazon Live-Streaming, Google’s ShopLoop, TikTok Creator Fund & BrandConnect by YouTube appeared first on AFLUENCER.

Influencer Content Evolves to Adapt

While influencers are facing a very different digital landscape, many are still keeping to their regular posting schedules. This is not to say that the content they produce is the same. In fact, the opposite is true. The infamous picture-perfect Instagram photos taken in exotic locations and featuring influencers with perfect hair and makeup are practically non-existent. This new influencer evolution is seeing static imagery replaced by content that looks and feels more authentic and videos are also taking precedence over images.

Mind Your Language

Most influencers have chosen to address the Covid-19 pandemic in some form. But even those who don’t directly speak about the issue are careful with the language and imagery they’re using. The same is true for brands that routinely work with influencers. They are aware that their audience and customers have been affected by the current situation. And so just like influencers, brands are also evolving to adjust their messaging and campaigns accordingly.

Most influencers (especially those whose primary income comes through social media) are open to working with brands during this time. So both brand and influencer must ensure that the image they’re portraying is honest and real instead of curated perfection. If there was ever a time for authenticity to take center stage, this is it.

Evolving Your Storytelling Too

In addition to creating authentic and relatable content, evolving influencers must focus on telling a story instead of showcasing a transaction. If you choose to address the pandemic do so in a real way. But make sure to avoid language that is overwhelmingly negative and scary. Fear-mongering is one of the worst things anyone can do at this time. Stick to the facts and share how you are handling the crisis as well as anything you’re doing to help.

Influencers Rely on the Evolving Social Trends

Audiences are turning towards influencers during this pandemic evolution as both a distraction and inspiration. This has resulted in the emergence of several social trends the largest of which are challenges. Viral challenges like those on TikTok are increasingly popular on nearly every social platform. This is a great way for influencers to interact with their community as well as stay current with what’s happening in the social media world.

Facing a new reality can be tough for many and that’s why content appearing too perfect can turn people off. They want to be reassured that they’re not the only ones who are (rightfully) having a hard time right now. Influencers brave enough to evolve and focus on providing authentic content that is useful instead of pushing an agenda are more likely to see their brand survive the pandemic.

The post How Influencers Are Evolving During The Pandemic appeared first on AFLUENCER.

Participating in a viral challenge can have a great benefit to brands both big and small. Here are 3 steps that can make taking part in a viral challenge as a brand simpler and more profitable.

3 Steps to Taking Part in a Viral Challenge as a Brand

1. Pay Attention To Trends

Keeping up with current trends is an essential part of a good social media marketing strategy that can ensure your brand stays on top of the game at any given time. When it comes to viral challenges, timing is key. In order to maximize your profit and publicity benefits, you want to take part in the trend as early as possible.

Getting a head start on-trend marketing can be easy if you’re consistently monitoring social media trends. This means staying up to date and watching out for any new Twitter trends, YouTube’s trending tab, TikTok’s front page, or setting an alert for articles talking about a new viral trend or challenge. You can make this process even easier by utilizing various software and programs that do the work of analyzing viral trends for you. While you can’t truly predict what the next big viral challenge will be, staying informed on what’s trending can help you react quickly.

2. Pick the Right Viral Challenge

Don’t jump on every single trend you see. Picking the right challenge can be the deciding factor in how your brand’s participation is received. Find a viral challenge that suits your brand and message in order to get the most benefit from your participation. The challenge doesn’t need to be perfectly relatable to your product or service. But it’s important that the two make sense together and are compatible in a marketing capacity. Forcing a connection where one doesn’t exist will come across as disingenuous and could hurt your reputation.

3. Your Brand Must Be Prepared

While it’s important to react quickly when taking part in a viral challenge, you shouldn’t dive in head-first. Being prepared with a plan and marketing strategy is crucial to making the most of the challenge and resulting publicity. You will need to know who’s taking part in the challenge and if the group includes your target audience. This will then allow you to create a campaign that will appeal to them.

Since viral challenges result in a lot of attention, be extremely careful to avoid any questionable wording or imagery that could lead to controversy and backlash towards your brand. Have a team ready to respond to any initial reactions and monitor the response your campaign is getting. Even though you’re following a trend, come up with a way to make your campaign original. This allows you to stand out and make it easier for people to relate your brand to the challenge.

The post Taking Part in a Viral Challenge as a Brand appeared first on AFLUENCER.

Social Distancing Limits Tools for Personal Branding

While influencers are practicing social distancing they don’t have access to some of the main things that help them build their personal brand. They can’t hire photographers or rent out photo studios. they are not attending industry events. Neither are they going out to bars and restaurants. And you’ll also find that they’re dressing only for themselves. Because of this, many influencers’ grids are starting to change and reflect the new reality.

The pandemic and social distancing regulations have affected the type of content influencers can post. And also adjust the way they create that content. Most influencers are regular people who are also adjusting and struggling with the current pandemic.

Social Distancing Should Not Stop Influencers From Trying New Things

They’re also navigating new waters in trying to figure out how their content should look. If most of your photos are of you wearing a cute outfit, is that something that is still appropriate? Can you recreate the same level of professional photos when the only photographer available to you is your mom? Should you carry on “business as usual” or completely change your content? How do you continue to connect with and inspire your followers when you yourself are struggling with fear, confusion as well as mental and emotional exhaustion?

It’s possible that the meticulously curated content and aesthetic that have defined influencers will start to disappear. Many still continue to work with brands on collaborations and promotions, but the products they’re advertising are starting to change. Fashion brands are moving away from promoting “going-out” pieces and shifting their focus to leisurewear or more casual and comfy clothing.

Through social distancing, influencers are figuring out how to make the best of what they have available. Using their home as a backdrop and their loved ones or a selfie stick instead of a professional photographer. This predictably results in a very different look and feel to their grid leading to a more honest representation of their lives.

Despite the changes, people are still looking to influencers and creators they respect as a source of inspiration. But due to social distancing, they now need influencers in a different way. New recipes, home workout routines, work-from-home outfits, crafts ideas, and beauty advice are all in demand when the majority of the world is staying home and normal sources of entertainment just aren’t enough. The more personal and less edited approach to sharing their lives can strengthen the bond between an influencer and their audience.

Limited Partnership Opportunities

Many influencers are also facing the prospect of limited partnership opportunities as brands start to pause and cut down their sponsorships and campaigns. Allowing them time to figure out the next steps their company will take. Many existing deals need to be renegotiated in order to comply with the restrictions of the quarantine. But luckily plenty of brands are open to creating and adapting to alternative influencer marketing ideas. Whether it changes to the format of the content or editing their messaging so that it better reflects the current situation.

The post How Social Distancing Affects Influencers appeared first on AFLUENCER.

Exploring New Influencer Marketing Avenues

Instagram has been the top platform for influencer marketing. Nearly 90% of marketers invest more into Instagram than other platforms. However, it is fast becoming a very crowded place (as well as more and more expensive!). This has prompted innovative marketers to look beyond Instagram in their search for the perfect place to connect with their audience, attract new customers and improve their results.

One influencer marketing strategy that’s adopted is to engage with creators on private forums such as Facebook Groups. These types of forums are a great way for brands to discover and approach influencers who fit their niche and target audience.

Another option that has gained a lot of interest this year is TikTok. This platform has stolen the show ever since its debut and it is hugely popular, notably among Gen Z. It has a playful vibe and offers a personalized feed which presents a great opportunity for brands to reach their desired demographic.

In addition to these, podcasts are an often overlooked strategy but still a very interesting avenue for influencer marketing. Podcasting mirrors influencer marketing in many ways as it’s a medium that has been built around personalities and niche audiences. Many hosts also take part in product endorsements so it’s an avenue worth exploring.

Going Beyond Sponsored Posts

While it’s very important to have brand-produced content on your channels, research has shown that influencer content performs better on average. Focusing on content creation will be one of the main influencer marketing strategies of 2020.

However, influencer content doesn’t have to be limited to social media. In fact, a good influencer marketing idea is to use influencers and their content outside of these platforms. Producing video or print campaigns that feature influencers, integrating their content in email marketing, catalogs, point of purchase or even radio is a great way to spread out the reach of the influencer content you have commissioned.

It’s also a good idea to take your influencer partnerships a step further. Collaborating with an influencer at the design or production stage of your product will give your customers a new and exciting offer. Plus it further motivates the influencers you’re working with to utilize their creativity and help drive results.

Finally, just because you’re working with an influencer it doesn’t mean that the content created for the campaign needs to be posted on their social media accounts. If you’ve started working with an influencer who creates content that aligns with your brand’s mission and goals, then you can utilize that content on your own website and channels or even reshape it into a TV or radio campaign. Consider different ways you can use influencer content before resorting to the standard sponsored posts.

The post Innovative Influencer Marketing Strategies appeared first on AFLUENCER.