11
Dec
5 Influencer Marketing Trends to Watch Out for in 2018
Twenty-seventeen for the win! Over the last year, influencer marketing took off. Influencers stepped up their game and developed some of the best content on the internet. Brands and marketers dove fearlessly into the deep end of influencer partnerships and in turn evolved the “status quo” of marketing and advertising.
Now with influencer marketing becoming more mainstream, the bar for 2018 is naturally set a little higher for everyone involved.
(image source: https://joethegoatfarmer.com/tag/influencer-marketing/)
Before we get into the trends to watch out for in 2018, let’s briefly commemorate the video content trends that made a big impact this year.
Challenges – Challenge related content spread the web like wildfire. We saw creativity reach new heights and influencers turn just about anything into an engaging challenge. Because of this, we expect to see more challenge content in the new year. The challenge will be creating fresh content ideas and keep the trend going.
My Morning Routine – Routine content isn’t a new trend but we know good trends hold strong. This year the my morning routine blew up likely because brands fueled its success. We saw brands like, Google, Glossier, Virgin and Adidas join in on the trend.
Dramatic Headlines – “You Won’t Believe What Happened!”, “I QUIT!” If you follow a handful of influencers you may have noticed the epidemic of vague dramatic headlines. These tactics aim to drive a higher click through to content.
Influencer Collaborations – Influencers are extending their reach and increasing their following by partnering with similar/relatable influencers to create amazing content. We will see a lot more of this in 2018.
Influencer Entrepreneurship – Big name influencers understand the success brands are having from partnering with influential social media starts, so they jumped on the wagon themselves. This trend will continue to grow in 2018.
The following are 5 influencer marketing trends that brands should watch out for in 2018:
Social Media Influencers Hit Mainstream Media
The ways of traditional media are changing and we have influencer marketing to thank. Much like when we began to see the worlds of advertising, digital marketing and public relations collide.
In 2018, we will see brands and marketers lean towards on influencer partnerships over traditional media outlets. As the power of influencer marketing takes a more data forward and analytical approach, brands understand the value of authentic engagement with a targeted audience. Traditional media exposure (such a TV segments) has proven successful. Yet the lack of trackable data isn’t keeping up with progressive brand strategies.
The Rise of Long-Term Brand Partnerships
Quick and scrappy – This is how many marketers entered into the world of influencer marketing. Picking from a handful of influencers on a campaign by campaign basis or a one-time transaction was not out of the norm.
Now, marketers are more organized and have a better understanding of the result of influencer campaigns. Because of this, one-time partnerships are becoming less common. Brands want to partner with influencers for longer periods to decrease the “busy-work” of vetting, tracking and communicating.
Even more importantly, the longer the partnership the better the influencers understand the brand and in turn, the content becomes more authentic and the exposure even greater.
This always-on approach will help brands and influencer organize content through the year that ultimately align with both the brands and influencers editorial calendars.
Influencer Marketing Software to Take Over
The days of manually populated spreadsheets are over. Remember having 20 browser tabs open to vent influencers? Scanning their content, checking engagement numbers to get a better understanding of an influencer’s reach and exposure.
Let’s face it spreadsheets aren’t over for all of us. Many marketers who are heavily invested in influencer campaigns have turned to technology for help. Influencer marketing related software and web-based programs are being mandatory for brands looking to maximize the potential of campaigns.
Shameless plug: ivvi is the world’s leading influencer marketing and viral video content software. We work with some of the biggest brand names across the globe to help streamline their influencer marketing and content creation. This year brought new learning, great partnerships and more integrated software experience.
Greater Exposure to Campaign Success Metrics & Engagement
There is no cookie-cutter standard for how brand’s collect data from influencers. Most brands want to have an insight into how a specific piece of content performed. Whether this is clicks, likes, reach, impressions, conversions, etc.
Insight data is shared in many shapes and forms, from screengrabs to piecemeal email treads. In 2018, thanks to influencer marketing software and streamlined internal processes, we will simplify ways of brands collected data from influencers, especially for those working with hundreds or even thousands of influencers at a time.
Larger More Interwoven Campaigns
Now that marketers have a better grasp on influencer campaigns, the next step is to go bigger and get better. We will see marketers use influencer marketing tactics across multiple mediums. Creating great content isn’t a simple task, that being said when good content is in the palms of your hands, how do you use it to its full potential.
Progressive marketers will incorporate influencer marketing campaigns into other marketing initiatives by asking:
- How can we use this in an email marketing campaign?
- How can we repurpose this in our advertising?
- How can we employ this on our website?
- How can we leverage this for a public relations opportunity?
- How can we incorporate this into in-store display material?
- How can we apply this to our customer journey experience?
For those finalizing 2018 planning, remember influencer marketing can be interwoven into many facets of your business.
Getresponse
Interesting article. Do you think micro influencers will continue to grow in popularity in 2018?