By Laia Cardona, on 24 January 2023
Many brands use influencer marketing to gain visibility and credibility, with the ultimate goal of increasing sales. As more and more companies are utilizing influencers, it is essential to stay up to date on the latest digital marketing trends in order to stand out from the competition. In this article, we’ll explain the top influencer marketing trends for 2023.
Influencer Marketing Trends for 2023
For a brand to carry out a successful influencer marketing campaign in 2023 you’ll have to adjust to the ever-changing landscape of influencer marketing. Let’s take a look at the top trends you can expect to see this year.
Influencers on Many Platforms
Users are consuming more video and audio content, which is why brands will rely on influencer marketing campaigns on various platforms in 2023. Except to see more campaigns on a variety of platforms, including YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, and even podcasts.
Today you can easily find content about almost any topic in video and audio format, as well as influencers specialized in these topics. Finding influencers who are present on more than one platform is key to reaching a larger audience. Influencers who do both videos on platforms such as TikTok or Instagram, and then podcasts on Spotify, or Apple will give you a better chance at reaching more users.
Keep in mind that content creators tend to have a preference for one platform, but they tend to also be on others if their audience is also there.
More Popularity of Micro and Nano Influencers
Not all influencers are the same. Nano-influencers typically have a few thousand followers, while micro-influencers typically have tens of thousands. Macro-influencers usually have hundreds of thousands followers. Beyond that are typically celebrities or mega influencers, who usually have more than half a million followers.
Although it may seem like working with an influencer who is famous or has more than half a million followers is a great way to ensure the success of a campaign, this is not true. It has been proven that nano-influencers and micro-influencers, despite having fewer followers, tend to have a much higher engagement rate and higher level of impact on their audiences.
Brands that focus on these types of influencers will be able to stretch their budgets much further, allowing them to run much more eye-catching and engaging campaigns and reach a much more receptive audience. For this reason, companies are increasingly interested in working with nano and micro influencers in their influencer marketing campaigns.
Video Content Boom
The popularity of the short video format on social networks such as TikTok and Instagram has led brands to pay more attention to this style of content. This format is quick and to the point, which is why it is booming.
One of the trends in influencer marketing is to make the most of this boom in order to increase reach and impact. Considering that TikTok and Instagram, among others, have already implemented the short video format for commercial purposes, influencers are expected to be able to take full advantage of it.
Performance-Based Contracts and Collaborations
In 2023 we expect that the number of long-term contracts and collaborations with influencers will increase.
Although the type of contracts may vary depending on what is to be achieved, one of the trends in influencer marketing will be performance-based collaborations, where the influencer is expected to deliver on his or her promises and achieve a minimum amount of sales and clicks.
This change will be a new way of working for many influencers, as campaign performance was not tied to their contracts previously. This means influencers will also have to make a prior assessment to determine whether or not they can really meet these objectives. Exclusivity can also be requested so that the influencer does not show competing products. The goal of this new collaboration style is to prioritize quality and not quantity.
Long-Term Partnerships
Brands will also be looking to secure long-term contracts and collaborations with influencers in 2023. To achieve this, influencers must feel comfortable with the product, understand it and believe in it, since only then will they be able to show it and promote it effectively.
It is also important that the relationship between the brand and influencer is solid and based on trust, as this is the only way both parties will want to continue collaborating with each other. This type of partnership also promotes exclusivity and hinders the influencer from promoting competing products.
Cross-Channel Campaigns
Most users have a profile on more than one social network and connect to more than one on a daily basis. This has led brands to consider cross-channel campaigns, as they can reach a much wider audience. For example, it is entirely possible to do a collaboration on TikTok and, at the same time, on Instagram.
When a post can be reused on different channels and platforms, likely with some adaptations to suit the specific network, investment is maximized and results are improved.
Subscriptions and Exclusive Content
One of the trends in influencer marketing that could work very well is to create exclusive content, to which only subscribed followers would have access. Although it may be hard to believe that there are users willing to pay for extra content, since most users are used to free content, it is actually a way to reach an audience that is deeply invested in a particular influencer, type of content, or niche.
In fact, there are already platforms that work on a subscription basis, such as Patreon, and they are getting good results. However, this concept is still somewhat new within the social networks. Instagram has previously brought up the idea of subscriptions for premium content, but it is still currently just an idea. Nevertheless, it is something that should be taken into account and paid attention to in 2023.
Product Collections and Customized Products
It is increasingly common to see brands launching collections or products together with their brand ambassadors or together with influencers. This type of collaboration not only aligns the company with the influencer, but they also tend to be products with high sales figures. It can even be a way to get new customers among an audience that, at first, might not be interested in the brand.
Through these collections, the brand becomes much more popular among the followers of the ambassador or influencer and, at the same time, the brand is being given prominence.
Greater Diversity and Representation
Representing the diversity of society is increasingly important among brands and consumers, and there is a growing need for it. This means that brands should look to influencers that represent authentic diversity, and that their personal brand is very much in line with what the brand wants to convey.
Audiences are savvier than ever, and they are looking for a representation of society as it is. They even look for diversity and inclusion, and it can make or break a brand’s value in the mind’s of many consumers.
Of course, DI&E efforts must always be done in a natural and authentic way, because if it is forced it could create the opposite feeling among the audience and just become empty calories.
Sustainability Influencers and Conscious Consumption
The aftermath of the pandemic, plus the state of the global economy, is making consumers increasingly question whether a specific product or service is worth paying for.
With this in mind, influencers should share content from an economically feasible perspective. Emphasize, for example, the quality and durability of the product, the low cost per use, or create content that encourages the reuse of some products. This is not only more realistic to how users will engage with a product, it also aligns with the increasing societal effort towards sustainability and taking care of the planet.
Critical View of Influencers and Hyperconsumption
Along the same lines of our previous trends, hyperconsumption is a trend that audiences tend to have a very critical view on, leading to a negative view on influencers that incite or partake in it. Taking into account current economic concerns and the concern for the environment, there is more and more public opposition to over the top consumerism.
In 2023, influencers will need to be mindful of this mindset and create content that encourages reuse. For example, an influencer can use the same clothes in different posts or create posts in favor of this practice. If audiences feel that an influencer is participating in hyperconsumption, it can not only hurt the influencer, but the brands or product in which the influencer engages with.
And there you have it! These are the trends influencer marketing trends to look out for in 2023. This year, stick to more real content, to be present on various platforms, and establish a relationship of greater trust between brand and influencer. If you can achieve these things, you should be golden!
