The Hustler's Digest StaffIn 2019, influencer marketing was an essential strategy for companies. More brands are expected to use influencers for their marketing strategies this year. The popularity that influencers have gained, particularly over the last year, has revolutionized predominant communication models and traditional advertising techniques. According to top influencer Jeremiah Davis, influencer marketing is quickly becoming the ideal marketing technique for increasing brand visibility, capturing leads, and improving client loyalty. The most significant advantage of influencer marketing, however, is the increase in engagement rates in a subtle and almost unnoticeable way, which strongly influences consumer purchase behavior. In 2020, Davis projects that brands will focus more on authenticity, integrity, and transparency. This article discusses these and more essential pointers for brands and influencers in 2020—all from an influencer’s perspective.
Instagram Will, Again, Be the Place To Be
Instagram sponsored posts are steadily rising, with 6.1 million total sponsored posts expected by 2020. Moreover, the Instagram influencer market has swelled, expected to approach $2.3 billion by 2020. It’s by far one of the most popular social networking sites, meaning there is a massive audience for brands to market to. On top of this, Instagram users group themselves based on what or who they are interested in. Fashion lovers will follow their favorite models and designers, while food lovers will be following the most celebrated chefs and restaurants both in their local area and internationally. Amongst all these are the leaders of the pack, the influencers. The masses turn to them for inspiration, guidance, and photos that are pleasing to the eye.
Nano Influencers Will Be Big in 2020
Nano-influencers on Instagram are defined as having between 1,000 to 10,000 followers. Leading brands have learned the value of this new trend and have already included nano-influencers into their marketing strategy. Other than their follower count, nano-influencers are often noticeable because they post about specific categories. These include facial hair or precise dieting, among audiences who are hyper-invested in their niches. While more and more brands are partnering with nano-influencers, they remain an untapped group, mostly because of sheer volume. With the amplification afforded by social media, everyone can be an influencer of varying degrees. Influencers will be the highlight in 2020 that you should watch out for. This also means there will be more noise to sift through.
Integrity and Transparency Will Take Center Stage
Besides Instagram’s crackdown on accounts with fake followers, many brands have committed to avoiding relationships with Influencers who have fake followers. That is why in 2020, before entering a collaboration with influencers, more brands will require first-hand data from them, such as their social media performance across platforms. Successful marketing campaigns will be focused on meeting the need for integrity in 2020. For brands, sponsored content should be disclosed when an influencer is being compensated for their work.
More Brands Will Look to Work With Influencers They Can Trust
The massive following that online influencers attract is no coincidence. Their followers buy into their content. They not only watch them on the screen and follow them on social media but listening to them on a personal level. Therefore, consumers consider influencers’ opinions to be the third most trustworthy after family and friends. This trust is the crucial reason brands want to work with influencers. However, if a brand isn’t actively protecting that relationship, then they are probably on the road to producing an advertorial, not an influencer partnership.
