The influencer marketing industry continues to grow with Instagram and TikTok key channels – but as Covid-19 continues to rage, a new report has found promising areas of collaboration in uncertain times.
The report from Tribe Dynamics, which surveyed more than 60 brands and more than 250 influencers, found manpower and resources remain roadblocks to program success. 91% of influencer marketing teams were between one and five people in size. More than four in five (81%) said their teams had either expanded or remained the same size
Instagram Stories have been a staple of influencer marketing this year; 78% of brands said Instagram Stories had ‘very significantly’ impacted influencer content about their brand, while two thirds (65%) saw it similarly with brand activations. From the influencer side, 88% of influencers said they used Stories, with almost two thirds (63%) using it ‘much more frequently’ over the past year.
For TikTok, it is a similar story, but on a smaller scale. 35% of brands with dedicated influencer marketing teams have a specific focus on TikTok, while the same proportion of influencers have used the platform more frequently in the past 12 months.
The relationship between influencers and brands with regards to sponsorship has often been a fine balancing act, but the Tribe Dynamics report looked in some way to assuage those concerns. Two thirds (66%) of influencers said they were willing to work with brands outside of their favourites but still had to like their products, while a similar number of brands (65%) said the proportion of influencers they compensated had increased.
When it came to how Covid-19 had impacted influencer marketing, the report revealed some interesting findings. While influencers were posting more frequently, there is a marked difference in content. More than half (51%) said they were sharing more ‘self-care’ content, while 44% were only posting about products they felt were worth the cost.
Going forward, there are four recommendations the report made:
- Conduct personalised outreach – but respect influencers as professionals: Brands can inspire more genuine and impactful content creation by getting to know influencers and demonstrating a deep respect for their work
- Make product quality your number one priority: Take content creators’ feedback into account and actively involve them in the product development process
- Innovate to adapt to Covid-19: Embrace the at-home aesthetic and identify virtual outreach oppotunities to continue to drive success at a turbulent time
- Invest in long-term diversity: Dedicate resources to promoting diversity – both in your influencer outreach and your internal team – to retain influencers’ favour
You can read the full report here (email required).
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash
Interested in hearing leading global brands discuss subjects like this in person?
Find out more about Digital Marketing World Forum (#DMWF) Europe, London, North America, and Singapore.
Thank you for this amazing article