The decade that has just come to a close brought with it many changes in the way companies approach marketing. One of these shifts is undoubtedly the focus on influencers as a means of connecting with audiences not receptive to traditional forms of communication.
Our study “The customer journey of Influencer Marketing” showed that 53% of companies in Italy have yet to develop their approach in this area, but 83% of respondents said they wanted to invest.
Worldwide, spending on Influencer Marketing will continue to rise and is expected to reach 10 billion in the coming year.
It’s a safe bet that companies will begin adopting a more well-rounded approach to the world of influencers, but what are the trends that brands and creators should keep an eye on in 2020?
Creators going professional
The world of influencers is becoming increasingly competitive as more and more people seek to gain popularity on social media and monetise their efforts. For this reason, creators who want to stand out as the landscape becomes more standardised will have to step up their game in terms of professionalism and creativity. They will need to put in the research to figure out how to differentiate themselves while also ensuring they understand the new formats offered by platforms, updating their production equipment and working out how to best meet corporate needs.
More regular collaboration
Companies that have already experimented with Influencer Marketing initiatives have realised that an always-on approach is required for any kind of significant impact on business objectives. This means being able to plan activities aligned with the strategic communication plan that can cover the whole year. This new mindset goes hand in hand with a desire to establish ongoing collaborations with creators, including co-designed campaigns, aimed at underlining the importance of the brand to its audience.
Automation
As companies develop their approach in this area, the technology underpinning Influencer Marketing will continue to evolve. In 2020, the market will be ready for solutions that can automate and simplify the various stages of IM, such as those offered by Buzzoole. These range from sophisticated tools for finding influencers to platforms offering all-round relationship management (invitations, approval of posts to be published, payments) and prompt measurement of campaign results (including the impact on Brand Lift, which Buzzoole can verify thanks to its collaboration with Nielsen).
Authenticity and Transparency
This year all market players (brands, platforms, influencers) will not be able to ignore the quest for authenticity and transparency in concrete terms.
The use of bots to inflate performance will be reduced by companies selecting to use tools able to certify real data and discard cheating influencers (as our platform allows you to do).
Transparency will continue to increase as a result of awareness-raising carried out by the IAP and the Consumer Union, but also because brands and influencers will understand that it is not a negative element for the success of the campaigns.
Platforms and formats
Every year new spaces of opportunity are developed for creators and companies, whether they are represented by social platforms or new content formats. It’s hard to predict what will happen in 2020, but the focus on video will certainly continue to grow. Particularly in the form of short and creative videos, such as those made popular by TikTok, and live streaming videos such as Twitch and Mixer, which are gradually opening up to non-gamer content.
Larger platforms like Facebook and Instagram will be ready for social commerce, so influencers are also likely to be expected to stimulate direct shopping.
We’ll see what happens, but the important thing is not to lose curiosity about innovations and the desire to improve. To stay up to date on market trends, just sign up for our monthly newsletter for free. Happy 2020!