The Changing State of Influencer Marketing
One thing has become clear over the past 6 months - people have more time on their hands, and average screen time has increased as a result. Due to the unknown economic circumstances as a result of COVID-19, a lot of companies put a hold on their brand marketing including influencer marketing. But now that some marketing activity is heading back to ‘normal’, how has the social media influencer market changed while in lockdown?
More people more on social media
Since the beginning of the lockdown, people have found themselves spending more time at home, and more time on social networks. Data from Latest UKOM data shows that in the UK, time spent on social platforms increased by 28% between January and April. Suddenly, every day we saw new live streams on Instagram; figures from Gleam Solutions show a 300% increase in Instagram Live usage throughout the lockdown period.
A perfect example is Joe Wicks, a father of two and celebrity personal trainer. Building on his online presence, through his live weekday PE sessions, a way of getting kids and their whole family engaging in daily exercise. However, despite more users being active on social media, companies have found that their previous approach to influencer collaborations and marketing are not achieving the same results in the current climate. So what has changed?
Influencer Marketing on the rise
By now you have probably heard about influencer marketing but may have dismissed it as a social fad. Well the next time you turn on your TV, take a look at the majority of adverts and how they have adopted the ‘influencer aesthetic’. Even TV shows themselves have adapted during lockdown. Cooking shows are shot on selfie sticks, football punditry is done in presenters’ living rooms or in home offices, talk show hosts and comedy presenters are doing their gigs from home - it is like ‘piece to camera’ influencer content. It could be argued that the whole marketing and entertainment space is now dominated by this type of influencer aesthetic.
TV advert from Asda, shown in May 2020 using “homemade” influencer aesthetic to promote home cooking during Lockdown.
From Macro to Micro/Nano influencers
There has been a shift for some time from companies wanting to work with macro-influencers (bigger followings, 800K - 1 million+) to micro or even nano influencers (smaller followings, 1K - 20K). With countless stories of bigger influencers being considered ‘untrustworthy’ when promoting a brand or their product, fans are now turning to more authentic, micro-influencers, with smaller, and in some cases more ‘authentic’ audiences.
The key to selling on social media through influencer marketing is the authenticity and reputation of the influencer themselves. Fans want to hear from people who are just like them, someone they can relate to. During lockdown and beyond, we have seen a growth in home Instagram and YouTube accounts, as well as vlogs. Viewers want to watch and interact with someone experiencing similar situations, such as staying in and working from home.
Celebrity and major influencer brand ads may not be as relatable to the everyday follower. The strategy with a celebrity/macro influencer is to advertise a product or service to as many people as possible with the aim of conversion. The same is true for a micro/nano influencer, but usually, their fan base is more of a reflection of them. Here, the brand would be speaking directly to a very specific target audience. One area of niche influencer marketing that has been ‘growing’ since lockdown began is amongst ‘plantfluencers’, now that people have a little more time gardening and caring for plants has become a popular hobby. Christopher Griffin (@PlantKween), is a plantfluencer based in New York, he saw his Instagram follower count grow by over 150,000 followers since March, as this niche market grew so did his social media status.
@PlantKween - a huge rise in Instagram followers thanks to the rise in gardening activities during Lockdown.
Adapting to advertising in a pandemic
As the ‘new normal’ becomes focused on working from home, it has brought a lot of new trends that are predominantly home orientated. This is why people may relate more to micro/nano influencers at a time like this, as they are engaging with people in similar situations to themselves.
‘Working from home’ has become a whole trend in itself; companies such as Missguided and Boohoo have created fashions edits dedicated to comfy and casual working from home outfits for consumers. Fashion based influencers are finding themselves restricted to shooting content in their home, producing more laid back and relatable content in comparison to ‘staged’ content. For many micro/nano influencers the change of lockdown has allowed them to grow a bigger following, creating a larger community.
Another shift is based on the mass demand for toys and board games, now that families are spending more time at home. Lego’s global sales rose by 7% year on year in the first six months of 2020.
During a time where there is far less physical interaction than we are used to, brands can see this as an opportunity to engage with their followers and encourage community spirit. Influencers can use their platform and advertise through storytelling, sharing their experiences, or providing a narrative that is relatable to the audience. It will be interesting to see if this will be a permanent change in the influencer marketing industry, or will things revert to the way they were.
How we can help transform your influencer marketing strategy to reflect the current moment
At Mighty Social we are constantly keeping track of shifts in marketing styles, particularly Influencer Marketing. Our dedicated team of experts are building strategies as we speak, always reflecting current sentiment towards creative styles and trends amongst respected and trust worthy influencers.
Could your brand benefit from influencers and you don’t know where to start? We’ve got you covered. We can show you how when done correctly, the results can be sensational. Get in touch today to find out how.