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7 influencer marketing trends that are taking shape in 2023

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Creator Marketing trends

Q1 of 2023 is almost over and we have seen some interesting developments in the creator economy. While Meta appears bent on ditching social commerce, almost every other big player has been launching tools for creators. The important thing though is that the sector is making progress and is expected to reach over $62 billion by the end of the year.

From the increased popularity of micro-influencers to the use of ephemeral content, this article explores some of the trends that are already taking center stage.

  • Micro-influencers continue to rise in popularity
  • AI-powered influencer marketing becomes more prevalent
  • Video content is king in influencer marketing
  • Influencers take a stand for social causes
  • Long-term partnerships with influencers are prioritized
  • The use of ephemeral content in influencer marketing
  • Influencers become more authentic and relatable
Influencer Marketing

1. Micro-influencers continue to rise in popularity

Micro-influencers (influencers with fewer than 10,000 followers) continue to gain momentum in 2023. Brands are recognizing that they can generate just as much impact (if not more) by partnering with multiple micro-influencers instead of one macro-influencer with a larger following. This is because micro-influencers tend to have a more engaged and loyal following, and their content is seen as more authentic and trustworthy. In addition, micro-influencers are typically more affordable, making influencer marketing campaigns more accessible for small businesses and startups.

2. AI-powered influencer marketing becomes more prevalent

Artificial intelligence is transforming influencer marketing by providing brands with more data-driven insights into the performance of influencer campaigns. AI tools are helping analyze massive amounts of data, including social media engagement rates, content themes, and audience demographics. This allows brands to identify the most effective influencers for their campaigns. AI-powered influencer platforms like Logie.ai are also helping automate tasks like influencer discovery, outreach, and performance tracking – saving marketers valuable time and resources.

3. Video content is king in influencer marketing

Video content continues to be a dominant force in influencer marketing. With the likes of TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, influencers are increasingly creating short-form videos that are highly engaging and shareable. Brands are leveraging these video platforms to reach younger audiences and capitalize on the trend of snackable content. More so, long-form video content such as IGTV and YouTube videos also continue to be a popular format for influencer collaborations – as they allow for more in-depth storytelling and product demonstrations.

4. Influencers take a stand for social causes

As consumers become more socially conscious, influencers are using their platforms to raise awareness and advocate for important causes. In 2023, we can expect to see more influencer campaigns centered around social issues like sustainability, diversity, and mental health. Influencers are also using their voice to hold brands accountable for their actions and demand more transparency in influencer marketing partnerships.

5. Long-term partnerships with influencers are prioritized

Brands are shifting their focus from one-off influencer collaborations to long-term partnerships with influencers. These partnerships allow brands to build a more authentic relationship with an influencer’s audience and generate more consistent results over time. Long-term partnerships also give influencers the opportunity to become brand ambassadors and create more personalized content that resonates with their followers. This trend also leads to more effective influencer campaigns as brands and influencers better align their content and goals.

6. The use of ephemeral content in influencer marketing

Ephemeral content, or content that disappears after a short period of time, is becoming an increasingly popular format for influencer marketing. Platforms like Snapchat, Instagram Stories, and WhatsApp Status allow brands to create time-sensitive content that creates a sense of urgency and exclusivity for their audience. This format is particularly effective for product launches and flash sales, as it encourages immediate action from consumers. Ephemeral content also offers a more behind-the-scenes look at a brand or influencer’s life, creating a sense of intimacy and authenticity with their audience.

7. Influencers become more authentic and relatable

Influencers continue to prioritize authenticity and relatability in their content. Consumers are becoming increasingly skeptical of overly polished and staged influencer content, and are seeking out more relatable influencers who share their values and experiences. As a result, influencers are leaning into their individuality and creating content that feels more authentic and less commercialized. This trend is also leading to more diverse and inclusive representation in influencer marketing, as brands seek out influencers from different backgrounds and with different perspectives.

Conclusion

Influencer marketing continues to evolve to meet the dynamic needs of both brands and consumers. In addition to the influencer marketing trends, we also see that there’s a greater emphasis on diversity and representation and that marketers are spending more money on TikTok. Staying on top of these trends is a great way to continuously guide your strategy and meet evolving needs.

Meta no longer paying influencers for reels

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Influencer Reels

Facebook and Instagram influencers will no longer receive attractive payouts for video content published on the platforms. This is an interesting development given that the program has previously paid creators as much as $35,000 in bonuses (per month) for netting more than 58 million views through Reels videos. Many successful creators on Instagram could get anywhere between $600 and $1,000 for a few million views over the past year when the program has been active.

According to Business Insider, the company decided to suspend the lucrative creator rewarding incentive for creating short-form reels on Facebook and Instagram. The program was available to Facebook creators from all over the world but only restricted to Instagram creators based in the U.S. A Meta spokesperson however clarified that anyone who already signed up for a creator bonus over the last 30 days would still receive their payment.

This move comes after a flurry of changes that have put the social media giant in opposing paths with the competition. While the majority of social media and eCommerce platforms in the U.S. have been investing big in social commerce, Meta has been keen to kill it. Many analysts argue that Meta is trying to re-align to new goals but it’s not clear how that is going to happen if it keeps abandoning shopping features and the bounty-for-views programs that have appeared to work so well. Before this announcement, Meta influencers have had a number of ways for monetizing content. One of the top ways to earn money has been through overlay ads that show on Reels. Creators have also been able to generate income through paid online events, subscriptions, badges, and branded content.

E-commerce and tech sector braces for impact after fall of Silicon Valley Bank

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Silicon Valley Bank

Regulators in California last Friday shuttered Silicon Valley Bank. This was a stunning closure for an institution that has been around since 1983, and that has diligently served startups – including emerging e-commerce ventures. It was the 16th largest bank in the U.S. Not only did build a name as a reliable financial institution for startup banking and venture banking. Silicon Valley Bank also led to a rise in competition as traditional lenders such as First Republic and JP Morgan also started targeting startups.

The fall of Silicon Valley Bank

The bank last week revealed that it had recorded a $1.8 billion loss (post taxes). This was even after the organization had sold off about $21 billion in securities and had plans to raise a further $2.5 billion to strengthen its financial position. In light of the bank’s unstable position, news broke out on Thursday that several leading venture capital firms had advised their clients to pull their money out of Silicon Valley Bank. This led to a ripple effect that ultimately culminated in the bank’s downfall.

How does this affect ecommerce startups  

eCommerce startups have not historically raised vast amounts of venture capital and many of them are thus less reliant on Silicon Valley Bank. However, there have been concerns about seismic ripple effects because companies that do business with eCommerce firms could be affected by the bank’s collapse. For instance, if a technology partner or vendor is affected, then this could lead to an adverse disruption that in fact affects the day-to-day running of firms in the eCommerce sector. Many companies were by Friday afternoon assessing how the bank’s collapse would impact them. Some are resulting in issuing notices to their customers reassuring them that their operations will not be affected while others are scrambling for ways to pre-empty any negative implications.

TikTok launches initiative to fend off European security bans

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TikTok app

Short video giant TikTok has launched ‘Project Clover’, which it hopes will allay security fears and avert potential bans in Western markets.

TikTok

The company has already sent senior executives to European marketers to outline data localization plans and appease European politicians. This move is similar to ‘Project Texas’, an initiative that the company carried out to appease U.S. lawmakers in 2020. It comes barely two weeks after EU officials banned the app on officials’ gadgets due to data security fears. Many have been concerned that, through the app, users’ data could be accessed by the Chinese government’s long arm.

Project Clover essentially focuses on keeping European users’ data in Europe and allowing an EU-based security company expansive access to audits and cybersecurity controls.

“That process is there to ensure a level of data sovereignty that we believe goes beyond what any company has done, and indeed believe what any of our peers said was possible,” said Theo Bertram, Europe’s vice president for government relations and public policy.

Under Investigation

TikTok is going through an active investigation led by the EU privacy regulator (the Irish Data Protection Commission) over allegations it illegally transferred EU users’ data to China. It’ll be interesting to see how effective this new initiative is in erasing fears and potentially creating a smooth European operating environment for the ByteDance-owned social media company.

How to make your Instagram Reels and TikTok videos go viral

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Reels

Both Instagram reels and TikTok videos can be a great way to build a community around your shoppable content. What platform you want to prioritize will depend on what exactly you’re looking to achieve. Instagram Reels can be ideal if you want to create community-oriented, feature-packed content. However, if you’re looking to reach a wider user base, TikTok makes a lot of sense.

Regardless of the short video platform you use, knowing how to get your reels out there and make them go viral can make a whole lot of difference for your content strategy. This article explores strategies to expand the reach of your video content on Instagram and TikTok.

TikTok Shorts

1.      Pick a Trending Topic

One of the best ways to make a reel go viral is to tap into a trending topic. Look for hashtags and challenges that are popular on Instagram and create a reel that’s relevant to that topic. For example, if there’s a popular dance challenge going on, create a reel that shows off your moves. 58% of people say they visit Instagram to stay up to date with the latest trends. A lot of TikTok users will also visit the platform to catch up with entertaining content around the latest trends.

2.      Use the Right Hashtags

Hashtags are essential for getting your reel seen by a wider audience. Make sure to use relevant hashtags that are related to your content. Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post, so use as many as you can to increase your reach. You can add as many hashtags to TikTok as you wish as long as they fit into the app’s character limit of 2200. According to Hootsuite, posts with at least one hashtag get 12.6% more engagement than those without.

3.      Create Eye-catching Visuals

Your reel should be visually appealing to capture the attention of viewers. Use bright colors, interesting camera angles, and unique transitions to make your reel stand out. According to a study by Socialbakers, videos with bright colors and fast-paced visuals tend to perform better on Instagram.

4.      Keep it Short and Sweet

Reels are meant to be short, so make sure your content is concise and to the point. Viewers are more likely to watch a 15-30 second video than a longer one, so keep that in mind when creating your reel. According to a study by Hubspot, videos under 15 seconds tend to perform the best on Instagram. Internal TikTok data that was given to creators in mid-2021 showed that the optimal TikTok video length was somewhere between 11 and 17 seconds. It later changed to between 24 and 31 seconds towards the end of the year.

5.      Add Captions

Adding captions to your reel or TikTok short video can help increase engagement and make it more accessible to a wider audience. Not everyone watches videos with sound, so including captions can help viewers understand your content without having to turn on the sound. According to Instagram, 60% of people watch videos on their feed with the sound on, while 40% watch with the sound off. Another extensive study carried out by Verizon Media and Publicis Media in 2019 demonstrated that 69% of people see video with sound off in public places and 25% watch with sound off in private places. The same study also showed that 80% of US-based users are likely to watch an entire video if it has captions.

6.      Collaborate with Other Creators

Collaborating with other creators can help you reach a wider audience and potentially go viral. Look for other creators in your niche and collaborate on your next reel or TikTok video. This can help you tap into their audience and vice versa. According to Hootsuite, collaborations can help you increase your reach by up to 60%.

7.      Post at the Right Time

Posting your reel at the right time can also increase your chances of going viral. Look at your analytics to see when your audience is most active on Instagram and schedule your post accordingly. A study by Later showed that the best time to post on Instagram is between 11 am and 1 pm on weekdays.

The best time to post on TikTok USA (EST) is as follows (based on 2023 data):

  • Monday: 6 am, 10 am,11 pm
  • Tuesday: 2 am, 4 am, 9 am
  • Wednesday: 6 am, 8 am, 11 am
  • Thursday: 9 am, 12 pm, 7 pm
  • Friday: 5 am, 1 pm, 3 pm
  • Saturday: 11 am, 7 pm, 9 pm
  • Sunday: 7 am, 8 am, 4 pm

This may however vary from person to person based on the kind of content that you are publishing. Try to dig into your dashboard and see what the data says. What videos seem to do well? Is there a consistent pattern with regard to when they were posted?

8.      Promote Your Reel

Promoting your reel can also help increase your reach and get more views. Share your reel on your Instagram story, promote it on other social media platforms, and encourage your followers to share it with their friends. The same goes for TikTok videos. According to Instagram, 75% of users take action after being inspired by a post.

Conclusion

Making a reel go viral takes a lot of effort and strategy. Tapping into trending topics, using the right hashtags, creating visually appealing content, and following some of the other strategies highlighted in this article can help. If you have a special method that seems to work well for you and is not on this list, let us know as well.

Amazon to close 8 Go stores

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Amazon Go

Amazon has announced that it is permanently closing 8 Go convenience stores located in Seattle, New York City, and San Francisco. Already, two stores based in Seattle have been shut for quite some time. The company plans to shut 6 more stores that are currently operational (in San Francisco and New York City) by April 1.

This will leave only 21 Go stores operational after the closure. But the company clarified that it’s still pursuing efforts to open more new stores in the future.

 “Like any physical retailer, we periodically assess our portfolio of stores and make optimization decisions along the way,” Amazon said in a statement. “We remain committed to the Amazon Go format, operate more than 20 Amazon Go stores across the US, and will continue to learn which locations and features resonate most with customers as we keep evolving our Amazon Go stores.”

Amazon Go stores offer a unique shopping experience as they don’t have any checkout counters or cashiers. Instead, customers use the Amazon Go app to enter the store, pick up the items they want, and simply walk out. The technology behind this experience includes computer vision, deep learning algorithms, and sensor fusion – which work together to track the items customers pick up and automatically charge them to their Amazon account as they exit the store.

In February this year, the company’s CEO Andy Jassy revealed that the company was planning to go big on a different kind of physical store – grocery stores. Amazon last year also announced that it was planning to close all its physical bookstores as it works to re-align with evolving demands in the e-commerce marketplace.

This U.S. grocer just launched a shoppable magazine

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Magazine

The Fresh Market last week launched a new way for shoppers to explore and buy groceries via a digital magazine. Based in North Carolina, The Fresh Market is a top player with more than 150 stores across 22 states.

‘The Magazine’

Late last week, the firm introduced ‘The Magazine’. This will be a digital-only, promotional magazine that will allow consumers to discover products, recipes, and meal inspirations. The magazine was previously available in print but now features a fully elevated and interactive shoppable experience.

Each page in ‘The Magazine’ features a ‘shop now’ tab that readers can click to visit the firm’s online site and order items for pickup or delivery. Interestingly, the magazine also embeds shoppable videos that deliver engaging content to readers while also providing a quick way to complete purchases.

“Our new digital-only shoppable magazine marks our largest and most immersive magazine experience ever, allowing our guests to make both every day and special occasions memorable through a wide variety of recipes, meal solutions, and fresh deals,” said Kevin Miller, chief marketing officer for The Fresh Market. “The magazine will also continue to feature special savings on high-quality products at a great value from our vendor partners that our guests love.”

5 lessons U.S. content creators can learn from the Chinese influencer marketing ecosystem

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Chinese Influencer

Chinese influencers, or Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) as they are often referred to, have long been a driving force behind the country’s thriving e-commerce industry. With their unparalleled reach and influence over consumer behavior, they have become an indispensable tool for marketers seeking to tap into the country’s massive consumer base. But what can US marketers and content creators learn from their Chinese counterparts? In this article, we’ll explore three key lessons that can be gleaned from the Chinese influencer ecosystem.

Key Opinion Leader

1.      KOLs are More Than Just Influencers

In China, KOLs are more than just social media celebrities with a large following. They are seen as trusted advisors and thought leaders in their respective fields, whether its fashion, beauty, or technology. Their expertise and insights are valued by their followers, who look to them for guidance and recommendations. As a result, KOLs in China often have their own online stores or product lines and are seen as genuine business partners rather than just paid endorsers.

2.      Authenticity is Key

Perhaps the most important lesson that US marketers and content creators can learn from Chinese KOLs is the importance of authenticity. In China, KOLs are valued for their genuine opinions and recommendations, rather than just their reach or popularity. As a result, successful KOLs are those who are able to build trust and credibility with their audiences, by being transparent about their partnerships and only promoting products that they genuinely believe in.

3.      Micro-influencers are Becoming More Influential

Micro-influencers are taking an expanding role in the Chinese social commerce market. These are people are not popular celebrities but rather have an established social media presence, along with good presentation and personality skills. More so, micro-influencers tend to have their personal interests aligned with the products they are promoting, which enhances their ability to deliver the message and respond to specific queries from their followers. Many brands find that micro-influencers are a better option for communicating greater authenticity.  

4.      Mobile-Centric Marketing is Crucial

Mobile commerce has been one of the top online shopping trends in the past few years. More and more Chinese KOLs are thus leveraging messaging platforms such as WeChat to expand their mobile footprint. These platforms make it easier for marketers to identify their super fans and use them as evangelists. Some marketers are doing this by creating mobile messaging groups to share brand news and have followers propagate it forward through their private channels.

5.      Social Commerce is really the Future

Content Creators and Influencers

Social commerce has exploded in popularity in China over the past few years. KOLs have played a major role in this trend, using their social media platforms to sell products and engage with their followers in new and innovative ways. For example, many KOLs in China use live-streaming to showcase products and offer exclusive discounts to their followers, creating a sense of urgency and excitement around the products they are promoting. US marketers and content creators can bank on this trend by exploring new ways to integrate e-commerce into their social media campaigns. Some options to think about include using augmented reality and partnerships with other creators to deliver more immersive shopping experiences.

Conclusion

The Chinese social commerce sector is a bit more mature and thus there are a lot of lessons U.S marketers can pick. By focusing on building long-term relationships with influencers, exploring new ways to integrate e-commerce into social media campaigns, and prioritizing authenticity in their influencer partnerships, brands can tap into the immense power of influencer marketing and reach new heights of success.

Chinese online shopping apps flourish in the US market

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Online shopping apps

As social commerce records significant growth in the US this year, Chinese e-commerce apps are scrambling for the market. These apps – which mostly focus on fashion products – are using ingenious marketing and social media to establish a foothold in the market.

Online Shopping Apps

Temu

One notable Chinese app that is dominating the charts is Temu. This is a discount shopping app that attracted massive attention after a clever Super Bowl ad tagged ‘shop like a billionaire’. It soon became the most downloaded shopping app in the U.S., surpassing retail giants Walmart and Amazon. Apart from the winning Super Bowl ad, Temu has invested heavily in social media, offering deals on diverse products ranging from fashion to electronics.

According to estimates by data tracker Sensor Tower, Temu has been downloaded more than 24 million times since it was launched in November. Temu’s parent company is PDD, a firm that also operates a popular Chinese e-Commerce platform known as Pinduoduo (one of the three largest such companies in China after Alibaba and JD.com).

Shein

Shein is another company that has expanded rapidly over the last few years. The app was founded in China but has since relocated to Singapore. Marketed as a fast-fashion outfit that offers trendy clothes, Shein attracted tens of thousands of younger buyers, particularly during the early years of the pandemic. It had more than 172 million downloads last year, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. The company’s valuation is now over $100 billion.

TikTok

While not predominantly a shopping app, TikTok is also making moves to claim its place in the US social commerce market. The app recently launched in-app shopping features and is already beta testing with a few major retailers. Given TikTok’s growing popularity in the US, one might argue that it is one platform content creators and eCommerce vendors ought to keep in their scopes.

Conclusion

These developments strengthen China’s position as the world’s factory. It’s likely that the likes of Temu are taking advantage of direct supply chain links to lower costs and better compete with US-native eCommerce shops. But some are also concerned that quality control challenges and worsening U.S.-China relations could pose a challenge.

Amazon aims to expand its same-day deliveries

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Amazon.com Deliveries

Today’s consumers expect quick and efficient delivery of their online purchases. Indeed, in a social commerce age where consumer experiences matter more than ever before, faster deliveries are likely to lead to increased loyalty and repeat purchases. It’s no surprise that (as reported by the Wall Street Journal) Amazon.com is looking to become an even bigger player in same-day deliveries.

Amazon Deliveries

Since 2019, Amazon has opened more than 45 same-day shipping centers and might have much more set up within the next few years.  These facilities, which carry about 100,000 of the most popular SKUs on the company’s website, are opening in main metropolitan centers within the US. The company has already set up new centers in Phoenix, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

“We’re always exploring ways to bring our customers new levels of convenience and delivery options that work best for them. Same-Day Delivery is one of the latest innovations,” an Amazon spokeswoman told the paper.

Superfast deliveries can arrive within hours, but the company’s charges Prime subscribers a free of $2.99 per orders  

Rising competition in eCommerce deliveries

By aiming for lightning-fast delivery, Amazon is trying to use its formidable logistics network to compete with other players in the space. Walmart uses its thousands of stores to respond quickly to online orders. Subscribers to the company’s Walmart+ can receive free same-day or next-day deliveries from local stores while Instacart+ and Target’s Shipt services also offer free deliveries.

Conclusion

There’s no doubt that social commerce is the future of online shopping. Amazon has been one of the leading innovators in this emerging area, with the Amazon Live platform helping move thousands of products via shoppable live streams. However, the company has been facing a steep challenges from TikTok, YouTube, Shopify, and other major players.

   TikTok creeps into Amazon’s turf with plans for U.S. fulfillment centers

With superfast deliveries, Amazon is better positioned to strengthen its position in the social commerce space.

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