Influencer marketing trends in 2022
What will be the major trends in influencer marketing in 2022? Following our social media trends analysis, our influencer agency offers its predictions for the coming year. This presents an opportunity for brands and businesses to seize new opportunities on social media and with influencers.
1. Rise of micro-influencers
In 2022, micro-influencers will continue to attract brands and businesses. This trend confirms that, in influencer marketing, the number of followers is not a criterion for the success of a marketing campaign.
A recent study showed that influencers with a following of between 5,000 and 30,000 subscribers alone account for 89% to 91% of the overall influencer marketing market. More authentic and less expensive, micro-influencers will be the true stars of influencer marketing in 2022.
2. Increase in sponsored content on social media
Already experiencing strong growth in 2021, sponsored content is also expected to continue increasing next year. On Instagram, for example, it has increased by 26.7% this year compared to 2020.
According to the same study cited earlier, sponsored stories also saw a sharp increase (33.5% in one year). Thus, in 2020, influencers published an average of 12 paid stories per week, and this total rose to 16 in 2021.
3. TikTok is the best!
It's impossible to leave TikTok out of the list of 2022 influencer marketing trends. As a result, the number of collaborations between brands and social media influencers is expected to increase even further.
With its short, addictive video content, nothing beats it for capturing consumer attention and generating viral campaigns. It's certain that in 2022, TikTok will be a key player, and we're betting it will even surpass Instagram.
4. Data, the key to success for influencer marketing in 2022
More than ever, in 2022, influencer marketing will be data-driven. The goal: to create increasingly effective campaigns and therefore higher ROIs for brands.
Already at the heart of influence strategies, data analysis experts will therefore be even more in demand within agencies.
Thanks to data-driven techniques, at So Bang, our data scientists already track the performance of each of our influencer campaigns. They also produce data reports based on specific objectives (visibility, brand awareness, image, engagement, etc.).
5. The era of permanent influencer marketing
marketing, permanent influence involves creating ongoing and lasting collaborations with influencers to build a community and content around a brand.
We'll delve into this concept in a future post, but essentially, it's about building strong relationships between consumers and a brand through ongoing, continuous dialogue. With this in mind, influencer agencies will need to view influencers even more as partners, rather than simply as one-off tools to activate a campaign.
6. More and more content creators
According to eMarketer, 50 million people identified as “content creators” in 2020. Many observers predict this number will skyrocket. Some even estimate that within five years, one billion people will define themselves as content creators.
It must be said that the platforms are doing everything they can to amplify this trend. For example, TikTok's algorithm allows unknown users to grow their community dramatically overnight, gaining thousands of followers. The increasingly user-friendly nature of social media also encourages this dynamic.
What will influencer marketing look like in 2022? Our influencer agency has given you some food for thought, but the influencer landscape is constantly evolving, and many other trends could emerge next year. Of course, all these predictions should also be considered in light of the social media trends we've identified for 2022 (social selling, social ads, immersive experiences, etc.). And naturally, in 2022, So Bang will continue to monitor the latest innovations and practices on social media.
Finally, for those who still doubt the growing economic weight of influencer marketing, let's conclude with some telling figures. In 2018, the net worth of influencer marketing was estimated at $4.6 billion. By the end of 2021, the total valuation of this market was estimated at $13.8 billion and is expected to reach $15 billion by 2022, according to Business Insider.