Aside from the growing technology innovation and consumption, 2020 and the events in it have created a cultural shift in many aspects, including in social media marketing. This year we are greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which put a halt on social media-associated activities including traveling, social events, and many leisure activities that are now deemed too risky to do.

Consequently, this brought changes to how influencers post and what they share with their followers. However, the influencer industry did not fade but has evolved instead to fit the current situation. Here are some of the trends this year has presented us and that will likely continue in the following years:

Influencer Marketing Trends in 2020

What is Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing entails every strategy, action, and practice where a brand aligns itself with a social media influencer to promote their brand or products. This can happen in multiple forms, including endorsement, partnership, collaboration, and more forms that appear as the industry is changing and developing.

An example of a popular new form of influencer partnerships is TikTok’s dance challenges where influencers take part in promoting a brand’s activity by posting a dance video that is choreographed and uses sounds that are prepared by the campaigning brand.

Influencer Trends in 2020

1. Influencers are Sharing Empathy and Spreading Uplifting Messages

With the numerous grim happenings throughout the year, it has become “the new normal” for influencers to show their support and share empathy with their followers. This comes in response to the need for positive entertainment as many are struggling with grief, economic difficulty, or boredom. Influencers are more likely to maintain their audience's attention by responding to this need.

2. Social Media Figures are Becoming a Source of Information

The economic and cultural changes in the world are happening very rapidly and people often seek information on social media. Information is one of the many rising needs of social media users in 2020 and is an important aspect of social media posting. Aside from providing followers with something fruitful, this often creates conversation and a sense of community among influencers and their fanbase.

3. Local Brands are Put under The Spotlight

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Tips for Influencers Marketing in 2020

1. Create Valuable Content

Knowing the importance of bringing the right message that is positive and uplifting, influencers’ content must adapt to it. One of the many ways is by formatting your content in a way that is easy to digest for the message to be read easily. Video content often becomes the chosen medium to deliver important messages that are easily shared and often more entertaining.

2. Invest Time in Research

Part of spreading information and positive messages is knowing what happens in the world right now, and knowing the appropriate response. Research on the trends and current issues will help influencers find strategic and insightful content for their followers. This will also prevent possible backlash from showing ignorance or insensitivity. 

3. Partner with Local Brands or NGOs

Influencers have the power to bring positive changes. Especially in the 2020’s context, influencers are more appreciated when they take actions in the issues that their followers are passionate about. In the long-term, this will reward influencers with loyalty from their followers.

 



Why is Influencer Marketing So Important?

Influencer marketing has always been an important part of the marketing strategy. It is a development from the traditional marketing methods such as having “brand ambassadors”, the differences come from the platform which is social media.

Today, influencers themselves are platforms to spread a message. They have a pool of audiences with specific interests who potentially match your target audience. This is why influencer marketing is very important in 2020 and beyond because it helps brands place their messages in a specific area whereas internet audiences are often already saturated across different groups on the internet.

 
Conclusion

The unique circumstances of 2020 have brought new trends, but these trends are not going anywhere for the next couple of years. As these practices are positive and valuable, it is worth knowing and doing for influencers in their future content strategies.