In recent years, influencer marketing has become one of the most popular trends in the e-commerce industry. As we slowly transition into the post-Covid era, and social media continues to dominate our daily lives, brands are increasingly turning to influencers to help them reach their target audience and drive sales.

With the rise of new platforms and technologies, the way that brands and influencers collaborate is evolving. It’s important for e-commerce businesses to keep up with the latest trends and best practices.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the current state of influencer marketing in e-commerce and highlight 6 key trends that are shaping the industry. Whether you’re an established e-commerce brand or just starting out, understanding the power of influencer marketing can help take your business to the next level.

1. Following preferred creators across multiple platforms

One of the key trends in influencer marketing is that consumers are following their favorite creators across multiple platforms, not just one. 

According to HubSpot, 72% of Gen Z and Millennials follow social media influencers. Gen Z prefers a unique voice, regardless of which platform they use (though they are mostly on TikTok).

Read more: 
The Ultimate Guide to Gen Z Marketing

Meaning that e-commerce brands need to diversify their influencer campaigns and work with influencers who have a strong presence on different channels, such as Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and Twitter. Working with multi-platform influencers can help e-commerce brands reach more potential customers and increase their exposure.

For instance, an influencer with a large following on Instagram can create YouTube videos or TikTok clips featuring the brand’s products, which can drive more traffic and conversions to the brand’s website.

Also, collaborating with multi-platform influencers can enable e-commerce brands to build trust and credibility with their target audience. Consumers tend to trust influencers who share authentic and consistent content across different channels.

Therefore, e-commerce brands should seek out influencers who align with their brand values and voice, and who can create engaging content that highlights their products or services in a natural way.

2. Influencers will be important for affiliate marketing 

Affiliate marketing is another trend that e-commerce brands should pay attention to.

Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing where an e-commerce brand pays a commission to an affiliate (in this case, an influencer) for each sale or action generated by their referral link.

Affiliate marketing can be a win-win situation for both e-commerce brands and influencers.

• For e-commerce brands, affiliate marketing can help them increase their sales volume and ROI without spending too much on upfront costs.
• For influencers, affiliate marketing can help them monetize their content and earn passive income from promoting products or services they love.

Read more:
The Real Value Of Influencer Collaborations? Think Long Term.

However, affiliate marketing requires careful planning and execution from both parties. E-commerce brands need to choose the right influencers who have relevant audiences for their products or services. They also need to provide clear guidelines and expectations for the influencers regarding how they should disclose their affiliation and track their performance.

Influencers need to follow the best practices of affiliate marketing such as disclosing their relationship with the brand clearly, providing honest reviews and recommendations, using catchy call-to-actions, and optimizing their links for mobile devices.

To leverage employee-driven content effectively, e-commerce brands need to create a culture of empowerment and appreciation among their employees. They also need to provide training and guidance on how to create engaging content that complies with ethical standards and regulations.

4. Micro and nano influencers will still be trending

Micro and nano influencers are taking the marketing world by storm, and it’s a trend that’s expected to continue well into 2023. There are several reasons for this rise in popularity:

• Micro and nano influencers have a more engaged and loyal following, which makes their recommendations more trusted by their followers.
• They have a stronger personal connection with their audience, which makes them more relatable and authentic.
• They have the ability to target specific niches and cater to their followers’ interests, making them a valuable asset for businesses looking to reach their target market.
• They are more cost-effective and easier to work with than mega influencers, making them a more attractive option for businesses with smaller budgets or those just starting out in the world of influencer marketing.

Read more: 
Plan Your Campaign With Micro-Influencers

Overall, it’s clear that micro and nano influencers are here to stay and that businesses would be wise to incorporate them into their marketing strategies.

5. AI/ML plays a crucial role in the influencer marketing industry

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) is rapidly growing in the influencer marketing industry. With the vast amount of data available through social media and other online platforms, AI/ML technology can help brands and marketers analyze data more efficiently and effectively.

This includes identifying the most relevant influencers for a specific campaign, predicting their engagement rates and potential reach, and even suggesting content ideas that are more likely to resonate with their audience.

Learn more:
CreatorDB’s AI data-driven approach to identifying influencers for your business

Additionally, AI/ML can help automate the process of influencer selection, negotiation, and campaign optimization, freeing up time for marketers to focus on other tasks. As technology continues to improve, we can expect AI/ML to play an even greater role in the influencer marketing industry, providing more precise targeting and higher ROI for brands.

6. Influencer marketing and live shopping are the latest trends

Influencer marketing and live shopping are currently trending in e-commerce. This is because they can help attract and retain customers, increase brand awareness and trust, and boost sales and profitability. The following are five key points regarding this trend:

Authenticity: Influencer marketing allows brands to leverage the authenticity and trust that social media personalities have built with their followers, leading to more genuine and credible brand endorsements.

Engaging content: Influencers are skilled at creating engaging and relatable content that resonates with their followers. This can help brands to capture the attention of their target audience and generate buzz around their products or services.

Targeted reach: Influencer marketing can help brands to reach their target audience more effectively by leveraging the influence of influencers who have a similar target audience.

Interactive shopping experience: Live shopping provides customers with a more immersive and interactive shopping experience, allowing them to ask questions, interact with hosts and other viewers, and get real-time feedback.

Increased sales: Both influencer marketing and live shopping have been shown to drive sales and increase revenue for brands. By combining these two strategies, brands can create even more impactful campaigns that generate results.

YouTube’s CEO Neal Mohan recently announced the platform’s new priorities in a community letter. In the same letter, Mohan shared that gaming content on YouTube had hit over 2 trillion views in 2022 and the platform provided an income to hundreds of thousands of channels in the first half of the year. Highlighting the success of the platform Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai announced in the 2022’s 4th quarter earning call that YouTube short-form video feature Shorts hit 50 billion daily views.

So, what are the priorities for YouTube in 2023? In a nutshell:

1. Supporting the success of creators

• Seeking creator feedback to achieve platform goals.
• Introducing more revenue streams outside of ads, like channel memberships and live streaming options. – Investing in shopping features.
• Broadening accessibility for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Expanding access to their machine-translated captions tool to create a more inclusive experience, testing in live streams and Shorts.

Read more:
TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube,
Which Platform has the Highest Growth Rates?

2. Building for the YouTube of the future

• YouTube is focusing on meeting viewers where they watch content, which is increasingly on TV.
• Streaming will be a bigger focus for creators in 2023, providing new opportunities for building and connecting with communities.
• YouTube plans to use AI-generated technology to expand storytelling and production value in creator content. Creators will be able to experiment with AI’s capabilities, such as simulated backgrounds and outfit swapping, in Shorts, podcasts, and more.

3. Protecting the YouTube community

• Protect kids and users under 18 by making it easier to find family-friendly videos through YouTube Kids, with supervised experience.
• The platform will also focus on creating multiple layers of protection and lifting up high-quality content for kids to learn and grow. YouTube’s CEO promises to put extensive resources into this.

With a focus on creator revenue and community, YouTube aims to become a safer and more inclusive space for different ages and communities.

Also, if you’re ready to take your influencer marketing campaigns to the next level, CreatorDB offers API services for you to seamlessly integrate our platform with your existing tools and workflows. Learn how CreatorDB can help you streamline your influencer marketing efforts and drive better results.

Influencer marketing is rapidly evolving, and it’s essential for brands to stay current with the latest trends to remain competitive and effective in their marketing efforts.

By keeping up with influencer marketing trends, brands can take advantage of new opportunities, stay ahead of their competitors, and ultimately achieve their marketing goals. In this article, we’ll explore the 5 top influencer marketing trends in 2023 that every brand should know.

Before we dive in, what is influencer marketing?

Influencer marketing is a modern marketing strategy where brands collaborate with individuals who have a significant and active following on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

These individuals, known as influencers, use their platforms to promote the brand’s products or services to their followers. Influencer marketing is a powerful way for brands to reach new audiences, increase brand awareness, and drive sales. 

By partnering with the right influencer, brands can leverage the influencer’s credibility and authenticity to build trust with their followers and achieve their marketing goals.

Why is influencer marketing important for your brand ? 

Influencer marketing is important because it allows brands to reach new audiences and increase brand awareness. By partnering with influencers who have a large, engaged following, brands can leverage the influencer’s credibility and authenticity to build trust with their audience and achieve their marketing goals. 

Additionally, influencer marketing can drive sales and provide valuable insights into target demographics, making it a valuable tool for modern marketing strategies. Most importantly, for your brand to stay on top of the game in the influencer marketing world.

Here are top 5 influencer marketing trends in 2023 for you to ace your game in influencer marketing

1. Increased focus on authenticity and transparency

The trend towards increased focus on authenticity and transparency in influencer marketing is a result of consumers becoming more savvy and expecting transparency from brands. Authenticity and transparency are crucial in building trust with audiences and achieving marketing goals. 

Brands are incorporating authenticity and transparency in a variety of ways, such as partnering with micro-influencers who are seen as more authentic and trustworthy, encouraging user-generated content, hosting influencer-led events, and collaborating with influencers to create unique, authentic content. 

By incorporating these tactics, brands can demonstrate their commitment to authenticity and transparency and establish a strong relationship with their audience.

2. Rise of micro-influencers

The popularity of micro-influencers in influencer marketing is soaring. Micro-influencers are individuals with smaller, but highly engaged followings and are perceived by their followers as more credible and trustworthy. 

Brands are turning to micro-influencers as a cost-effective solution for targeting a specific audience and achieving a higher engagement rate, all while maintaining an authentic and genuine image.

Read more: Plan your campaign with micro-influencers

Micro-influencers are disrupting the influencer marketing scene by giving brands the chance to reach a specific, highly engaged audience and provide a personal and authentic experience for consumers. 

To make the most of this trend, it’s important for brands to find the right micro-influencer. Brands should seek out those whose values align with their own and whose followers match their target market.

3. Emergence of interactive content

The trend of interactive content in influencer marketing is on the rise. Brands and influencers alike are embracing new and exciting ways to engage with audiences, like quizzes, polls, and augmented reality experiences. 

These interactive elements not only drive higher engagement rates and provide deeper insights into the audience, but also create a unique and memorable experience for customers.

Brands that wish to stand out from the crowd can leverage the power of interactive content through tactics like quiz-style posts on Instagram, augmented reality filters, and engaging stories on TikTok. 

By investing in interactive content, brands can foster stronger connections with their target audience and achieve their marketing goals.

4. Investment in influencer-generated content

Brands are capitalizing on the power of influencer-generated content to reach their target audience and make a lasting impact. By partnering with influencers, brands have the opportunity to create unique and engaging content that resonates with their audience.

Influencer-generated content offers numerous benefits, from increased brand exposure to higher engagement rates and innovative marketing possibilities. The gaming industry serves as a prime example of the successful results that can be achieved through influencer-generated content.

For instance, video game company EA Sports teamed up with popular streamer PewDiePie to create a gaming tutorial series, while gaming hardware brand Razer partnered with professional gamer Ninja to launch a line of gaming accessories.

For brands looking to make the most of their influencer marketing efforts, investing in influencer-generated content is a strategic move. By finding the right influencer who aligns with their brand values and appeals to their target audience, brands can enhance their marketing campaigns and drive better results.

5. Growth of influencer marketing automation

The growth of influencer marketing automation is rapidly changing the way influencer marketing is done. Brands are recognizing the benefits of using automation to streamline the influencer marketing process, including increased efficiency, improved accuracy, and better scalability. 

Automation is being used in various ways in influencer marketing, such as influencer discovery, outreach, and campaign management. Brands can use automation tools to find and engage with the right influencers, manage their campaigns more effectively, and track their performance in real-time. 

The importance of using automation in influencer marketing cannot be overstated, as it helps brands to maximize their marketing efforts, save time and resources, and achieve better results. 

By embracing the growth of influencer marketing automation, brands can stay ahead of the curve and achieve success in this competitive field.

Conclusion

Influencer marketing is always on the move, and keeping up with the latest trends is key for brands to stay ahead of the game. From cutting-edge tech to shifting consumer behavior, staying current with influencer marketing trends is vital to your success.

So why wait? Book a 1-on-1 call with us and let’s dive into how you can make these trends work for you. Don’t let the fast-paced world of influencer marketing leave you behind, join us and stay ahead of the curve.

For social apps such as Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, live-stream shopping content has become a key focus in their quest to increase their commerce potential. YouTube is also getting in on the action, with a series of holiday live-streams meant to mirror traditional shopping shows, while allowing viewers to interact with influencers and celebrities directly and allowing them to make purchases from the platform. 

YouTube has released more details about its plans to offer live-streamed sales via users’ mobile devices, in a shift it hopes will eventually allow any user-generated product adverts to stream on the site. 

In an interview with the YouTube blog, product designers Wendy Yang and Lax Poojary discussed how the platform’s shopping processes are evolving, and how they plan to advance live-stream commerce initiatives. Influencers and creators are already collaborating with brands to promote brands or products within their content via affiliate relationships and paid sponsorships, so it makes sense to extend this behavior into live-stream shopping. By making shopping fun and interactive, live-stream commerce leverages the same kinds of rewards we already use every day. 

It has become common for YouTubers to hold positions of trust for many viewers, especially younger ones who are just as likely to align themselves with the stars of YouTube as they are the celebrities on television. As a result, it’s easy to see why the connection between in-stream recommendations and buying could exist, especially when the in-stream is live. But that’s not all. The rise of E-commerce this past year opens the door to new opportunities for digital browsing, buying, and selling that should facilitate holiday shopping this year and even beyond. YouTube has seen significant opportunities for growth in the future.

Reference: https://www.socialmediatoday.com/news/youtube-outlines-plans-to-bring-live-stream-shopping-to-all-users/610067/