Formats, focus, real-time content, and partnerships: The new (influencer marketing) normal
Influencer marketing has been the golden child of social strategy for a while now: not just a popular buzzword, but seen as almost a magic bullet for anything a brand wants to achieve. In fact, the effectiveness of influencer marketing to drive sales rose by 18% from 2019 to 2020, and budgets allocated to it went up by 30%. (Thanks to our social strategist, Louis de Rivoire for pointing that out!)
And then the ‘new normal’ came along. With the initial COVID-19 lockdown keeping people safe in their homes, they turned to social media more than ever. While at a glance, it seems obvious that influencer marketing would see a boon due to this cultural shift, the reasons behind it aren’t that simple.
Consumers are looking for content to help them navigate COVID-19
Who could have predicted that apart from entertainment and information, consumers would rely on social media for encouragement, advice, and even tips for staying stylish in lockdown? We spoke to influencers in fashion and travel, two of the niches that have been most impacted by the changes in social media search trends.
Midsize fashion Instagram influencer Olivia Grace decided to refine her focus from travel, beauty, and fashion, to fashion alone, after noticing that fashion-related posts were performing better than usual.
She has also been using her voice to share positivity amid what she calls ‘very scary and confusing times’. “I started a 90-day hashtag challenge, where I set my followers a challenge to get creative with Story posts,” she shares. “I wanted to use my platform as a distraction and a break in the clouds. I’ve made it my mission to sprinkle positivity like confetti, and my followers are really enjoying it.”
For Olivia, the lockdown has led to triple the engagement and a huge increase in followers. It’s a trend that echoes throughout the fashion and lifestyle niche, where influencers are reporting renewed interest in their content, as well as positive responses to new formats and types of content.
“There’s a huge increase in live streaming, and real-time content is particularly popular at the moment,” says Louis. “Viewership of Twitch’s ‘Just Chatting’ category grew by 10 million hours in just one month, while live streamed concerts, like Post Malone’s Nirvana cover set for COVID-19 relief and Travis Scott’s virtual concert within the Fortnite world, went viral. Why? Because people are craving interaction, intimacy, and the experience of doing something together at the same time.”
Coming to the end of a week travelling with my 80 year old parents in Switzerland. I’m now going to write a guidebook on how to successfully travel with your folks.
— Will Hide (@Willhide) May 30, 2018
Chapter 1
“Drink wine”
(The end) pic.twitter.com/HEJzK5xI0n
Meanwhile, in the travel niche, longtime journalist Will Hide (on Instagram, @Willhidetravels) says that an unexpected result of COVID-19 for his brand has been the opportunity to have more conversations. “It’s been an opportunity for me to slow down and remember that life is built on connections. I’m reaching out to people I normally wouldn’t, and different people are contacting me as well.”
At the start of lockdown, Will launched Travel with Will as a way to meaningfully connect with his audience, despite travel grinding to a virtual halt, and with it travel writing. Working on the blog has led to interviews with people in the travel and hospitality industry to learn how COVID-19 has impacted their business, and Will believes that it is these kinds of practical and personal stories that people want to hear now.
“Influencers” and partnerships are being reimagined across the board
Who knew that, as COVID-19 unfolded, we’d see the (much deserved) rise of everyday heroes like NHS staff and others on the COVID-19 front line? The personal stories of nurses and essential workers resonated deeply with audiences around the world. For the first time, the internet rallied in solidarity around content that was apt for these uncertain times, leading to a new kind of ‘influencer’ being born. It’s a cultural shift that has resulted in a strategic shift, not only among content creators, or influencers, but around brands. The kind of stories that brands want to tell are changing - and so is where they want to spend.
“The move away from TV can be attributed to cost saving measures - influencer-created content is more agile and typically doesn’t require a whole production team - but the shift in messaging is new,” says Louis. “When it comes to sales, brands know they need to be more genuine, more aligned with the current climate, and less ‘in-your-face’ with promotion.” He cites beauty brand Billie and alcohol brand Budweiser as great examples of climate-sensitive and subtle promotion.
As the rise of everyday heroes, together with changing content needs, continue to redefine the idea of the ‘influencer’, we’re seeing more brands reaching out to people who aren’t necessarily influencers, but are influential. Are you curious if there’s a different way you could be doing things? Wondering if you should rethink your social strategy in the era of COVID-19? Louis and the team would love to hear from you. Get in touch.