How COVID-19 Will Change Influencer Marketing

The global pandemic has changed the way we live and think, affecting marketing at its core. As more retailers and businesses start to reopen, it’s important to understand key trends to determine how your brand can be successful moving forward.

Over the last few months, influencer marketing has remained an essential and effective marketing tactic. With online shopping seeing an increase of 120% year over year according to Statistics Canada, brands are strategically using influencers to reach their audience as many people are spending more hours shopping, browsing, and learning online.

As consumer spending patterns undergo a complete digital transformation due to convenience and safety, it’s clear that online shopping and digital marketing is here to stay.

Over the last few months, marketers have learned a lot about consumer behaviour and tactics that actually work, so let’s see what trends are in store moving forward:

Looking beyond the typical influencer metrics

Brands that continue to advertise and maintain consumer connections through a market downturn become more resilient and experience faster growth moving forward.

Influencer marketing is a unique channel that focuses on building relationships and engagement, rather than evaluating metrics like the number of comments, likes, and shares. As marketing budgets continue to get reduced, influencer marketing is a solid tactic that won’t break your budget and has a healthy ROI.

Instead of paying a high price for influencers that have a large following, try collaborating with influencers that build a close-knit audience and have proven engagement.

You can even sign up for a platform like Collabstr to browse through a selection of vetted influencers to determine which ones would be a good fit to work with your brand.

Making your brand relatable

Guidance, assurance, and trust are key components when connecting with your customers in a world that is full of uncertainty.

Influencers typically spend a lot of time developing communities filled with followers who really know and trust them. They can truly relate to your potential customers, by connecting and communicating through relevant, specialized content that resonates with them.

Influencers also produce their own content, meaning they can create customized, on-brand posts that are both cost effective and efficient.

As budgets continue to get cut due to COVID, influencer marketing is the most effective way to ensure advertising is generating sales results.

Focusing on your audience

Building on the concept of engagement as a KPI, influencers are masters at knowing which platforms to use and types of content to create to speak to their community. This is key if you want to invest in a successful campaign.

Looking to target your brand to a younger, Gen Z audience or more of a Millennial demographic? Influencers know which channel to use to reach this cohort, and what type of content they will engage with.

With the global pandemic changing the way we work and consume, people have more time to browse and make purchase decisions. Just like customers are seeking assurance and connection with brand, they are also responding to brands that speak to them.

Watch for the influencers who continue to be successful

Influencers who specialize in producing niche content, especially in the area of travel, are being challenged to expand their portfolio to fit the needs of our world today.

While a travel influencer may not be able to promote the usual brands they work with during the pandemic, they are finding themselves having to generate content that is more relatable to their audience.

Broadening the types of brand partnerships and posting consistently is key for influencers to stay relevant, and ensures your business is staying top of mind.

As influencers continue to adapt in an authentic way, those with the strongest communities and levels of engagement will prevail.

These are the key influencers to watch and work with, as they have a proven ability to continue to connect with their audiences, regardless of severe global impacts.