How COVID-19 Has Changed Influencer Marketing.
Influencer marketing has been a huge focal point of digital marketing and PR campaigns over the last few years, dividing the industry and brands that employ them—influencers, or “content creators” as they prefer to be known, have emerged as a necessary category within communications toolboxes. The concept has developed a love/hate relationship, with some brands singing influencer praises and others failing to see their investment reach the level of return the hype suggested it would.
Though the industry can sometimes toe the line of “authenticity” and has been hit with backlash surrounding the “all too-polished and perfect” imagery some campaigns and creators portray, they won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. What has changed, however, is the level of realness and rawness that has been showing up on our feeds since COVID-19 has gripped the world more than eight months ago.
Agencies saw brands postpone campaigns in drones this past spring/summer, but engagement on social media was higher than ever before as more consumers spent time in physical isolation and online. Despite campaigns and deals frozen, travel plans shut down, and events and social gatherings stricken off to-do lists, many content creators have been able to find a new voice – one that is far more “real” than curated and consumers are resonating with it. They are actually demanding it.
There’s no denying that the pandemic has disrupted the influencer marketing industry, but that doesn’t mean brands should shift gears completely just yet.
Here’s how the landscape has changed and what you need to know:
No Money, No Work
It’s understandable that marketing budgets may have been slashed in recent months due to economic uncertainties. That said, creators’ paychecks have also suffered a major blow too, and therefore content creators will be much less inclined to work for a brand for free. Some brand collateral and gifting options may still remain, but communicators will need to ensure budget is allocated for content creator fees and amplification to ensure successful campaigns.
Raw and Real VS Replicated
The pandemic has fast-tracked several industry changes that were already underway. Content has become far more raw and unfiltered – as evident in the rise of TikTok popularity. So, if you are a brand who wants to take advantage and get in on the influencer game, you’ll need to understand that fit and relevance are going to be key. Finding the right content creators—ones that resonate with your brand and target audience—is going to be more important then ever before. It’s about ensuring your product/service fits the influencer, not about fitting the influencer into your brand.
Bye-Bye Branded Voices
Brands will also have to understand that they’ll be giving up a lot more creative control than they may be used to or have come to expect. Gone are the parrot days of giving an influencer key messaging and expecting it to be posted verbatim. It’s a content creator’s job to take your messaging and deliver it to their audiences in a way that’s relevant, accessible and that will resonate. This something that may take some getting used to, especially for bigger, more established brands.
More Time, More Content
On a positive note, since content creators are cooped up at home, it means more potential time to produce content for equally cooped up consumers. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to see the surge in content being produced and consumed in recent months. Consider scaling up in volume instead of length by engaging creators for multiple short pieces of content that will keep campaigns fresh and exciting for scrolling audiences.