2022 Influencer & Social Commerce Trends.

By far, one of the most exciting marketing trends to watch is the ever-growing power of social influencers. Brands who previously dismissed them as ineffective or “nice-to-haves” are now flocking to the table with big dreams and bigger budgets. 66% of brands reported spending more on creator marketing in the past year, and according to eMarketer, influencer marketing spending in the U.S. is predicted to surpass $4 billion in 2022.

Make no mistake, influencers know they hold the power.

• TikTok and viral videos have made micro and nano-influencers even more popular—most brands want to work with people who have between 5,000 and 100,000 followers.
• Influencer content is now being used beyond just social channels, including paid out-of-home and Connected TV.
• Viral commerce has created a direct link between influencers and purchases.

As a result, influencers are even more wary about being perceived as “selling out.” Meaning the best influencer strategy is to find someone who genuinely cares about your brand.

How platforms are responding

From TikTok to Pinterest, platforms are rapidly evolving to make themselves even more appealing to creators and brands.

TikTok

• #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt – Encourages audiences to create entertaining, compelling content that just so happens to feature brands.
• Long-form Videos – Up to 10-minute long videos with the potential to include ads.
• TikTok Shopping – Suite of e-commerce tools that turn videos and LIVE’s into shoppable entertainment.

Instagram and Facebook

• Link sharing – This feature is now available to everyone, regardless of your number of followers or if you have a verified account.
• Native Affiliate Tool – Allows creators to discover new products, share with followers and earn a commission, all within Instagram.
• Instagram Live Badges and Facebook Live Stars – Give creators ways to earn from their supporters.
• Instagram’s “Creator Lab” – How-to videos and tips/tricks for new creators.
• Facebook introduced new tools and experiences like “Shops in Groups” and “Live Shopping for Creators,”  which give more creators the ability to earn a commission on products they recommend.

Pinterest

• Idea Pins – Multi-page canvas to share unique ideas, tutorials and passions with others. These pins also just became downloadable, so creators can repost their videos on other social channels with the Pinterest watermark (think TikTok).
• Pinterest TV – Series of live, original and shoppable episodes featuring Pinterest creators.
• Shoppable TV – Creators can showcase and tag products so Pinners can shop and purchase on the retailer’s site.
• Your Shop – A new entry point into shopping on Pinterest, powered by a taste-driven algorithm. Every Pinner will be served a customized shopping page made up of content from creators and brands, based on their unique preferences and styles.

Snapchat

• Mid-roll advertisements in Snap Star Stories – A test for Snap Star influencers to receive a share of revenue generated from ads within their public Story.
• Snapchat’s Spotlight – A place for any snap user to become a creator. Users can submit and win money for top videos.
• Creator-focused editing tools like Director Mode – Allows creators to use the front-facing and back-facing cameras at the same time.

Twitter

• Super Follows – A space for creators to share subscriber-only content

Our takeaway

If you’re not thinking about influencer marketing, you are missing out on a huge opportunity to reach your audience in a more authentic way. It will be tempting for many brands to hand off rules and scripts for influencers to follow. But the real magic happens when you can loosen the reins and allow creators to be themselves.

Curious about how influencer marketing can work for your brand? Give us a shout.