4 Game-Changing Influencer Marketing Trends to Boost Your ROI in 2019
Brands have moved on from relying on traditional marketing to influencer marketing. Many marketers consider influencer marketing to be the best means to generate a higher return on investment (ROI). When the aim of your influencer campaign is to increase branding or engagement it can generate 8X ROI.Many brands have decided to establish dedicated budgets for their influencer marketing campaigns. In fact, 79% of brands surveyed by marketing tech firm Relatable indicated they will have a dedicated budget for influencer marketing campaigns in 2019. Brands are catching onto the power of this medium.
Looking to get in on the action? There are four game-changing trends in influencer marketing that will help you boost the ROI of your influencer marketing campaign in 2019.
1. Track Your KPIs and ROI
Many brands and marketers are reluctant to use influencer marketing because they feel it is difficult to track their campaigns’ performance and budget. No doubt, it is very important that you track your campaign’s KPIs and ROI. To learn more about the ROI of influencer marketing, you can check out this infographic by Grin.
As for KPIs, make sure they are aligned with the goals and objectives of your marketing campaign. For the sake of performance monitoring, make sure to outline measurable KPIs.
2. Instagram Stories
Instagram is one of the most popular and powerful social media platforms for influencer marketing campaigns. The use of Instagram in influencer marketing by brands will only continue to increase.
As of June 2018, there were 1 billion monthly active Instagram users. On top of that, an impressive 500 million people use Stories on a daily basis. It is essential that brands understand the potential of Instagram Stories and use them in their influencer marketing campaigns.
Stories are great for both brands and influencers. A relevant and attractive Story from an influencer can help a brand get the attention of their target audience. It can also help the influencer engage followers.
3. Video Influencer Marketing
Videos create a bigger impact and leave a lasting impression on viewers. They also help brands increase sales and generate more revenue. According to Cisco, by 2022, 82% of all internet traffic will be generated by video.
Photos have their own benefits, but they are usually processed until they look perfect and may lose some authenticity. By contrast, videos are natural, engaging, and there is less scope for manipulation. So in 2019, foreground videos, and show your audience more original and authentic content to boost your influencer marketing ROI.
4. Leverage Micro-Influencers
Unlike macro and mega influencers, the content created by micro-influencers is not too promotional and does not reek of sales. Even though micro-influencers have comparatively few followers, they can generate more engagement.
According to SocialPubli, micro-influencers usually generate 7X more engagement than the average generated by mega influencers. Another study by Markerly showed that influencers with fewer than 1000 followers generally manage to gain likes on their posts 8% of the time. On the other hand, influencers with over 10 million followers get likes only 1.6% of the time.
Partnering with micro-influencers is an effective strategy, and it is cost-effective as well. Instagram influencers with 2K to 10K followers charge $75 to $250 per post, which is far less expensive than mega influencer collaborations.
Small businesses or startups should leverage micro-influencers to improve their brand’s visibility and drive more sales. It is also wise to partner with micro-influencers if you have a shoestring budget for your marketing campaign.
It’s Your Turn!
You should capitalize on these influencer marketing trends to boost the ROI of your next campaign. Also, always keep an eye on what’s trending to stay ahead of your competitors and grow your brand.
Brian Mechem is COO and Co-Founder of Grin, a software solution for companies who run influencer marketing programs. Grin’s software powers some of the best influencer programs in the world, providing insights on ROI and adding efficiency to the influencer marketing process.
