The estimated value of influencers marketing for 2021 is $ 13.8 billion

Influencers marketing, closely related to social media, has established itself as a very valuable communication tool and this trend has been at its peak for some time. Since 2016, when its value was 1.7 billion US dollars, it has grown to 9.7 billion in 2020, and by 2021 it is estimated that this amount will rise to 13.8 billion (source: Statista, 2021). It is interesting how influencers marketing is changing on the one hand with new communication platforms and new opportunities in content creation, but also on the other hand how influencers are “carrying” these trends and enabling them to flourish.

The focus is on social commerce and activism

A good example of this is social commerce because social networks have become a window to the world and a place for inspiration and a place where we increasingly make purchases, in which the key role is often played by influencers, i.e. their recommendations and ability to present products and services. creative and interesting way and thus attract our attention.

Influencers today are talking more and more loudly about some sensitive and globally important issues. The coronavirus pandemic has made us all aware of our priorities, primarily health, but as a society, we have also begun to face threats in the field of environmental protection. Influencers are aware of how influence also means responsibility, so there are more and more good examples of education, as well as examples of how to adopt “greener” habits. A kind of activism is appearing on social networks, and apart from environmental issues, the focus is also on human rights and the fight for equality, ie against various forms of discrimination.

Who coped with the pandemic?

Social networks are the basis of influencers marketing and what influencers have created influence through. Without them, their voice could hardly reach so many people. Not only have social networks provided them with space for creative expression and placement of content, but also for two-way communication, and the real impact lies in the fact that influencers are actively listened to and followed by the audience. I believe that trends in influencers marketing will be closely related to trends in this segment, especially in terms of content formats and new platforms. For example, TikTok is a real game-changer that represents a real oasis of fun content and sets trends followed by other players, such as Instagram with the Reels option.

The “rules of the game” are constantly changing and it is challenging to stay true to yourself, and always accept new trends while staying relevant. In addition, we live in an increasingly complex environment where it is increasingly difficult to find a balance in the topics that influencers deal with. Many of them did not cope with the pandemic and overly entertaining content and or simply ignoring reality did not meet with approval. One of the topics that will surely affect both social networks and influencers in the future is mental health and how the content that primarily young people see online shapes their attitudes and behavior.

Campaigns that attracted attention

As a great example of an influencer campaign, I would single out the car brand Toyota, which promoted a vehicle ideal for off-road travel and adventure, in which the main star was the favorite dogfluencer Loki, a dog followed on Instagram by almost two million users who enjoy photos of natural beauty and adventures excursions of Loki and its owner. In this example, the messages that the brand wanted to place with the values ​​and lifestyle of Loki and its owner and the interests of their followers matched perfectly. A good example is a collaboration between the World Health Organization, Instagram, and the @dudewithsign profile, which in its own unique and fun way addressed misinformation about the coronavirus in the midst of last year’s pandemic and called on more than seven million followers to behave responsibly.