7 Influencer Marketing Trends for 2023

Influencer marketing is an ever-evolving channel, so keeping up with channel trends and behaviours is always essential. To help, we’ve distilled the best of hundreds of reports and articles to develop what we feel are the most likely and relevant influencer marketing trends that marketers should pay attention to this year.

Trend 1: AI

No list of marketing trends this year will be complete without a mention of AI. Unlike all of the hype around the Metaverse in 2002, generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Dall-E, Midjourney, Tome, or Synthesia will no doubt disrupt not just marketing but the entire way content is seeded, created, and consumed. 

What can I do? AI should be seen as an aid for generating content ideas, proofreading, and fine-tuning copy to resonate with the audience further. You should start familiarising yourself with AI tools now and know what they can do for them.

Trend 2: Ongoing Influencer Partnerships

Running a long-term marketing campaign with a particular influencer will be more effective than a short marketing campaign. Brands are becoming interested in fostering stronger relationships with influencers, particularly their influential fans whom they should build relationships with, much like the relationships they have with brand ambassadors. You should revisit past influencers or review campaigns to identify who could be re-engaged or where the relationship could be developed.

Trend 3: The Importance of Authenticity with Influencer Content

Influencers need to endorse products they truly care about. Authentic formats such as Q&A about the brand or product they’re sponsoring are crucial. You should identify and collaborate with genuine fans and ensure that they partner with influencers whose audience aligns with theirs. Finally you should also ensure that the creative storytelling is left to the creator.

Trend 4: Employee-Driven Content Will Increase

Employees are often a brand’s biggest advocates and can be used as subject matter experts to attract new recruits. You should incentivize and encourage staff to share news and encourage profile-building activities with your thought leaders.

Trend 5: Video Content Continues to Take Over

Video content can be long-form as well as short-form, but it will all be vertical. This is enforced through the growing use of YouTube Shorts, and with TikTok’s user base continuing to grow, video content will remain prevalent. You should create engaging video content that aligns with your brand, and leverage influencers to help promote it.

Trend 6: Social Commerce Will Continue to Become More Prevalent with Influencers

Although locally Meta have pulled their live shopping offerings Influencers will continue to use their social media platforms to promote products and services and drive sales. You should therefore consider if your business is suitable and partner with influencers in commercial ways offering means for influencers to convert their audiences such as UTMs and if your business is has its own e-commerce solution consider discount codes or native commerce solutions like TikTok shopping.

Trend 7: Brands Will Need to Adopt Best Practices

There are risks to influencer marketing, such as fake followers, and the importance of disclosure, especially with the ACCC cracking down on non-disclosed content. Marketers should keep on top of industry news and developments and join bodies like the Australian influencer marketing council AIMCO. They should also ensure that they have the tools and expertise to help them navigate this complex landscape.

To wrap up:

The future looks good for influencer marketing, but it will look different, and keeping up with the changes is important to get the best ROI and to avoid risks. By paying attention to these seven trends, marketeers can stay ahead of the curve and maximise their influencer marketing efforts.