Now that summer is here, you will start seeing that your Instagram feed is more active and engaged than ever. Photos from friends on holiday, and influencers you follow promoting brands – these are probably the two most common kinds of posts you’ll see throughout the season.
Summer is the hottest season for influencer marketing. In fact, posts on social media increase by as much as 30 percent during summer, showing how active and engaged influencers are during this time of year. This means that it’s the perfect time to capitalize on seasonal trends in fashion and lifestyle, food and beverages, events, travel destinations and all things summer.
Here are the top 5 summer trends to watch out for your influencer marketing campaign:
1- Cinemagraphs for the win
A fun and creative content that Instagram influencers love to intrigue their audience with, cinemagraphs are a still photo in which a minor movement occurs repeatedly. They are taking the social media world by storm and followers love them. Why? Because they are something new and different, and thus, intriguing. Stunning shots of the beach or summer drinks make perfect cinemagraphs.
2- More transparency accompanies growth
Among the biggest trends in influencer marketing, this year is the growing transparency in the industry. Initially, influencers and brands were usually not very open about their partnerships. However, since the influencer marketing industry has grown so much in just a few years, a few regulations have been put down by the Fair Trade Commission (FTC), and one of them is that it is necessary to disclose your partnership.
So, if you’ve seen influencers use #ad or #sponsorship, this is why. Another way to be open about a partnership is by using the branded content option on Instagram, where it says “Paid partnership with XYZ brand” on top of the photo uploaded.
3- Increased use of influencer marketing platforms
Considering the fast pace in which influencer marketing is growing, it’s no wonder that influencer marketing platforms have become so popular. This is because they make finding the influencer with an image and a niche following perfect for your brand so easy and simple. For instance, influencer marketing platforms like Ifluenz.com make not only finding, but contacting, collaborating and tracking your partnership a lot simpler. Thus, using such platforms can help you better manage your workflow.
4- Rise of micro-influencers
Micro-influencers are those influencers with a following that is lesser than what most big influencers usually have. In other words, micro-influencers have a following of about 2,000 to 10,000 followers. Despite having a fewer number of followers, they have a higher engagement rate that macro-influencers.
This is, in part due to the new Instagram algorithm. Other factors contribute too. For one, people tend to see them as more genuine and authentic than influencers with tens of thousands, and even millions of followers. Partnering with micro-influencers also mean that they lend that authenticity and genuineness people associate them with, to your brand.
5- The growth of retail influencer marketing
Another trend to look out for is the partnership between well-known retail brands and influencers. Department stores such as Harrods and Bloomingdale’s have taken to influencer marketing to increase their consumer interaction and potentially increase sales. Other well-known fashion and beauty brands like Zara and Sephora have also indulged in successful influencer marketing campaigns through social media sites like Instagram.
Social media influencers are perhaps one of the best tools to influence the buying behavior of consumers, and successful brands are well aware of this. In fact, a recent study showed that as much as 92 percent of consumers put more their trust in influencers than they do on celebrities.