{"id":42029,"date":"2020-12-23T15:12:46","date_gmt":"2020-12-23T14:12:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sotrender.com\/blog\/?p=42029\/"},"modified":"2020-12-23T15:12:46","modified_gmt":"2020-12-23T14:12:46","slug":"hybrid-approach-influencer-marketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sotrender.com\/blog\/2020\/12\/hybrid-approach-influencer-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"The Hybrid Approach: The Next Big Trend for Influencer Marketing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Influencer marketing has definitely proven impact on consumers and the choices they make. Modern brands are expected to spend billions on influencers by 2022. The constant growth and changes in the influencer market create new approaches in it. Hybrid influencer marketing is a new trend that alters the concepts of content creation.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Influencer marketing received a surge of attention and a jolt of change in 2020. We\u2019ve all spent a lot more time at home this year, which has led to a huge increase in the consumption of online content. TikTok global downloads jumped from 199 million in the tail-end of 2019, to <\/span>315 million downloads<\/span><\/a> in 2020\u2019s first quarter<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The demand for content is still on the rise, and estimates show that the influencer space should grow into a <\/span>5 to 10 billion dollar industry by 2021<\/span><\/a>. To give that some context, Instagram, the most influential social media platform, hosted a $2 billion influencer space at the start of 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Source<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

The new dynamic has accelerated changes in influencer marketing agreements that have been brewing for years. In the past, businesses typically worked with influencer networks to connect with creators and make promotion deals on their behalf. Now, businesses take a more active role in developing longer-term relationships with influencers with greater relevance to their audience.<\/span><\/p>\n

A result is a hybrid approach to influencer marketing where influencers work to produce high-quality content for their audience that incorporates brands in a meaningful way instead of simply advertising.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Hybrid Approach<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Marketers are <\/span>changing the way they approach influencer content<\/span><\/a>. Instead of approaching it as a way to buy ad placements and sponsored segments on popular channels, it can be used as a way to commission high-quality content that resonates with your audience and engages them with your industry.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why is this a more effective approach?<\/b><\/h3>\n

Unlike viewing influencers as a media buying strategy, this hybrid approach is based on the reasons people watch influencers in the first place. An influencer\u2019s success is founded on the trust between them and their audience. Viewers value their opinion and understand the perspective and bias of the influencers they watch.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s similar to word-of-mouth marketing, where the potential customer views the influencer as providing an honest look into a specific company or product.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As a result, influencer collaborations work best when they tie into the content their audience shows up for. For example:<\/span>
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  • videos explaining the science or tech behind your product;<\/span><\/li>\n
  • \u201cI Tried This Product So You Don\u2019t Have To\u201d content;<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Testing out niche products or materials;<\/span>
    \n<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Influencers use these concepts within their content creation to <\/span>cultivate social proof<\/span><\/a>. They haven\u2019t simply read your boilerplate but taken the time to investigate, use it and form a real opinion their audience can believe. An influencer may do this with a sponsorship, affiliate relationship, or without any relationship to the company or product.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    In the case of review and product comparison content, influencer integrity is vital and will reflect on the businesses they work with. Sponsorship deals that encourage or incentivize a dishonest review will hurt you in the long run. As a result, it is important to understand that great influencer content will also include some criticism of your product.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    For example, Chloe Rose Art often <\/span>compares art supplies<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>between two or more different retailers. She provides a clear, side-by-side comparison and includes product failures and areas where her affiliate\u2019s competitor holds an advantage. While her review is not 100% positive of her affiliate\u2019s product, this makes her overall conclusions more trustworthy.<\/span><\/p>\n