Influencer Marketing Trends in 2023

  • Posted On : 2023-03-16
Influencer Marketing Trends in 2023

Businesses and brands are capitalizing on the booming influencer marketing trends to achieve faster and sustainable growth by driving their target customers with proven trending-viral practices. It’s 2023, and it marks another year of the consistent rise of influencer marketing that forms an integral part of brands’ marketing strategies.

Don’t believe us? Well, according to Statista, the industry will value at $16.38 billion this year, and it won’t stop anytime soon. Indeed, when the number of marketers investing in influencer marketing is estimated to rise by 17%, you can bet there’s something magical about this strategy. And as the industry grows, so are the influencer marketing trends that will take 2023 by storm.

First, let’s have a brief introduction about what influencer marketing trends are.

An influencer marketing trend is a prevailing social media marketing tendency that is progressively gaining momentum and might have long-term implications on algorithms, market, influencer & consumer behavior and social media platforms too.

Many influencer marketing trends have withstood the test of time, and many are on the horizon. For instance,

-utilization of micro and nano Influencers will continue in 2023, with brands seeking more authentic connections with their customers.

– an increase in videos, especially short videos, is also something we will see a lot of this year.

Now to emerging trends,

  • user-generated content is the one to look out for as more brands lean towards authenticity and social proof. According to PRNewswire, 90% of consumers made a purchase decision after listening to existing users of the product.

– Innovation in social media technology has made it easier to sell and buy products directly from social media platforms without using external e-commerce sites. This is social commerce! Ithas turned into a strong trend in influencer marketing for its enhanced convenience (in shopping), targeting (brand’s audience), and engagement (between influencers and their followers).

  • Live shopping is another by-product of innovation and one where customers can view products, ask questions, and make real-time purchases during a live-stream session with Influencers. You’d be wise to pay attention to this, especially since Forbes estimates live-shopping valuation at $600 billion in China and $25 billion in the US by the end of 2023.

We understand that the introduction went long. However, it is vital that we understand the changes around us and how brands and Influencers respond to stay ahead of the curve. Most of the influencer marketing trends of 2023 are the by-product of these changes.

From micro-niches and changing influencer marketing laws to the rise in user-generated and unfiltered content, this article works to demystify and help brands leverage valuable multipliers of the growing industry – numerous vital influencer marketing trends 2023 that you cannot miss. Please stick with us.

Top Influencer Marketing Trends You Need to Know in 2023

  1. Where Content Rules As a King, Videos Are the Queens

According to a Cisco study, in 2022, 82% of all online content will be in the form of video. Influencers can use virtually anything at their disposal to promote a brand’s product or services and cash in hefty pay checks in return. But with 45.95% more engagement than images, the moving graphic medium is slowly edging past its more static counterparts. Hubspot survey found that 59% of global marketers use video in their content marketing strategy, whereas 76% of marketers who leverage video layout, found it the most productive content format. Additionally, in this fast-paced environment, the shorter variants of the medium make it easier to consume information on the fly. In their survey Hubspot further learned that short-form content is one of the most effective trend marketers are presently leveraging.

As per Hubspot data, more than 31% of Marketers worldwide, currently invest in short-form video content, 46% of them ponder the strategy operative when performance and engagement is concerned. Plus, in 2022, 89% of international marketers plan to endure investing in it. You can see videos already taking over when applications like Facebook and Instagram incorporate the medium to compete with YouTube. Please, don’t get us wrong; text and pictures also have their respective uses. For starters, they can create a positive first impression and educate the masses on the features of your product. However, videos play a vital role in the end stages of a buyer’s journey.

As, influencer content is produced by experts, and it drives target audiences effortlessly. In 2023, beside making new & authentic content we also see more brands grasping on and reutilizing their influencers’ previous videos.

  1. Micro and Nano Influencers will Gain a Higher Ground

This influencer marketing trend was in the making for a time. We are in 2022, where the world is slowly leaning more towards the micro-influencer. According to Shopify, 77% of marketers want to work with opinion leaders with less than 1,00,000, followers and why shouldn’t they. For starters, there are more micro influencers out there than their macro counterparts. While it’s true that macro-influencers enjoy an extended reach, brands today want more. They want insights that dominate the data-driven world of social media, and micro doyens are the answer. More firms are showing interest in recruiting micro-influencers for sponsored posts – they also undertake relationship-building efforts for consistent long-term partnerships.

Micro-influencers have great relationships because of multiple interactions with the target audiences. This makes them more authentic within the target segment. They also influence multiple verticals giving brands access to complementary niches – an opinion leader specializing in cryptocurrency dabbles in NFT as well.

  1. User-generated content supremacy

User-generated content (UGC) is a popular trend in Influencer marketing because real people create content for brands. There is a sense of authenticity and trust when customers talk about their experience with the brand and their products.

As for brands, they have a cost-effective alternative to reach and delight their potential customers. Furthermore, it invites an influx of new perspectives and experiences that the brand’s audience would likely relate to and engage with. UGC content has excellent virality, too, as the brand’s audience that resonates with it will share them with others – thereby bringing more visibility and reach for the business.

  1. Instagram Subscriptions

Major social media players are now taking steps in consolidating careers of influencers. The periodic rise of the subscription model can be seen on various social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, etc. Subscriptions allow users to be more connected with their influencers.

Subscriptions models provide various features like live videos, badges, Personalised contents, etc. Instagram subscription model also targets to create a more authentic and targeted follower’s base. Instagram subscriptions was first launched in the USA on a trial basis with 10 influencers.

This influencer marketing trend is gaining traction and soon it will be available in all major platforms using nation-states. Instagram subscriptions are also a great tool to free burgeoning minds of creators from insecurity of career and financial aspects. Now they can devote more freedom in creating creative and innovative content.

  1. Rise of live shopping

Do you know what’s better than looking at your products? Looking at your products in real-time – while getting answers and interacting with fellow customers. This is primarily why live shopping gained momentum and is growing as an influencer marketing trend in March 2023.

The live shopping model works with Influencers showcasing the benefits and features of products during live-stream sessions while demonstrating the product workings. They also answer questions and offer discounts and limited-time offers for live-shopping purchases. Live shopping promotes convenience in the sense that it allows consumers to avail information from credible sources and make a purchase from anywhere on the planet.

  1. Niches get micro-niches

Carving a niche for themselves has always been a primary concern for many budding Influencers. However, as existing niches become more saturated, subject matter experts aim to be even more specialized in 2023 with micro-niches. There are a couple of reasons for this. They are emerging as a credible and authoritative source for content for new followers and standing out from the competition, attracting potential brand partnerships, creating more dedicated communities that trust influencer recommendations, and providing high engagement.

Brands have taken notice of the same. Hence, for more successful influencer marketing campaigns, there is an increased emphasis on influencers with micro-niches and their ability to align with brands’ interests, missions and values.

  1. Influencer-brand partnership on new products

With so much talk about credibility, authenticity and trust, it was only a matter before brands started emphasizing co-creating products with Influencers. Think of this as taking one step further from the typical brand recruiting influencers and influencers promoting the brand’s products/services. You could even say that co-creating products was missing a link in the grandeur of Influencer marketing. Let’s go over this.

Influencers cater to an audience that brands want to access. Furthermore, influencers have deep insights about their followers, which come in handy in creating products that appeal to the brand’s customers. And when influencers promote these products, signals of genuine connection between a business and Influencers are sent to the customers. The social proof that results increases sales and brand loyalty. Not to mention increased visibility for the company with all the social buzz and media coverage.

  1. Diversity, equity, and Inclusion

Influencers, brands, and audiences are raising voices to root out major social distortion. A rise in equal wages for women, safe working environment, gender neutrality, racial unbiasedness, etc. are preferred. Institution lacking is providing these stated factors are disregarded.

Diversity, equity and inclusion is one of the latest influencer marketing trends and provides a pool of creative experts, marketers, etc. who bring extraordinary to the table. The soul of this guiding principle is to create a sustainable and better future for everyone.

In a survey by the News Agency, a high proportion of workers and businesses agreed that the quality of a workspace truly improves the performance of the employees. Higher efficiency is directly proportional to enriched content. Most of the respondents also informed about increase in creativity and fun which lead to more addition in efficiency.

  1. Artificial intelligence in all aspects of marketing

Major websites, brands, business, etc have already started using AI in live chats to solve customers or visitors queries. More are adopting and many are reinventing. Influencers are utilising it to generate new ideas for content creation, marketers are utilising it to compile big data pools and for predictive studies and results.

Brands and business houses are using it for operational efficiency and result examinations. Artificial intelligence has limitless uses and benefits. Front runners have adopted it and have set the trend to use it creatively for rest.

Artificial Intelligence's predicted rise now can be seen with bare eyes. Brands, Industries, government, etc. are utilising it for increasing efficiency aspects in concerned operations. AI is now one of the fundamental pillars in assimilating, sorting, segmenting and presenting huge databases for functional efficiency.

  1. Influencers/business owners

Influencers turning into entrepreneurs is a trend we have noticed everywhere, and it will only grow in 2023. This has been a long time coming. When influencers have a dedicated community at their beck and call, it makes sense to capitalize on loyalty and trust.

What does it mean for brands? Glad you asked. For starters, there will be more synchronization between Influencer brands and their brand partners, as they share similar values and interests. Moreover, Influencers turned entrepreneurs have individual pizzas when they promote products to their audience, which benefits brands as they stand apart from competitors and bring more sales. Brands’ content will receive a breakthrough with innovative and creative perspectives of influencers/business owners. Of course, with so many similarities, an extended, mutually beneficial partnership is on the cards for Influencers and brands.

  1. Account based marketing

Account based marketing is a precise marketing channel, where specific accounts were chosen as per brands requirement and targeted. Special cultured algorithms are also utilised in discovery of these like minded accounts. The marketing strategy is utilised to sell courses, products, etc.

It has major distortion involved. Rigorous targeting can bloom the threat of spying on within customer or accounts consciousness. Some common platforms where these like minded people connect are webinars and events. Major ways through which ABM is done is email marketing, personal messaging, etc.

Account based marketing mixed with subscriptions models can give rise to more personalised and internalised content delivery content. Brands can better target the customer base and deliver proper brand education and awareness.

  1. MyGov is now using influencer marketing

The Government of India has realised the potential of influencer marketing. They are targeting audience engagement through influencer marketing channels to deliver their messages about policies, laws, recent affairs, etc. Influencer marketing is becoming a potent tool for educating netizens about their rights, services, and benefits. It will directly help in increasing the concept of social good and lead to their upliftment.

There are major areas which require due intervention of influencers and influencers marketing agencies. Fields like cyber security, data privacy, women safety, etc are in need of dire education and information relaying.

The Government of India has taken the right decision. A major obstacle that has plagued the governmental machinery was lack of communication channels. Now, citizens can educate themselves with proper education and bring betterment in their life.

  1. More raw, unfiltered content

High-quality, well-thought-out ads did the trick before, but now it wouldn’t take seconds for your viewers to skip past them. Young audiences have grown to spot sales pitches from a mile away. Hence, it would be best to make an instant connection to make your customers stop and listen to you. And today, unfiltered, raw content (much like what influencers post) gets the job done.

Brands hop on this bandwagon because there is much to gain by letting go of unrealistic standards. Transparency is one where you send signals that you have nothing to hide. This appeals to audiences and helps build trust and credibility for your brand. Your shares and engagement rate will skyrocket as more viewers find your content relatable and genuine.

  1. The Unbeatable Rise in Social Commerce

From the simple exchange of messages between loved ones, social media has ballooned into an environment that promotes more than healthy communications. There are currently 4.55 Billion social media users in the world, who spend an average of 2 hours 30 minutes every day browsing social sites. With 57.6 % of the global population active on at least one social platform, brands are eagerly looking to transact with their customers online – this has paved the rise of a new concept of “Social commerce.”

Using the “social” and “commerce” in one phase can mean only one thing – buying and selling products or services on social media. With major players like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter integrating in-app purchasing technology, marketers can drive customers in the buyers’ funnel and convert without exiting the application. The race to generate more sales and get past their competitors has got brands eager to negotiate contracts with opinion leaders. Furthermore, the latest influencer marketing trend has presented doyen with an additional means to earn more via monetization and other affiliate programs.

  1. Long-Term Partnerships with influencers Are the Key to Sustainable Growth

In 2023, the one-project influencer marketing trend will soon die down – instead more emphasis will be placed on long-term partnerships. The reason is straightforward – a single campaign won’t reveal the true potential of opinion leaders. Furthermore, brands can’t build trust amongst the Influencer’s audience after just one sponsored content. Long-term partnerships with doyens are the key to building trust among a business’s clients. Influencers manage to change their audience’s perception of a brand for the better after representing the firm’s offerings in multiple posts. In the future, these opinion leaders can also be part of the brand ambassador programs, where they can utilize their credibility to endorse a business beyond social media. Working with influencers for a long time also presents the added opportunity of testing multiple approaches to solving a single problem. For instance, producing two separate posts highlighting different aspects of a brand and determining the most effective alternative to reach the targeted audience.

  1. Rise in immersive contents

Metaverse and major technology experts’ business has introduced many cutting edge products and technologies like Augmented reality, virtual reality, Internet of things, voice search, etc. These technologies are capable of providing more immersive and personalised experience to the customers.

Meta is also exploring cognitive and behavioural studies to create new products and technologies. Tesla presented talking AI, OpenAI presented ChatGPT, etc. All these technologies will shape the future and directly impact the influencer marketing arena.

Most big business houses have been working towards this development. Most players want to provide and cater to the needs and wants of consumers. Every brand is creating a completely new experience, be it in terms of resolution, eye sensitivity, immersive experiences, etc. Tools and technologies are based on personalisation of customers' experiences.

  1. LinkedIn Influencers Will Arise

With 675 million monthly users in 2022, linkedIn is heart of the business integrated with social media. Of these users, up to 40%) are logging in on daily basis, according to omnicoreagency. In fact, there are 11 million Millennial decision makers on the platform. It has become a dominion to 530 million companies today. On the word of, LinkedIn’s Sophisticated Marketer’s Guide to LinkedIn, 94% of B2B marketers use it as a content distribution channel, compared to Twitter at 89%, Facebook and YouTube both at 77%, and Google+ 61%. In 2022 it has become one of the most prominent-emerging influencer marketing trends for 2023 to distribute your branded content. As, it’s where most B2B vendors go first.

Every 7 days, content in the LinkedIn feed is seen 9 billion times. That’s roughly 36 billion impressions per month and 468 billion per year. With the rise of facilities like LinkedIn video – there are now easily consumed content channels for influencers to share content that will help people build and sustain their companies in 2023. The podium has seen a new category of influencers arise — more administrators, CEOs and business proprietors; and is constructing tools to support them for that reason. Wherein, “Creator mode” — aims unswervingly at professionals seeking a foothold in the influencer world. This mode permits mavens to leverage their expertise and be premeditated about building community on the platform.

  1. Introduction of virtual influencers

Virtual influencers are being introduced by multinational corporations. Walmart introduced virtual fashion influencer ‘Maya’. Other brands like Nike, Calvin Klien, and Samsung have earlier introduced virtual influencers. Virtual influencers who are also termed as VTubers also.

Myntra recently launched ‘Kyra’. Myntra is also leveraging AI technologies in their operations. They have launched MyFashionGPT recently. More than 58% respondents of a survey informed that virtual influencers were equally influencing as real influencers.

Influencer marketing trends are elongating its arms in multi-dimensional aspects. Virtual influencers are products of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and coding skills. They can be portrayed in unimaginable ways. Virtual influencers are getting more followers due to the audience's curiosity and fascination.

  1. Brands Are Leveraging Employees as Influencers

We have witnessed the emergence of a 2023 influencer marketing trend where companies choose to pick talents from their pool. And who would blame them? After all, who knows an organization’s product position/strategy, product demand and consumer behaviour with respect to its produce, better than the members of its workforce. But why would businesses abandon the enhanced reach offered by influencers for employees? Well, with eight times (Acc. Social Media Today) more engagement rate, it is evident that content posted by employees portrays authenticity, reliability, and ingenuity – even more than opinion leaders. Attractive as it may be, this practice is limited to a few selected industries, for instance, fashion and lifestyle, where brands use employees to model for their accessories. However, soon, we will witness more organizations hopping on the bandwagon.

  1. Affiliate Marketing meets Influencer Marketing

Affiliate marketers and influencer marketers are the two sides of the same coin – both endorse products/services of a brand. The only difference is affiliate marketers works on a commission-based system, while influencers get compensated for their posts. In 2023, one observable Influencer marketing trend is frequent collaboration between affiliate marketers and influencers. What is the reason, you ask? Well, opinion leaders enjoy the backing of a loyal crowd that trusts their recommendations – affiliate marketers, on the other fall short in this department. Long story short, they want to utilize the clout held by influencers to drive customers into the sales funnel.

Affiliates get customized links from their brand partners, which they want influencers to promote on their social media handles. Here is how the process plays out; affiliates recruit doyens who promote the brand offerings via social media posts. According to Super Metrics Data, 84% social media creators are part of affiliate strategies. The goal is to coerce the audience into clicking the accompanying link, which directs them to third-party sites. When that happens, affiliates get compensated in one of the two ways, pay per click or cost per acquisition. In the case of the former, affiliate marketers get paid a smaller sum for each link click. On the flip side, they will get a percentage of the total sales pot for the latter.

  1. Innovation in creator tools

Significant social media platforms know the importance of Influencers for their growth (now more than ever). They are trying to show appreciation by empowering their creators with more tools that give creators more control. As a result, influencers find it easier to create and publish engaging content for their audience. This drives more traffic and brings more revenue to social media platforms.

Giving creators the ability to monetize their content coerces more Influencers to pursue a career as full-time content creators. More creators give rise to healthy competition, which opens avenues for more innovations and improvement in content. Furthermore, allowing Influencers to sell their customized merchandise through social media provides new revenue streams for platforms and Influencers.

  1. Metaverse is Making Huge Waves

Go back a few years; back then, could you have imagined engaging with your favorite gamer inside a game? – our guess is no. The world of metaverse has provided an environment where reality and digital meet, allowing Avatars to interact on a physical plane. The famous American Rapper Travis Scott held a live concert with 12 million in attendance in the metaverse. A Mumbai-based ad agency called Atom set up shop in the digital world to interact with their client via avatars. The 3D designing head at Nike Chad Knight is now the head of cyberware at Wilder world, which is an unreal engine-powered 5D metaverse. In this Metaverse, Chad will be designing from digital wearables. For instance, Air Wilder, which caps at $30,000.

With brands migrating to digital, increased utilization of the metaverse is an influencer marketing trend to watch out for in 2023. The ease of audience accessibility and participation has encouraged top firms worldwide to purchase virtual real estate. The ability to customize Avatar allows influencers to dorn brand outfits. Moreover, the XR (extended reality) technologies enable influencers to showcase the workings of the products or services in real-time from anywhere in the world.

  1. NFT is the new gold

The rise of cryptocurrency saw the emergence of another extraordinary digital asset called NFT (non-fungible tokens). NFTs are blockchain verified artworks that are hashed using advanced encryption algorithms. Each token has a unique code which makes them one of a kind. But how did NFTs find their calling in influencer marketing?

We understand that NFTs are intangible; however, we are amidst a digital revolution that will birth an amalgamation of a world that makes the distinction between reality and virtual less ambiguous. We can already see the changes affecting the choices of everyday consumers. People with less than $25,000 in income are investing NFT. Instead of physical assets, a sizable percentage of the internet populace are interested in owning virtual assets.

Influencers are keen on converting their creations into intellectual property and raking in royalties from the sale of these assets. Marshall Mathers, otherwise known famously as Eminem, generated $1.78 million from the sale of his “Shady Con” collection. The American Rapper based his NFT on Influential personalities who left a lasting impression during his younger days. Besides artwork, influencers can also convert intangible products like songs, tweets, videos, etc., into non-fungible tokens. Mavens are known to represent brands on social media. Marketers can work with opinion leaders to create unique assets and get Influencers on the promotional run. For example, one-time token access to live product launches, one on one live influencer meets, access to exclusive behind the scenes content, etc.

  1. Podcast, the radio of the future

Although reels are more engaging, there is only so much information you can fit in the 15-60 second time frame. Brands need more time with their customers to get their message across – this is where podcasts enter the fray. Till 2021, the percentage of monthly podcast listeners amongst 12-to-34 years old grew from 27 percent to 49 percent. Podcast ad spend bagged $800 million in 2020, but professionals expect it to more than double to $1.7 billion by 2024, according to Forbes. Collaborating with podcast influencers affords brands the opportunity to get their name and products in front of well-informed, high-income consumers. Moreover, 94% of podcast listeners are active on at least one social media network, and 54% of them have believed about buying a product they hear sponsored on a podcast.

Long considered to be a replacement to traditional radio, podcasts have achieved much more. The medium finds listeners almost everywhere and has a sizable reach in every niche (sports, comedy, drama, astronomy, art, technology, politics, business, fiction, etc.). So how can businesses integrate podcasts into their influencer marketing efforts? Well, organizing interviews with influencers is one way to go about it – here, you can interact with opinion leaders and their audience. Another utilization of Podcasts involves getting mavens to talk about the product or services’ benefits and even provide demonstrations. Furthermore, there is authenticity as much of what happens in front of the camera occurs without a prior script.

  1. Twitch influencer marketing Will Be a Big Thing

The domain of social media extends beyond Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube – they just happened to be the major players operating in the space. In 2021, the international esports commerce was worth more than $1.08 billion; that number is expected to grow to approximately $1.7 billion by 2024. Brands have never stopped exploring ways to exert influence, which makes Twitch usage the latest entrant in the influencer marketing trends 2022. Many people believed, the video streaming platform is a technology reserved only for Gamers; however, nothing could be farther from the truth.

Twitch welcomes cooks, painters, musicians, comedians, and others who assume different roles to stream on the platform. As an added bonus, Twitch aims to create a seamless viewing experience between Influencers and viewers by not serving ads every few seconds. In other words, marketers have their customer’s undivided attention. Read here: how to get started on twitch In addition to gaining access to a specific audience base, the focus would always remain on opinion leaders and what they have to say about a firm’s offering during streaming sessions.

  1. More Data, More Engagements, More Collaborations

Having a large following no longer gets the brands excited to work with opinion leaders; performance does. The demand for more on-hand data like influencers’ engagement rate, growth rate, conversion rate, referral traffic, reach, click-through rate, cost per click, sales, etc., is at an all-time high. Social media juggernauts like Instagram and Facebook are also getting into the numbers game by introducing cutting-edge tracking technology. The new inclusions help businesses go past vanity metrics and execute cost-effective campaigns with the help of less but highly relevant opinion leaders. Another likely addition to Influencer marketing trends in 2022 will be the increased dependency on third-party applications for more in-depth analysis and visibility. And it is a good thing too, considering firms can now have more numbers to carry successful tests and spend time building credibility before clawing their way towards sales.

  1. Influencers are budding Entrepreneurs – Evolving creator economy

In 2023, a peculiar yet predictable influencer marketing trend has taken the social media world by storm. With the backing of a loyal following, Influencers go from endorsing products or services of a brand to marketing merchandise of their own. According to Adweek data, 94% of people who use influencer marketing believe it to be effective. Naimeesha Murthy points out that “creators now have the necessary tools at their disposal required to produce top-class content,” and they’re authorized by the proliferation of content creation platforms for design, video, streaming, music, podcasts and writing tools to help them grow their businesses from a creative hobby to a full-grown money-making venture. The creator economy will move towards a subscription-led model in which true fans will be able to pay a sum of money to access exclusive influencer content.

YouTube alone produced $30 billion in revenue by the end of 2022 from self-made entrepreneurs. Identifying the need for more creator tools, Instagram reported: “We’re introducing a suite of new tools that help creators and brands connect and collaborate on Instagram through brand partnerships, commerce and more.”

But how do influencers turning entrepreneurs help brands? Well, opinion leaders, in a sense, level up in their game, which opens doors to new horizons for businesses. For instance, brands can collaborate with influencers to release a customized line of products and get opinion leaders to market them as part of their merchandise portfolio.

  1. Rise of Multiple Platform Creators

Influencers no longer wish to be categorized as a Youtuber, Tiktokers, or Instagrammer; instead, they want to be embraced as content creators. This is evident because mavens constantly attempt to move audiences across multiple platforms. For instance, Instagrammers tag posts with links directing to their YouTube video or the blog pages. Gamers on Facebook ask their audience to join them during Twitch live streams. Opinion leaders seek uniformity across platforms, which has made the influencer marketing trend more rampant in 2023.

Brands also want to work with individuals with a strong presence across the board as it helps them get access to untapped markets on previously unknown platforms.

  1. More Diversity in Content

Opinion leaders have a certain air around that makes them unapproachable. But beneath all the fame, these are people just like us. The followers want to see that lesser-known side of Influencers. But what does that mean? They want to see doyens talk about subjects that affect their lives just like any other citizen, represent cultures across the globe to make their audience feel included etc. Marketers since time immemorial have refrained from touching topics of controversy in fear of widespread backlash. However, with increased support for brands taking a stand against entities who throw their weight around, we will see this final influencer trend picking up pace in 2023. More than 47% (As per Hubspot) of buyers view three to five pieces of content before engaging with a sales rep, and the lot of them expect brands to create content to gain their attention. Also, according to Forbes, over 86% of businesses use user-generated content (UGC) as slice of their marketing strategy. This is the reason, brands all around the world have only grown their investments in content marketing. Additionally, more businesses will invest in influencer marketing campaigns that touch upon the ethical expectations of the audience out of fear of losing out to competitors that do.

  1. Growing Advancement in Machine Learning

Most social media platforms already have the means to track and present an influencer post or audience insights. However, the gap between desired and available metrics leaves much to the imagination. With the advancement in Artificial intelligence/Machine learning technology, Marketers will be able to cut through the noise and focus on numbers relevant to their goals. For instance, firms can extract comments pertinent to their post while binning the rest to understand audiences’ perceptions about the products. The capabilities of Artificial intelligence go even further and can be utilized to counter entities that sell false promises. Usage of underhanded tactics like bots can seriously hurt a business’s prospects, incurring them insurmountable losses.

Manual detection of bots is not possible; if left undetected can ruin a business reputation. Facebook put 1.7 billion fake accounts out of service in the first quarter of 2021; 1.8 billion in 2019 and 2.2 billion a year before that. It is important now more than ever to have a full-proof system capable of segregating genuine influencers from computer programs. Smart algorithms capable of trailing digital footprints, running constant surveillance to single out real from fakes.

As part of this 2023, influencer marketing trend, businesses are predicted to introduce advanced training programs to train their personnel to use the latest technologies, including machine learning and artificial intelligence.

  1. Evolution of Legal Structure

As the true potential of influencer marketing slowly unveils, the governing authorities aim to make the rules sturdier. With everyday consumers getting smarter, the legal system wants a framework that ensures brands and influencers operate with maximum professionalism. That means rules that promote the creation of ethical content that does not infringe on individuals’ personal and intellectual rights. Most laws that exist are directed towards paid campaigns. Since posts by influencers are normal and do not often come with an “advertisement” tag attached to them, the lines that separate the two are often blurry. However, the laws in the future will coerce the brand to make their advertising intent clear to their audience. Influencers would be required by law to disclose their sponsorships and details of the endorsed products or services.

  1. Increase in Mobile-Friendly Websites

Since the onset of the pandemic, more businesses have taken their operations online, which inevitably saw more websites targeting the same visitors. While a website loaded with information about a firm’s offerings gets more takers, it is also vital to play to the visitors’ behavior patterns. That means providing quick access to data with easy navigation and a responsive interface that adjusts to different screen resolutions, buttons and fonts of the right size, color, etc.

Why is it important to have a mobile-friendly website? Between February 2021 and 2022, 56.15% of internet traffic came from mobile with desktop taking the second spot with 41.52 % and tablet with 2.43% – the gap between the contenders keep growing with each passing year. People of all ages are getting comfortable with portable devices; thus, they want to access brand content at any given time and place. Not just access, they also want to share influencers’ posts with like-minded individuals, the in-built functionality on mobile/tablets makes this task easier than ever before. Let’s not forget that Google prefers pages that receive a huge influx of traffic – an IG Post with a link directing to the website can do a splendid job accomplishing this goal. Additionally, after arriving on the website, mobile users can call a brand associate for queries with the click of a button, a convenience absent on a desktop.

  1. Twitter Influencers – will Still Matter

In 2023, Twitter will create a new movement of Live Shopping.

Twitter consumers tend to be a little bit older than those found on Instagram, and much older than the TikTok or Snapchat crowd, according to pewresearch. Uploading Twitter content allows brand to reach diverse demographics. Twitter marketing is ready to become consumer-oriented with its upcoming features. The podium is testing its Live Shopping feature wherein users will be able to check the products through a live video stream. Here, the users will be able to engage with the live event too. So, brands and companies can get real-time engagement. It is all set to create a wave in the e-commerce market.

Moreover, in video marketing it is set to gain centre stage in 2023. So, the new trend awaiting is that brands are ready to include video content in their Twitter marketing strategies to reach maximum audience. Influencers had already started responding to Tweets and mix things up with interactive Tweet formats like Twitter Polls or test out using longer format Twitter threads. It has also rolled out its Twitter Communities feature wherein users can interact with other users based on their interests. The podium will allow the formation of small groups wherein users of similar interests can interact and share thoughts on a particular topic. It is also coming up with an audio feature called Twitter Spaces. It will be a prodigious way for brands to communicate with the audience. Brands are leveraging industry experts and using these features to connect with the relevant target audiences!

  1. Stringent Laws for Sponsored Content

Yes, you can expect influencer marketing laws to be more strict this year. Reasons? Plenty. For starters, they protect audiences from misguided purchases when Influencers don’t make the nature of “sponsored” posts known. In hindsight, Influencers’ image and relationship with their followers are also protected in the spirit of fair disclosure.

If we dig deeper, stricter rules help level the playing field by removing unfair advantages a brand with more oversized pockets may have. Lastly, better laws help standardize the industry, thus attracting more brands to invest in influencer marketing campaigns.

  1. Regional and local influencers outreach and interaction

Given the diversity of India and multilingual society. Major social media platforms are now providing access to multiple local and regional languages. Language is considered to have the highest potential in creating affiliation and unity.

Nothing to be surprised when we see higher affection towards regional and local influencers who talk in the common people's tongue and influence their behaviour as well as choices. Brands and agencies are hurrying to tap these influencers.

Lingua franca creates a shroud of trust and connections among the followers as well as influencers. English being an alien language and symbol of luxury, this barrier is now getting shattered and social media platforms are proving that they prefer equity and equality with any bias of language, class, gender, etc. Regional users are now increasing their engagement with this development and soon a highly potential pool of consumers will be established.

Final thoughts

Influencer marketing trends are constantly evolving in response to changes happening in the physical and virtual domains. Hence, businesses and influencers must stay in the loop and upgrade themselves in response to the circumstances. Most seek help from a leading influencer marketing agency, as these professionals have the expertise to predict future trends in influencer marketing before they become mainstream.

The laws and regulations change over time – even differ from place to place. It would be in your best interest to have a top influencer marketing agency overseeing the legalities associated with your campaign.