TikTok is contagious and addicting. It drives some of the strongest engagement numbers across the board and has inspired large-scale shifts and imitation from other platforms such as Instagram (i.e., its Reels feature).TikTok’s explosive initial growth was fueled by young adults. Now, the short-form video content platform is gaining cross-generational appeal. This consumer shift will likely drive a shift in brand spending, and sponsored content partnerships will become more common on the platform.

TikTok Will Gain An Even Bigger Share Of The Pie

Social media platforms make money based on engagement. It’s in their best interest to keep influencers motivated to create and share interesting content. That’s why several leading platforms are investing in resources that encourage collaboration.Despite TikTok’s popularity, Instagram wins when it comes to new features focused on content creators and brand partnerships. Last year, Instagram developed Collabs, which allows creators to build content together and then take advantage of a larger shared audience, as well as “Add Yours” stickers to boost Story engagement.

The Race For Creator-Friendly Tools Is On

The pandemic proved the importance of a digital presence and e-commerce capabilities.<ul><li>On the development front, Instagram recently announced testing for a native affiliate tool that allows creators to earn commissions for purchases they drive through the app. TikTok has been promoting a suite of social commerce solutions called TikTok Shopping and expanded its partnership with Shopify.</li><li>With platforms’ push for in-app shopping, influencers are becoming the entire marketing funnel. Brands will be able to leverage them as an awareness strategy and as a purchase driver.</li></ul>

Influencers Will Take Over The Entire Marketing Funnel

In 2021, the global esports industry was worth more than $1.08 billion; that number is expected to grow to nearly $1.7 billion by 2024.Esports is a natural fit for influencer marketing because of the high level of audience engagement and interaction. Esports fans are loyal, and enthusiasts stay engaged for hours at a time.While early esports influencer campaigns focused on gaming-related products, we’re seeing a wider variety of brands seeking to capitalize on this audience: mega-brands like Coca-Cola, Nike, Intel, and BMW have gotten in on the game with sponsorships of esports influencers.

Esports Influencers Will Go Mainstream

LinkedIn has seen a new category of influencers emerge — more executives, CEOs and business owners — and is building tools to support them accordingly.<ul><li>Last year, LinkedIn launched a new function — “Creator mode” — aimed directly at professionals seeking a foothold in the influencer world. This mode allows business leaders to leverage their expertise and be intentional about building community on the platform.</li><li>Brands should look at this as an opportunity to leverage the reach and expertise of LinkedIn influencers in their respective industries and develop cross-promotional partnerships.</li></ul>

LinkedIn Influencers Will Emerge

In my business, we’ve seen growth in influencer activity across multiple platforms. Here’s what we’re predicting.

Influencers Will Take Over The Entire Marketing Funnel

Council Post: The State Of Influencer Marketing: Top Insights For 2022

It's time to

READ

LIKE

A PRO!

Six ways creators are monetizing beyond content creation - ConvertKit

Post-Pandemic Marketing: Will Your Company Be Ready for the New Business Landscape?

What is influencer marketing: How to develop your strategy