Nothing stays static on the internet. Marketers have to keep up with current influencer trends or risk falling behind, but social media and influencer trends often feel like they’re always changing.

Influencer marketing has shaped ecommerce so significantly that it has become a crucial part of successful direct-to-consumer brands’ marketing strategies. Let’s take a look at some of the most valuable statistics and trends in the influencer marketing industry.

Download our free 2022 Influencer Trend Report to learn what experienced influencers from the Pixlee TurnTo Creator Network want to see from brand partnerships.

1. Influencers Are Becoming Multi-Platform Celebrities

Diversifying your income streams is always a good idea, but influencers collaborating on brand partnershipsare starting to see the benefit of a multi-platform approach. 61% of marketers identified generating traffic and leads as their biggest challenge, and omnichannel influencer marketing may be a solution to that problem. 

The average social media user today has 8.4 accounts. However, influencers aren’t posting the same content on multiple platforms. Instead, they’re using each platform for its intended purpose. Content created by influencers, especially micro-influencers, is often unique to the social platform in question. However, that doesn’t mean that this content needs to stay on those channels. The best influencers are able to adapt their content to perform well on different channels. Similarly, leading brands often reuse influencer content on their own social channels and other marketing platforms (like email, or on-site). 

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas frequently reshares influencer Instagram content and publishes this content in an on-site gallery powered by Pixlee TurnTo.

Smaller influencers often use Patreon, a membership platform that allows influencers to offer exclusive content in exchange for a monthly subscription fee. Influencers who are more well-connected and experienced typically opt for a dedicated influencer marketing platform like Pixlee TurnTo for Creators. Pixlee TurnTo offers both brands and creators an easy way to manage campaigns and content.

2. Instagram is in, and Snapchat is Fading

It’s no surprise that Facebook (Meta), YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn are still incredibly popular with marketers. However, each platform stands out for different reasons, and influencer marketing trends tend to align with the hottest social media platforms.

• On Facebook, 98.5% of users access the app on their mobile phones. 31% of users regularly get their news from Facebook, which is higher than any other platform. Influencers that market mobile-friendly news content will thrive on Facebook.
• On Youtube, you’ll reach more 18 to 24 years olds than on any TV network. Users also spend the most time on YouTube, with an average of 23.7 hours a month. Unfortunately, influencers have to work really hard to get noticed on this platform due to oversaturation.
• On Twitter, Tweets with hashtags receive 100% more engagement, 93% of users welcome brand involvement in conversations, and link clicks amount to 92% of user interactions. Influencers shouldn’t shy away from brand content, links, and hashtags.
• On Instagram, 90% of people follow businesses. It’s also the most popular choice with marketers, as 98% of those surveyed say it is the most influential platform. Influencers should start using interface icons on their stories to increase branding consistency.
• On LinkedIn, B2B companies reign supreme. 82% of B2B marketers find success on the platform, and 46% of social media traffic to company websites comes from LinkedIn content. Business influencers should be utilized to convert other startups.

Reddit, Pinterest, and WhatsApp are also great platforms to find influencer talent due to their monthly active user numbers, but numbers aren’t everything. Although Snapchat has more monthly active users than LinkedIn and Twitter, it ranks low in influencer marketing importance.

3. Diversity, Representation, and Micro-Influencers Will Be Vital

Diversity and representation are becoming more critical in the influencer landscape. Alongside typical influencer marketing, successful ecommerce brands often feature user-generated content (UGC), authentic content from real customers that shoppers can identify with.

Apparel brand Windsor often features UGC from customers with different skin and body types on its product pages to help shoppers get a sense of how their clothing looks in real life.

Micro-influencers with 1,000 to 5,000 followers have the highest engagement rate at 8.8%. Studies show that social users value relatability twice as much as popularity when following an influencer, setting the stage for more trust and willingness to try out brands that those creators promote. Consumers today expect a shopping experience that’s catered to them and celebrates the diversity of brand communities. 

Diversity isn’t just important for monetary gains; these concepts can also make the world a better place. We must do our part to champion diverse creators to see shifts in cultural attitudes.

4. TikTok and Twitch are Underutilized Marketing Sources

TikTok and Twitch are new kids on the block with high-earning potential. However, only 12% of marketers primarily hire TikTok influencers to share sponsored content, while Twitch is rarely considered as an option.

DMC works with TikTok influencers who are highly engaged in the knitting and embroidery sphere. Brands in almost any industry are likely to find influencers who share their values on TikTok.

This news comes as a shock, considering the popularity of both platforms:

• Daily Viewers: Twitch currently has 31 million daily visitors (or 961 million monthly visitors), while TikTok reports 83 million daily visitors (or 1 billion monthly visitors). 
• Watch Time: The average Twitch user spends 95 minutes a day watching videos (1.46 trillion minutes combined), while TikTok users spend 52 minutes a day on the platform (1.43 billion hours combined). But, TikTok viewers watch more unique videos daily.
• Influencer Revenue (Twitch): According to surveys, Twitch streamers can make $50 to $30,000 per month, depending on the number of average viewers they have. However, top streamers like xQc, Ludwig, and NickMercs, average $80,000 to $144,000 a month. 
• Influencer Revenue (TikTok): TikTok influencers can make two to four cents per 1,000 views. That means that top creators like Charlie D’Amelio, Loren Gray, and Zack King average $25,000 to $70,000 per video or $750,000 to $2.1 million a month.

It’s clear that there’s a lot of money to be earned here, and companies are taking notice (but only for TikTok). 61% of marketers surveyed plan to invest more in TikTok in 2022-2023. Partnerships with niche TikTok influencers are on the rise, with brands recognizing the importance of working with individuals who post content highly related to their products.

5. Companies Want Ongoing Partnerships and Data-Based Deals

61% of consumers trust recommendations from a friend, family member, or influencer when they promote a product or service. However, studies show that it’s more profitable to hire long-term influencers who can consistently promote your products or services.

Instead of one-off projects, companies are looking for influencers that are interested in a long-term relationship beneficial to both the creator and the brand. Influencers who participate in one-off partnerships are less likely to genuinely be interested in those brands, something social users can see right through. Instead, opt for creators who love your products and can convey that authenticity through their social posts.

Brand ambassadors (who can often be found within your existing customer base) often come across as more trustworthy and genuinely passionate about the brands they promote.

Brands are also paying more attention to data. They want to know if the influencer they’re paying is worth the cost. It’s also likely that companies will place disclosures in their contract for influencers that aren’t performing well, like a decrease in wages or voiding wages altogether. Check out our influencer pay guide to learn more about how much influencers charge and what factors to consider when forming a new partnership.

6. Affiliates are Researched and Researching Very Carefully

Affiliates used to target traditional bloggers and publishers for walkthroughs, demonstrations, and reviews, but influencers are becoming a preferred source for affiliates. According to a study by Similarweb, 68% of affiliates use social media, while 65% use blogs to promote products.

With that said, affiliates and influencers are starting to become more critical of affiliate programs. 

CHEQ data shows that affiliate marketers lost $1.4 billion in revenue due to affiliate fraud, accounting for 10% of all affiliate revenue. The most likely cause of fraud comes from fake traffic rates and follower accounts. Influencers may fluff up their numbers to appear more attractive.

However, influencers can also be the victims of get-rich-quick schemes. Things like cookie stuffing, click spams, and fake products are among the most popular scams. However, this is a two-sided coin; some influencers may buy fake followers or ghost brands after receiving free products or discounts. 

Due to these trends, both influencers and brands should conduct the proper research to feel confident when entering a partnership. More focus will be placed on influencer personalities rather than follower count. A micro-influencer that receives 70% engagement is more valuable than a large following.

Companies are caring more about authenticity in influencer brands. For example, powerful logos and brand colors can elicit a certain feeling and attract specific customers. If businesses want more bang for their buck, they have to work more closely with the right influencers.

7. Live Shopping or Streaming Will Play a Big Part in Campaigns

Live streaming ecommerce will attract a lot of business in 2023. According to eMarketer estimates, live streaming ecommerce sales in China will reach $623.29 billion in 2023, marking a 30.0% change from 2022. Global marketers and influencers are trying to invest in this market.

Currently, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Amazon have live stream shopping tools and partnerships, and influencers working with brands are often the ones hosting these live streams. These influencers often save their live streams after the fact and post them to their social profiles as videos — content that can be repurposed by brands and featured across their marketing touchpoints. Pixlee TurnTo allows brands to collect diverse forms of influencer content like Instagram reels and past lives and feature that content on the brand’s own channels.

Mapiful and Nulo Pet Food collect and reshare Instagram Reels content from influencers in its community.

Video live streams are the 4th most popular type of video content worldwide (under music videos, meme videos, or tutorial videos). Influencers in the luxury goods market see the highest live stream conversion rate at 70%, but there’s a 76% uptick in live stream shopping overall. 

8. Audio and Video Content are Taking Over Text and Images

Video content is becoming increasingly popular in influencer marketing campaigns thanks to the adoption of 5G. Since video can easily grab viewers' attention, influencers are using it more often than text and images.

Any platform that uses video (Instagram, Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, and more) is going to take center stage due to its high conversion and click-through rates. According to Brightcove, brands who use video see a 157% increase in organic traffic and a 105% increase in time spent on websites.

But does that mean text and images aren’t worth your time? Not necessarily. If your images are unique, dynamic, and brand-focused, you should still use them to improve your content. Influencers are skilled in content creation, so their video and image content can be used by your brand instead of hiring a professional photographer.

Revel Nail reshares influencer TikTok content on the brand’s own profile, and used Pixlee TurnTo to create a shoppable gallery of that TikTok content on a dedicated landing page.

9. Employers Using Employee, User-Generated, and Ad Content

When people think of “influencer marketing,” they aren’t thinking of their employees. However, they’re one of your most important assets when attracting new hires or customers. Although people trust influencers, employees are the most trusted demographic in the United States.

For this reason, employers will look to their employees to create content. Employee advocacy programs will be on the rise, but so will the push for user-generated content (UGC). UGC results in 29% higher web conversions than non-UGC.

But what about paid advertising? While ads can be fruitful, there are a few problems with them. Unfortunately, 96% of people don’t trust ads, and that same percentage thinks half or more weight loss ads are photoshop. Traditional advertisements can also be blocked by ad blockers.

However, there are a few paid advertising campaigns that still work (and will continue to work in 2023). Influencer content whitelisting, influencer-generated shoppable ads and social paid ads, and sponsored influencer events can promote your business without coming off as too salesy.

10. Increase in Influencer Collaborations and Cause Marketing

Collaboration is a marketing gimmick as old as marketing itself, but its presence has been more noticeable in the last few years. Influencer collaborations are going to increase in 2023, but influencers will be pickier with who they partner with to avoid potential fallout. 

Brands are starting to use platforms like Pixlee TurnTo to optimize their influencer marketing strategy for brand collaboration and monetization, and favoring cause marketing when discovering creators. Why? 76% of consumers seek brands with the same values.

It goes to show that influencers and brands alike are more interested in effective cause and issues marketing, both from a brand values standpoint and with the goal of improving revenue. 86% of consumers think brands and influencers should take a stand on social issues, while 64% say they’ll purchase from brands or influencers that make this commitment. 

Influencer marketing will only continue to grow, with a continued focus on authenticity, value-based partnerships, and diverse content types. Brands should be exploring influencers of all follower counts and backgrounds when discovering the perfect partnership opportunity. Influencer discovery and marketing platforms can help ecommerce brands streamline the partnership and content management process.