Introduction

Social media moves at a million miles an hour, and brands and marketers that use the platforms struggle to keep pace. What is cool on social media one day has no guarantee of playing a day later, but brands need to stay on top of what is trendy and current. Things like double rainbow, Nyan Cat, and other viral YouTube videos don’t connect the same way today because people on social media are inundated with content. Understanding what consumers currently like in their content will allow brands to better connect with them.

The modern social media landscape is very different today than even a year ago. Knowing some of the biggest consumer preferences right now will allow brands to better execute an influencer marketing strategy.

While influencers make the posts, brands control the messaging and the format. Choosing carefully what they want influencers to post and how they want them to be posted will provide brands with higher-performing campaigns. Let’s look at some ways to align your influencer content to fit current consumer preferences.

Short-form Video

Just about every platform has pivoted to accommodate this user preference. TikTok is the biggest platform dedicated to short-form video, but Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts are also wildly popular short-form video content channels. These are intended to be punchy and mobile-friendly.

Regardless of what social media platform you are targeting for your influencer campaign, the content format having the highest impact right now is short-form video. Short-form video marketing is the dominant content format right now and has the highest ROI of any social media marketing strategy, according to HubSpot.

Lack of Editing

There is something of a social media revolution underway right now. User preferences have shifted from the heavily edited, filter-centric posts that dominated the newsfeed to a more unedited standard. People don’t want glitzy, highly stylized posts right now. They want authenticity. This is something you’ll have to discuss with your partnered influencer.

Removing the sheen from your influencer content with make it more authentic. Talk to your influencer about how you want your sponsored post to be raw and unfiltered, with a down-to-earth tone. This will play better in the new age of social media, where removing the negative side effects of filters and editing is imperative.

Allow Access

While some influencer posts highlight brands the right way, many brands fail to show their best side in the sponsored content they use. Your influencer post is your chance to introduce yourself to a large audience; you should do it in a way that is inviting and allows access. Consumers right now love being taken behind the scenes. Use your influencer post to show more of your company and allow access into your business.

You can do this in several ways. You can get influencers to talk about how your products are made or how the collaboration began. Social media giants like Meta are currently recommending removing artifice and de-constructing the advertisement, and brands should heed their advice.

Talk About the Big Issues

Don’t be afraid to talk about the big issues in your sponsored content. This current generation of social media users, primarily consisting of millennials and Gen Z is extremely politically activated. They expect brands to be as well. Gone are the days when politics or environmental issues were passé for brands to discuss publically. Now it is an imperative.

According to research by the MNI, more than half of Gen Z says brands having strong values or projecting an impact-driven image are important factors when making purchases. Social media users want brands to speak up. Make sure to highlight your brand’s impact with your sponsored post.

Conclusion

To sum it all up, the new normal for social media content is a lot more unfiltered and ground level. Brands aren’t trying to present some glamorized, glossy image of your company. They’re trying to appear like they are authentic, humanized businesses working towards a purpose. This resonates much more in a new social media environment based on lo-fi, unfiltered content.

With influencer marketing, you dictate the direction. Whether you are LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok influencer marketing, the direction is to lean into authenticity. Showcase your brand in the most human way possible, and you’ll find yourself resonating with others much more effectively.

To launch your social media strategy, partnering with an influencer marketing firm is the best decision you can make. Influence Hunter is a top influencer marketing agency with high-level experience helping brands ranging from global corporations to burgeoning start-ups launch effective influencer marketing campaigns. Contact Us Today to find out how we can help grow your business.