Influencer trends in 2022

We all follow them on Instagram and think we know them personally: influencers. But what are the influencer trends we should be keeping an eye on in 2022? We are happy to list them for you!   

The bigger the reach, the more interesting the influencer. Is that right? Influencers with huge numbers of followers are sometimes - surprisingly - less interesting for companies than influencers who reach a smaller group. This is because macro and celebrity influencers usually address a particularly diverse audience, both in terms of age, interests and place of residence. Nano-influencers (max. 5,000 followers) and micro-influencers (max. 50,000 followers) reach a specific niche target group with whom they have closer contact. As a result, they often have a higher engagement rate.  

Using micro & nano-influencers has several other advantages. You can set up an interesting collaboration with a smaller budget, you have a bigger chance that the post about your brand will stand out in the feed and that the CTA will have an effect.  

We are evolving into a society where we are increasingly accountable for the choices we make. This also applies to influencers; they are judged on the collaborations they agree to and on their communication about brands. Companies should therefore think about the perfect fit between the company and the influencer. The selected influencers must appeal to the right target group and match with how the company wants to position itself.   

Furthermore, there are two more points of interest. First of all, honesty is and remains crucial. Are influencers paid to make a post or story for your company? If so, indicate this clearly in the communication. This can be done easily by using the hashtags #ad or #spon. Followers appreciate transparency and the rules regarding influencer marketing are also becoming stricter. Secondly, it is best to give the influencer enough creative freedom. If anyone knows what their followers want to see, it’s them and this way, the message comes across more authentically.   

With the growing popularity of TikTok and Instagram Reels, video messages are very important. Businesses can also use TikTok or Instagram Reels to reach a younger audience or to create video content in an easy way. The "for you" page or the feed of Instagram Reels are full of new ideas and trends for content. When you use a TikTok Pro account, statistics are tracked as well. The advantage of Instagram Reels is that you can address your built-up fan base directly.  

A fourth trend that has been around for a while but that is becoming increasingly important, is setting up long-term collaborations. Companies opt for fewer, but more qualitative and longer partnerships. This way, influencers are engaged as ambassadors of the brand and both parties work together on building a long-lasting relationship and getting the brand message across.  

At Thx.agency, we also regularly engage influencers as ambassadors or experience experts. One example is the Sunny Roadtrippers Club which we launched for Sunny Cars. These happy few, a.k.a. ambassadors, received extra advantages, extra information and were invited to private events and/or press trips exclusively for our Sunny Roadtrippers. More information on the Sunny Cars case can be found here.  

A final emerging trend in the influencer landscape are Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) influencers, also known as virtual influencers. CGI influencers are fictional characters created by companies or individuals with realistic human characteristics. They appear to be real-life influencers, but do not exist, only on screen. Everything is completely constructed by the (invisible and sometimes anonymous) creators behind their computer screen. Well-known brands such as Prada, Samsung, UGG and Balenciaga have already been convinced by this new form of influencers. In the Benelux, this type of influencer marketing is still in a stage of development.