2021 Influencer Trends Brought on by COVID-19

Much is being said about how COVID-19 enabled another wave of digitalization, with people working from home, changing consumption habits, and reinventing entertainment patterns, all of which heavily based on digital infrastructure. And the reason why everyone is calling these unprecedented times the “new normal” is not only because we had to adjust and adapt to lengthy quarantines and confinement measures, but also because much of what this crisis has brought is never going back to what it used to be. Included in the bulk of irreversible changes provoked by the Coronavirus is Influencer Marketing. 

COVID-19 has made a big impact in the influencer industry. The crisis has shifted audiences’ perception of what’s important, and as priorities started to change, so has the social media landscape. With audiences moving to educate themselves on social justice and environmental issues while at the same time acknowledging that social media plays an important role in the content they consume daily, influencers had to adapt, revise their content and how to address difficult situations with their communities. The ones who lagged behind risked sounding tone-deaf and losing relevance.

Now more than ever social media plays a big role in people’s digital footprints, and for this reason, everyone is rethinking their priorities with respect to the consumption of content. As people become more conscious and responsible for what they consume, the influencer marketing industry evolves. 

Check out below 2 influencer trends brought by the pandemic that will continue to thrive in 2021.

Audience Does Not Mean Influence

A distinction that has always been a bit blurred but will start to gain more shape is the fact that “audience” is different from “influence”. Number of followers and “status” will be less relevant if there’s not a real influential element to it, which means leadership and community building. 

Influencers who are truly authentic, who managed to successfully build a strong community around them, and who are able to strengthen their relationship with their followers during difficult times are the ones who are going to shine. On the other hand, influencers who have large followings merely based on looks and “perfect” lifestyles without having meaningful messages to share will see a reduced connection with their audience.

It’s true that this crisis has left people craving for content, however, any type of content just won’t cut it. What audiences are increasingly expecting is real content. In fact, audiences are less interested in perfect lives and want to see real people who are going through the same struggles as they are. 

The culture of picture-perfect influencers who we follow for aspirational purposes - and who were the core of social media in years past - have lost some of their appeal. COVID-19 brought back the true meaning of real influence, which requires depth, identity, connection, and authenticity from creators.

Socially Responsible Influence

Influencers are people watched by hundreds of thousands of eyeballs, and these audiences are more than ever demanding creators to take a stance, practice what they preach, and take responsibility for what they say and do. They cannot minimize the impact of what they share.

Influencers who, for example, ask their followers to donate money without having done so themselves, or who are not respecting quarantine measures when followers are stuck at home, are just intensifying the gap in the much-needed relatability that the industry thrives on.

Therefore, the role of influencing is being put to the test during this global crisis, and only the creators who are able to actively take part in important conversations and who understand the true impact of what they share, will be able to maintain a loyal community. 

Now is the time to pay attention to current communication strategies and focus on adding value to the community, by delivering relevant and quality content that reflects the creator’s identity and has a narrative that bonds audiences. From now on, people will start to choose more carefully who they want to follow, and be increasingly demanding of creators to share relevant content that goes beyond pretty pictures. This crisis is throwing us back to the true meaning of the word Influencer - a person who affects or changes the way that other people behave.

Do you want to understand how we can help your teams develop a relevant influencer marketing strategy for 2021?