What is the Future of B2B Influencer Marketing in 2024?

Have you ever brought something just because an influencer on Instagram recommended it? Well, I am guilty of doing it. So I brought a lavender-scented air diffuser because a famous influencer suggested it.

The outcome you ask? I am allergic to anything lavender and the diffuser is sitting like a showpiece in a corner of my home.?

But the thing with influencer marketing is it works differently for all industries, especially B2B and B2C. In B2B, personalized and authentic engagement is pacing quickly. You know very well that customer trust is more pivotal than ever.?

So the big question arises will influencer marketing survive 2024? In my opinion, it is here to stay for a long time.

Influencer Marketing Trends to Look For in 2024

There are 5 trends that we think will come in the next year that will shape influencer marketing.

They are,

AI Will Boost Influencer Marketing

Artificial Intelligence is hitting all sectors in a storm and there is continuous evolvement in AI. Tech giants are competing drastically to bring the best of AI. In other forms of marketing like omnichannel or ABM, B2B companies are slowly incorporating it to customize content to get better and optimized results. So it is only logical to see that AI will get in close touch with influencer marketing.

We think that the power of AI will be used to select the influencers and their potential. So that it aligns with your product or services you are promoting with them. This will also employ advanced messaging features to revolutionize influencer recruitment.?

There has been a rise in virtual influencers recently. These virtual influencers are digital characters created using computer graphics software and given personalities and wills, who can act as social media platforms as if they are influencers.??

Emphasis on Preferred Creators Across Multiple Channel

Although every influencer has a preferred social network that they operate the most, they still operate on multiple social networks. The influencer marketing is shaping along with it. This is not a new concept except nowadays they select a few people who continuously interact with them to become superfans. Moreover, influencers are creating exclusive clubs on Instagram as a form of engagement.??

This means that successful influencers have a larger audience interacting with them effortlessly across various platforms through their accounts. This just doesn’t stop at Instagram or YouTube. They consider themselves as expert creators who share their content across the web. In simple words, they use multiple platforms for different purposes but they are all part of a whole.???

Short Content Will Be the Dictator

Video content has continuously become a medium of marketing for the last decade. But now audiences prefer short content or videos given the shorter attention span and recalling value. TikTok was initially a threat to other social media platforms but now Meta, YouTube, and Triller have seen its potential and started encouraging reels, Snapchat Spotlight, and YouTube shorts. TikTok now has a lot of competition in the industry.???

So, B2B companies who are applying influencer marketing are asking these influencers to create short videos and add short content. In general, many influencer collaborations are short videos and if you want to get the details of the product or reviews, they either tell you to see their YouTube or add website details for reference.?

First-Party Data Will Rule

First-party data is the data shared by the users themselves as opposed to data that is gathered from the cookies. The web is putting all the effort into becoming cookieless. This will have a lasting impact on influencer marketing and how influencers work in the B2B industry. In 2024 and beyond, it will become essential for influencers to gather as much data as they can about their audiences.

Basically, with privacy laws becoming more strict and mandatory, it will simply be much easier for influencers and brands to utilize their own data. While on the topic of data, first-party data about clients isn’t the only thing that will become necessary. As performance-based deals will grow, real-time data and accurate reporting will be needed.

This is another reason why influencer marketing platforms that include analytics and in-depth reporting are so precious. While influencer networks already have some analytics and reporting in place, solo influencers will also need to determine which social media metrics are important so they can deliver what they say.

Authenticity Will Be the Heart

For the past decade, most sectors and industries promoted authenticity but in 2024 to survive, influencers have to include it in their content. Influencers have to be careful while promoting products or services so they should be able to resonate with the customer and audience.?

Even the most famous influencers will fail to increase sales if they don’t consider customer’s needs and challenges in mind. It won't drive any result or brand awareness for the brand trying to make it work, and the influencer will likely lose credibility in front of their audience. So these days, influencers honestly review all the products and define limitations and advantages for customers to get a picture of the product or services they are considering.?

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