MAY 2021

Influencer marketing: Trends to watch out for

Influencer marketing is one of the most preferred methods of marketing, generating billions of dollars every year. In fact influencer marketing is the fastest growing online customer acquisition method. In a fast-paced industry, we take a look at some of the hottest influencer marketing trends of now.

As the pandemic has raged the globe and forced many of us to work from home and limit our social lives we’re spending more time than ever online, meaning we consume more content than ever before. This is good news for influencer marketing; the industry is forecast to hit USD15 billion in 2022, according to Branding Asia.

But in this fast-moving industry it can be hard to keep up to date with what’s happening. We take a look at some of the biggest trends of the moment: what platforms attract most users, the content that pops and the partnerships that give the best ROI.

Three channels stand out when it comes to influencer marketing content: Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. With video reigning supreme, these platforms are continuously developing and improving themselves, adding more functions and making the user experience more engaging. Expect to see even more video in the future.

Instagram, YouTube and TikTok attracting the most users doesn’t mean there isn’t room for new players. In fact, go back just a few years and no one had heard of TikTok. One of the new players that caught many people’s attention this year is Clubhouse, the audio-based social app. And speaking of audio, the rising popularity of podcasts should not be ignored. In fact, according to Branding Asia, 45 percent of Gen Z and Millennials in Asia consider audio a powerful tool for storytelling.

And just as we will see more and more niche platforms, we will also see more specialised influencer marketing campaigns. Not every brand and campaign lends itself well to a multi million people audience. Some brands cater to smaller, niche target groups and for them an expert influencer with a smaller following may be more relevant.

We already know that video is the most popular mode of content, but when it comes to subjects, many observers agree that value-driven content is essential. Gone are the days when celebrities could lend their face and name to just about anything without fear of any serious backlash. Today, consumers value transparency, consistency and commitment. According to Branding Asia, 64 percent of consumers report having selected, switched and boycotted a brand based on its stance on social and environmental issues alone.

Data is key. Without it, it is impossible to determine the effectiveness of influencer marketing campaigns. In an industry that’s becoming more and more crowded, it’s important for brands and influencers alike to know how to leverage the data. As a result, influencermarketinghub.com predicts that performance-based contracts will become more and more used moving forward.

Many experts also note the emergence of specialised agencies focussing on influencer marketing and devoting all their time in managing a talent pool of influencers. One such example in Bangkok is Gushcloud, a talent-centric company in the marketing and entertainment space. With offices in 13 countries spanning Asia, Europe and North America, they draw on a large network of talent in various industries.

At The Sponsorship Experts we have spent the past decade and a half growing our network, particularly in sports, working with some of the largest rights holders in the industry. Our network consists of thousands of contacts in the public and private domain, including a number of the worlds leading brands, agencies and cultural organisations.

Paul Poole (South East Asia) Co., Ltd. is an independent marketing consultancy based in Bangkok, Thailand specialising in commercial sponsorship and partnership marketing, working with both rights holders and brands - acting as a catalyst by bringing them together and maximising the relationship.

We have packaged, sold and managed sponsorship and partnership opportunities for a wide range of rights holders and worked with many of the world’s leading brands to source and engage the right sponsorships and partnerships for them to maximise.



Please contact us for more information: Tel./Fax: +66 2622 0605 – 7 Email: info@paulpoole.co.th