According to the global influencer marketing agency, TAKUMI, marketers are spending more on influencer marketing than they were a year ago. The report was published today, unraveling the findings on the latest industry trends after surveying over 3,500 consumers, marketers, and influencers across the UK, US, and Germany. The report titled, ‘Into the mainstream: Influencer marketing in society’ uncovers opinions on ethics, diversity, misinformation, and new channels.

Important Marketing Intelligence Data

• 73% of marketers in the US, UK, and Germany allocated more resources to influencer marketing in the last 12 months, engaging talent across a wider channel mix including OOH (83.3%), print (80%) and TV & radio (81.3%)
• 41% of consumers agree that social media influencers should use their platforms to discuss current affairs and everyday activism, but 55% of marketers said they’d be anxious about working with an influencer who is vocal about social and political issues
• Over half of influencers in all three markets ranked diversity as the number one issue that needs to be considered by marketers
• One-fourth of the total number of consumers are more likely to source news updates and opinions from influencers than journalists and established news outlets

At the time of this announcement on the Influencer marketing budget, Mary Keane-Dawson, Group CEO of TAKUMI, said

“With 73% of marketers upping spend in influencer marketing, it is clearly a core pillar of any effective brand marketing strategy. We’ve known for a long-time that being platform-agnostic equals success with influencer marketing, which is why we launched TAKUMI X. And it appears marketers are starting to realize this too. They are now exploring new social media channels – such as TikTok – and are integrating creator content into their wider marketing mix including TV and OOH in line with consumer appetites.”

Today, even in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic and global slowdown, marketers are exploring additional social media channels to acquire, engage and retain audiences from all age groups and strata of the society. The report reveals that over the next year, marketers would invest resources on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Twitch and Triller.

Here is the breakdown of their analysis:

58% of marketers are considering working with influencers on YouTube, followed by a further 55% on Instagram, 35% on TikTok, 20% on Twitch, and 10% on Triller.

Better ROI: Influencer Marketing versus Traditional Advertising Channels

A quarter (25%) of 16-24-year-olds say Instagram is the most likely advertising platform to lead to a purchase and our research shows that marketers recognize the strong ROI potential, with almost two-thirds (60%) agreeing that influencer marketing provides better ROI for brand marketing campaigns compared with traditional advertising.

Social Media Influencers Have a Healthy Media Outreach

Nearly a quarter of consumers in the UK (24%) and Germany (23%), and 28% of US consumers are more likely to source news updates and opinions from influencers than journalists and established news outlets, rising to more than a third of 16-24-year-olds (38%), 25-34-year-olds (38%), and 35-44-year-olds (34%).

With this in mind, it’s unsurprising that 41% of consumers agree that social media influencers should use their platforms to discuss current affairs and everyday activism.

Social Media Revolution: Black Lives Matter, Me Too and We Race as One

As reflecting the Black Lives Matter movement: more than 50% of all content creators we surveyed said also that diversity was the number one issue that needs to be addressed by marketers and brands moving forward. Similarly, a quarter of influencers (25%) want to establish relationships with brands that are aligned with their moral standpoints – across diversity, the environment, and social issues.

Despite this, over half (55%) of marketers across the UK, US, and Germany said they would be anxious about working with an influencer who is vocal about social and political issues.

Mary added, “Despite growth, the industry cannot rest on its laurels. With conversations around diversity, equality and inclusivity gaining momentum in the industry and wider society, it’s clear that consumers are hungry for influencer marketing with a social conscience. Marketers need to consider how their influencer campaigns will champion progress and reflect the real lives and concerns of consumers if they want to remain relevant and compelling.”

Currently, TAKUMI offers influencer-led creative solutions for brands, enabling them to connect with audiences across social media in-depth and at scale.