In 2023, influencer marketing will continue to grow, technological development will fragment channels and collaborations will be considered to a completely different extent than before. Dagmar’s influencer marketing experts Juuli Rantala, Mikko Wivolin and Susanna Öster highlight five influencer marketing trends that are worth following. 

1. Conceptualized content on the target group’s terms, giving up unnecessary 

onsumers are becoming more and more aware. Influencer partnerships are critically examined and content is wanted to be more useful, entertaining, meaningful and authentic. 

In 2023, we will invest in influencer conceptualization. A concept will be created for campaigns and partnerships that will make it easier for influencers to produce content that understands the life of the target group and supports the brand’s goals in a style that is natural to them. 

The aim is to better understand the needs of one’s own target group and their expectations from influencer communities and different channels. Now, at the latest, influencers and brands are stopping to think about what kind of collaborations their audience wants to see. Rough and mundane content can be more approachable than almost clinical content. The most functional content may need humour to stand out, as in Ernest Lawson’s commercial collaboration, or a really easy and quick tip or recipe, as in Ossi Lahtinen‘s collaboration. 

2. The power of influencers is being used more extensively 

Next year, influencer marketing will be more strategic, creative and multichannel. 

Influencer marketing builds  brand image and increases the attention value and impact of brand content at different touchpoints with one’s target group. When influencer marketing is strategically planned on an annual basis, influencer collaboration can be utilized extensively, from product development to internal marketing, events, earned visibility, media advertising… 

3. Influencers support value-based marketing 

In 2023, we will see even more value-based influencer actions. Influencers are used to communicate brand responsibility and shared values. 

No “light washes” go through anymore, whether they are related to ecology or social responsibility. They’re instantly buzzing. Brands are now required to take actions that really matter. 

For example, cosmetics brand Maybelline supports  people suffering from depression and anxiety with its Brave Together campaign by sharing information, tips for self-care and access to healthcare professionals. The campaign also utilises influencers, but they do not highlight Maybelline products in their content. 

Being value-based is also a great way to collaborate with other brands that share the same values. 

Reissumies’ bold campaign against the narrow male image in 2021 also gained great visibility  

4. Influencers help thoughtful buyers 

Customers are now considering their purchases more. According to Dagmar’s Consumption Change 08/22 survey, 31% of respondents now spend more time planning their purchases. 

In 2023, recommendations from trusted people, such as influencers, will weigh more than ever. Influencers allow brands to get closer to their target audience and hear people’s concerns. They can be answered, for example, by distributing inexpensive waste recipes or by sharing perspectives on financial management. In Vaasan Sähkö’s “Sauna when the wind” campaign, influencers encouraged people to schedule their electricity use at windy times, when electricity is more abundant and also cheaper. The message of the campaign was informative, socially useful and shared a concrete tip on how to save on your electricity bill. 

Influencers are also expected to give opinions and even share facts. People who are enthusiastic about a suitable topic are excellent advocates for genuinely responsible work, for example. Maintaining brand strength is especially important in difficult economic times. Influencer recommendations help brands acquire new customers, retain existing ones, and increase customer lifetime value. 

5. Measuring influencer marketing becomes clearer 

When influencer marketing is done more strategically and goal-oriented at the annual planning level, it becomes easier to choose success indicators and the effects of actions can be better compared to business goals. 

In 2023, reach and engagement data alone will no longer be enough, now the significance of influencers for brand image and conveying desired messages will be studied even more closely. Qualitative results are not obtained from the influencer’s performance report; Their development must be studied, for example, through campaign research. The  measurement of influencer marketing ROMI is also  increasing all the time. 

Influencer marketing is done more extensively throughout the customer path. The content is designed according to the needs of the different stages of the customer journey. At the same time, the indicators will be reconsidered and the impacts of actions will be studied on a more meaningful level.