According to a research from global influencer marketing agency TAKUMI, since the outbreak of COVID-19, 70% of marketers are now more likely to use creators in brand campaigns, and 69% agree that influencer marketing budgets represent a larger proportion of their overall marketing budget. The research also revealed that influencer marketing was the only marketing channel to increase in effectiveness since the start of the pandemic. 46% of consumers have been influenced to buy a product or service by a creator since in the last 12-months – rising from 34% in 2019. The influence of ‘recommendation from someone you trust’ is actually rising among older generations of consumers, from 57% among 16- to 24-year-olds and 25- to 34-year-olds to 61% among 35- to 44-year-olds. YouTube was the most effective channels when it came to engagement, with 56% of UK and US consumers increasing engagement with the platform since the outbreak of COVID-19. The research highlighted a disconnect between consumers and marketers over diversity and inclusion in the industry, with just 28% of UK and US consumers believing that brands’ influencer marketing content adequately represents diversity in society, compared to 62% of marketers. Encouragingly however, marketers are listening to the frustrations of consumers, with 67% using influencers from more diverse backgrounds in campaigns now than they did before the pandemic. The research also explored how marketers can work with influencers in the context of politics and brand activism: 38% of consumers believe social media influencers should be used as a platform to drive awareness and change on pressing social issues. 59% of marketers are anxious about working with influencers who are vocal about politics and social causes. 60% of marketers believe creators communicate about political and social issues better than brands.
