💕Influencer Marketing Guide for Hospitality

Everything you need to know to run an effective campaign

Dec 15, 2023

"People can break through the noise. People trust people.
Influence is about relationships."
Ty Heath

The term "influencer" is divisive in the hospitality industry, yet there’s no denying that influencer marketing has transformed how many brands interact with their customers.

Many consumers seek ways to reduce uncertainty; social media influencers can provide the trust people need to feel safe about their decisions.

Some brands, however, question whether using the process is worth the time, effort and expenditure. Plenty of 'so-called influencers' and 'fake' bloggers claim to offer valuable services and opportunities for your business but end up costing you money, time, or resources.

In this guide, I'll share my advice for creating an influencer Marketing campaign that gets results.

Why is Influencer Marketing Important for Hospitality?

Working with influencers has become essential for hotels, resorts, and restaurants to expand their reach, increase brand awareness, and boost conversions.

The pandemic and trends in youth consumption habits have increased influencer impact on younger audiences. In fact, influencers disproportionately influence Generation Z and Millennials.

Here's what's important to people when engaging with influencers

Authenticity 88%
Funny and engaging 88%
Knowledgeable 85%
Intelligent and thoughtful 83%
Interests similar to me 83 %
Good taste and trust recommendations 78%

These results align with the Source Credibility Theory, which says credibility is based on expertise, attractiveness, and trustworthiness. Similarity is added to this. An influencer's popularity is directly related to perceptions of credibility and trustworthiness.

An influencer's expertise is how knowledgeable or experienced they are in their niche and how well the recommendation fits their audience.

An influencer's attractiveness is physical (i.e., perceived beauty) and social (i.e., likability and familiarity - this is why measuring engagement rate and how they converse with their audience should be assessed when selecting an influencer to work with.

Social media has made fame more quantifiable - people measure influencers by how many followers they have. Influencers and their fans share similar backgrounds, interests, attitudes, social statuses, and lifestyles.

Influencers' trustworthiness is often determined by their authority, objectivity, and perceived expertise. Informed audiences examine ad disclosures to determine whether an influencer has a conflict of interest.

Similarity is thought to be the key to how trends start, where audiences believe they need what influencers use. Influencers also speak to customers' ideal self-image.

Where Do Influencers Sit in the Value Chain?

Influencers sit at the awareness stage of the marketing value chain, as they are often used to create brand awareness and influence the decision-making process of potential customers. Influencers are also often used to build trust and credibility with potential customers, which can help increase sales and loyalty.

As traditional advertising loses ground, authenticity in influencer marketing gains importance. Consumers are looking for genuine influencers they can trust.

Brands need to collaborate with influencers who are transparent about their paid partnerships and who create content that aligns with their personal brand.

"People are posting a lot less on public social media…and so
your feed is no longer made up of your high school friends or
your prom date from seven years ago.
Now you're just seeing people who are professionally entertaining you."

Sasha Kaletsky - Creator Ventures

The majority of researchers recognise the strategic commercial value of working with influencers.

Creating a company culture with more equality, inclusivity and diversity.
Generally more affordable than OOH and print campaigns
Solves the problem of Ad blockers.
Engaging with harder-to-reach communities, such as youth groups or community minorities.
Capturing first-party data.
Increasing media exposure
Increasing positive sentiment
Re-engaging previous customers
Cultivating brand champions with consumer authority
Exploring unique cultural perspectives
Improving SEO (particularly important now as the latest Google update shows more social posts in the search results)

Challenges of Influencer Marketing

It's important to carefully consider your objectives, influencer type, and budget when selecting the type of influencers to partner with for your hospitality marketing campaigns.

Do you have the resources and capabilities needed for a campaign?

Cost
Creative Strategy
Measuring Results
Management of the Campaign

Is An Influencer Campaign Right for Your Business?

Generally, it's a good fit for hospitality businesses that meet these criteria:

Located in a visually appealing area
Furnished to a high-quality
Have the 'wow' factor
Are independent or part of small chains
Have an established social media presence
Regularly track social media and website stats
Offer unique or exclusive experiences
Have a story or heritage to share
Showcase local culture or cuisine
Have a target demographic that aligns with influencers' followers
Are willing to offer incentives for influencers
Have the capacity to handle increased traffic and bookings
Are proactive in communication and collaboration with influencers
Have a team dedicated to content creation and campaign management
Are open to feedback and suggestions from influencers
Have the ability to measure the success of influencer campaigns

Defining Your Objectives

A campaign can have multiple objectives, such as raising awareness and boosting sales. However, it is advisable to have only a few goals per campaign. The more objectives you try to achieve at once, the more you will weaken your message and lose the customer's attention.

Establishing one or two goals to achieve and concentrating your efforts on them is better. You can always run other campaigns to meet different needs rather than trying to incorporate all objectives into a single campaign.

Campaign Objective Examples

Raising brand awareness
Increasing digital traffic
Generating bookings during slow times
Event bookings
Exploring untapped markets
Getting more direct bookings
Opening ceremony
Giveaways
New Menu Launch
Dish Development

Once you've set your objectives, you can identify which type of influencer is best suited to your campaign.

Types of Influencers

Mega/Celebrity Influencers 1M+

There are often household names like Kim Kardashian in the social media world. Influencers in this tier are usually the most expensive and comprise a small percentage of the global influencer network.

Because their audiences are so large, their engagement rates are also low. There is a good chance that some people follow the influencer because so many others are, not necessarily because they have anything in common.

When to Use: Mega influencers, also known as celebrities, have a massive following and a broad reach. They can help generate widespread brand awareness and attract a large audience.

When Not to Use: Working with mega influencers can be expensive, and their partnerships may lack the authenticity and relatability of nano or micro-influencers.

Macro Influencers 300k-1M

Macro-influencers are often full-time creators or have representation and are experienced professionals.

They are often well-versed in the industry standards and expectations of both parties. These influencers are an excellent option for campaigns to increase brand reach.

Macro influencers have a broad appeal and a significant following. They are often social media stars, bloggers, vloggers, or podcasters.

When to Use: Working with macro influencers can help increase brand awareness and reach a larger audience.

When Not to Use: Engagement rates may be lower than nano or micro-influencers, and their partnerships may have a higher price tag.

Mid-Tier 50k-300k

A mid-tier influencer is in the middle of their career but is working towards becoming a full-time influencer. They have a larger following than micro-influencers and are considered experts in their respective fields.

Their engagement rates are generally higher than their colleagues at higher levels. Due to their familiarity with the industry, these influencers will ask for more than a product exchange.

When to Use: Working with a mid-tier influencer can help a brand increase its reach and generate more leads.

When Not to Use: A mid-tier influencer may not be the best choice when a brand wants to target a particular audience, as they tend to have a larger following and broader reach than micro-influencers.

Micro-Influencers 5k-50k

Micro-influencers typically have higher engagement rates, making them a good choice for campaigns where the objective is for the audience to take action.

You will find a more diverse range of experiences among micro-influencers. Some are experienced and charge higher prices, while others may be less well-known, charge less, or prioritise receiving free products to supplement their fees.

When to Use: Collaborating with micro-influencers allows you to target a particular audience and generate focused leads

When Not to Use: Reach is less extensive than macro or mega influencers.

Nano Influencers 1k-5k

Nano-influencers pose an exciting opportunity as they know their real-life followers and typically have higher engagement rates. They have a close relationship with their followers and are known for their authenticity and relatability.

When to Use: Working with nano influencers can be cost-effective, making them an ideal choice for small- to mid-sized hospitality businesses with limited marketing budgets.

When Not to Use: Reach limited compared to influencers with larger followings.

What to Look For in an Influencer

Personality

During your campaign, influencers will be close business associates. For this reason, choosing people you and your colleagues consider a good match for a collaboration is essential.

Successful cooperation requires reliability, honesty, and professionalism.

Authenticity

Influencer marketing relies on authentic identity. The essence of this philosophy is the idea of living one's values and not conforming to ideals that don't align with them.

Experts have identified authentic identity as a key variable in influencer marketing's successful outcomes.

To assess authenticity, scroll through the captions of the influencer's normal and sponsored Instagram posts.

You should look for videos or photos related to food, drink and travel. Look for well-written captions that convey a story.

Influencers should use captions that are helpful to their audiences for sponsored posts. An influencer may describe why they're promoting the brand's products or services or why they love the brand.

Values

Before discussing a collaboration, check with influencers to see if their values align with your brand.

Review the influencers' social media bios, photos, videos and captions to understand their values. Some bios may reveal their likes and dislikes, which brands they may be ambassadors for, or what causes they support.

Reliability

You must choose reliable influencers to ensure your collaboration runs smoothly and effectively. A slow communicator, for example, can prevent you from completing collaborations on time.

Trustworthy influencers will typically respond to all your messages promptly and professionally.

Influencer Marketing platforms may carry reviews. View the feedback brands left potential partners during previous collaborations to learn more about their experiences.

Content

Influencers should be able to craft sponsored content that will reach and resonate with your target audience.

Consider these elements:

Storytelling
Aesthetic
Quality of imagery and written word
Level of creativity
Values
Relatability
Personality
Lighting
How they engage with followers
An influencer who promotes products on an hourly basis will lose credibility quickly.

A good balance should be struck between editorial content and content that showcases brands or products. Followers' comments can be a good indicator of whether an influencer is spammy and overdoing it.

Reputation

Research the influencer's reputation within the industry. Look for past controversies or negative associations that could harm your brand's image.

Conduct a thorough background check across all social media channels and Google searches to ensure that the influencer has a history of professionalism and ethical conduct.

Connections to Other Influencers

How well connected is the influencer in social networks - and even elsewhere - with other opinion leaders?

Having other opinion leaders share your postings would be ideal for spreading the word beyond the influencer network.

Because of this, it often makes sense to favour well-connected influencers.

Assess the Fit

Consider their content, engagement, reputation, and alignment with your brand values. Ensure that their audience demographics align with your target market.

Look for alignment with your target audience in terms of age, location, interests, and preferences. Social media can provide valuable insights into audience demographics.

Review the influencer's portfolio, past collaborations, and content quality. Look for consistency in their brand partnerships and assess if their previous work aligns with your brand image.

Ensure that their content meets your quality standards.

Performance Data

Influencer performance data is an essential aspect of the selection process, and you can find out a lot about an influencer by reviewing their performance data and interviewing them beforehand. Ask them for details of:

Follower count
Reach
Engagement ratios
Types of engagement, e.g. likes, comments, save , sticker taps, swipe-ups
Platforms on which influencers are most active
Topic, quality, and frequency of posts
Previous partnerships
Audience sentiment

Engagement Rate

Engagement rates indicate how well an audience reacts with and engages with an influencer's content. Influencers with a good engagement rate show their audiences care about what they publish.

You should check whether the influencers take the time to respond to their followers. Influencers who respond quickly to comments build lasting relationships with their followers. As a result, their followers are likely more engaged with the content they share.

Longevity

Assess the potential for a long-term partnership with the influencer.

Building a long-term relationship can benefit both parties as it allows for consistent brand messaging and a deeper connection with the audience.

Look for influencers who have a track record of successful long-term collaborations.

Red Flags

While influencer marketing can be highly effective, there are certain red flags and mistakes to watch out for. By avoiding these pitfalls, you can ensure the success of your campaigns and protect your brand's reputation.

Here are some common red flags and mistakes to avoid:

An influencer likely buys followers if a community grows unnaturally fast but not consistently.
How much does the influencer's engagement rate depend on likes? Likes only could be a sign of fake followers. The same is true for comments made up of single words such as "Wow", "nice" or "great".
Check whether the influencer has accounts on other social networks. An Instagram profile by itself is rather unusual.
Influencers have low-quality content, but they have large followings nonetheless.
Influencers produce very little content but are highly engaged or have a large following.
The influencer's followers have the following traits: little to no content, no profile photos, weird usernames, anonymous profiles, suspicious follower-to-follower ratios, copied bios, and stock photos for their profile pictures.
It has only been a short time since they created their Instagram profiles, but they already have a large following.
Content published by influencers quickly gains a large number of likes immediately after publishing.
The influencers' videos have low views compared to their follower size.

A word of caution - even if influencers' Instagram profiles display one or more of the abnormalities listed above, it does not mean they are fake.

You need to examine their Instagram profiles in context and as a whole.

Profiles with a sudden surge in followers may have been featured on the Instagram Discover Page rather than buying fake followers. So, take long-term trends into account.

Other Red Flags to be aware of are

Lack of Uniformity in Branding

Fake influencers often don't create a consistent brand identity, so look for logos or materials that don't match or are poorly designed.

Promoting Too Many Brands

Influencers may lose their efficacy when they promote too many brands.

Requests for Payment in Advance

Scammers commonly demand payment before any service is delivered and falsely claim this is a regular practice.

Authentic collaborations will always involve clear terms and payment plans that are typically only processed after the services have been provided.

Offers that are 'Too Good To Be True'

If an offer appears too advantageous to be authentic, it likely is.

Be wary of claims of quick expansion, tremendous publicity, or excessively high remuneration; these should raise your suspicions.

Vague on Details

When collaborating, make sure to have clear stipulations regarding what is expected of each party, when it needs to be completed, and how the influencer will be compensated.

If any of these details need to be clarified, ask the influencer for more information.

Be wary if the individual you are working with is not forthcoming with details.

Lack of Professionalism

Look for influencers responding promptly to messages, meeting deadlines, and maintaining a positive online presence.

Lack of professionalism can lead to miscommunication and frustrate the success of your campaigns.

Be wary of any abrupt alterations in collaboration requirements or demands for extra payments after a contract is finalised.

Genuine collaborative efforts stay open and keep to the officially agreed-upon terms.

Incompatible Values

Make sure that the influencer's values align with your brand's values.

Avoid working with influencers who have controversial or conflicting beliefs, as it can negatively impact your brand's reputation.

They Can’t Cook

This applies to Food Bloggers; it’s always been my rule that if a food blogger can’t cook, how can they effectively appreciate the work, techniques and ingredients that have gone into your dishes?

Influencer Checklist

To maximise influencer marketing, you must find the best fit for your brand. When doing your research, find the answers to the following questions:

How long has this person been an influencer?
If they are paid influencers, do they have the appropriate licenses? (country-dependent)
Do they disclose paid or sponsored content?
Do they have an engaged audience?
What is their reputation like?
Who has worked with them before – and were their previous clients happy with the results?
What are other people saying about the influencer?
Have they been involved in any scandals or negative press?
Do they genuinely influence your area of the market?
Do they genuinely believe in the products and services they endorse?
How many people are they following, and how does this compare to the number of people following them?
Do the posts show authentic engagement?
How frequently do they post?
Are they community builders?
Are they building long-term relationships with their followers?
Are they an engaging storyteller?
Are they connected to other influencers?

Brand Fit

Does their personality align with the brand personality?
Do their values align with our brand values?
Do they respond to emails and messages quickly?
Does the content meet Google EEAT criteria? Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness
Will they add value to your brand?

Connecting with Influencers and Creators

Once you've selected the influencers you want to work with, it's time to initiate the outreach process and establish a strong relationship.

When setting up your initial meeting, contact the influencer on the platform they are active on; this shows them that you are aware of who they are and what they do and that you have a genuine interest in working with them.

When conducting this stage, be polite and honest – a negative response to your collaboration request may not just result in the influencer refusing to work with you but could also cause damage to your reputation if they went on to share their opinion or experience of you with followers.

Keep your approach simple – briefly explain your campaign and the values that drive it, outline the objectives and state the intended time frame for this to take place.

Once the influencer knows more about the campaign, they can tell you if they are interested and if they are – then you can provide more detailed information.

If you ask the influencer to look at sensitive or unreleased materials that may affect your brand, asking them to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) will offer additional protection.

Don't be afraid to ask for opinions; influencers, by the nature of their job, are often aware of new trends or waning ones before anyone else – their insight is valuable, and if they offer it or are prepared to share it – you should take the time to listen.

Some influencers may not respond, some may say no, and it's important to make a note of these people for future marketing strategies – you don't want to spend time and resources contacting people who aren't interested in your business.

You should tailor your outreach messages to each influencer. By referencing their past work or recent posts, you can demonstrate that you have done your research.

Personalised outreach shows that you value the influencer's expertise and are genuinely interested in collaborating. Once you get a favourable response, it's time to assemble a framework of responsibility, communication and deliverability.

Be transparent about your campaign objectives, deliverables, and compensation. Clearly outline what you expect from the influencer, including content creation, posting schedules, and usage rights.

Setting clear expectations helps avoid misunderstandings and ensures a smooth collaboration.

If you are writing outreach messages, keep these best practices in mind:

Keep your messages brief; the whole message should be visible on a mobile screen.
Do not use the same generic email for everyone.
Don't forget to make your messages actionable. It should be easy for the influencer to schedule a time and date to speak.
Begin a conversation. This is more important than immediately proposing.
The most powerful way to open a dialogue is to provide upfront value directly benefiting the influencer.

By proving what you can do, you are proving your credibility and are more likely to get a positive response.

Negotiating Prices and Use of Content

Be open-minded and willing to compromise during negotiations. Consider the influencer's suggestions and understand their perspective.

Long-term partnerships can be fostered through good faith negotiations:

Determine Fair Compensation

Consider the influencer's reach, engagement, content quality, and industry expertise when determining a fair price. Take into account the influencer's time, effort, and production costs.

Research industry benchmarks and competitor collaborations to gain insights into prevailing rates.

In addition to monetary compensation, consider offering value to the influencer beyond payment. This could include exposure to your brand's audience, access to exclusive experiences, or complimentary products or services.

Providing additional value can strengthen the partnership and enhance the influencer's motivation to promote your brand.

Content Usage Rights

Clearly define the usage rights of influencer-generated content. Determine the timeframes and platforms on which the content can be used.

Make sure both parties agree on ownership and distribution. Discuss any limitations or restrictions on the use of the content.

Content Approval

Requiring content approval before publication is more efficient than controlling content production.

Of course, hospitality businesses need to verify the information influencers communicate. In some cases, wrong information may lead to legal liabilities. In other situations, influencers may use a product or service incorrectly.

Approval before publication is the best way to balance the necessary creativity of influencer marketing with the risk of misinformation.

Contract & Terms

Please note this does not constitute legal advice; you should have any contracts reviewed by a legal professional.

When creating an influencer Campaign, you and your influencer must know exactly what is expected, how it should be delivered, and when they are expected to deliver it.

By having a written contract, you can address each stage of the campaign point by point. This provides clarity, a point of reference, and additional security should the campaign not go as expected.

The content of your contract will largely depend on what your campaign is setting out to achieve, but it should include:

Timeframes and Deadlines
Agreed Upon Check-In Times
Types of Content to Be Produced
Quantity of Content Items
Required Hashtags, Tags and Links
Guidelines or Expectations for the Appearance of the Content
Tone of Content
Exclusion of Competitors when posting
Non-Disclosure Agreement
Restrictions (e.g. The content from the influencer must not include or allude to gambling)
Disclosure Agreement
Relevant Licenses required by law (where applicable)

Here are some key elements to include in the influencer agreement:

Scope of Work: Clearly define the deliverables, content creation requirements, and posting schedules.
Compensation: Specify the compensation terms, including payment amounts, methods, and timelines.
Usage Rights: Address the usage rights of influencer-generated content, including copyright, timeframes and platforms.
Exclusivity: Determine if the influencer will have exclusivity in promoting competing brands during the partnership.
Compliance: Ensure that the influencer agrees to comply with platform guidelines regarding disclosure of sponsored content.
Confidentiality: Protect sensitive information by including a confidentiality clause in the agreement.
Termination Clause: Specify the conditions under which either party can terminate the agreement.
Dispute Resolution: Include a clause outlining the process for resolving any possible disputes. This might include non-disparagement and non-delivery.

Types of Influencer Campaigns

Brand Ambassadors

A brand ambassador role is usually a form of long-term partnership. Influencers become the face of a brand for a period of time.

In contrast to a one-off campaign, an influencer supporting a brand they genuinely love appears more authentic and genuine to your audience.

The result is that these types of collaborations resonate particularly well with target audiences.

Product Collaborations

Allow influencers to lead a project creatively; they know their audience well, so trust them.

Giving their audiences the ability to make what they want real means they'll be more invested in their favourite influencers' products and more likely to buy them.

Just look at what KSI and Logan Paul did with Prime

Host Giveaways or Competitions

Contests and giveaways are a great way to boost brand awareness and expose your brand to new audiences.

Use an influencer's following to promote your contest or collaborate with them to host it yourself. You should be creative with your giveaway and the entry requirements to engage new audiences with your brand.

Through giveaways and competitions, you can also increase your social following, engagement, and email list.

In the entry requirements, you should include following your social media accounts or subscribing to your email newsletter.

Campaign Assessment & Strategy Readjustment

Once the campaign ends, you'll need to review the results.

If you've supported your influencer and been involved throughout, you should know the venture's success and areas needing improvement.

It is important, when reviewing the results, that you ask:

What succeeded?
What didn't succeed?
Did the project run smoothly?
Were all deadlines met?
Was the right audience targeted?
Were there any surprise results – positive or negative?

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that you might look to use are:

Quality of Content Pieces
Engagement Rates
Quality of Comments
Mentions / Tags
Performance of Posts
Finally, you need to ask yourself – was this the right influencer for this campaign?

The information you can gather through influencer marketing will allow you to develop future campaigns and inform your marketing and advertising strategies. It gives you an insight into your customers, how they respond and what they are looking for.

What to Do if the Campaign Fails

Influencer marketing campaigns may not always yield the desired results despite careful planning. If a campaign fails to meet expectations, it's important to take proactive steps to address the situation.

Here's what you can do:

Analyse the Factors

Evaluate the factors that may have contributed to the campaign's lack of success.

Consider content quality, audience targeting, messaging, timing, or external factors beyond your control. Identifying the root causes can help inform future campaigns.

Communicate with the Influencer

Engage in open and honest communication with the influencer. Share your concerns and discuss potential areas for improvement.

Collaborate on identifying strategies to salvage the campaign or explore alternative approaches. Maintaining a positive and constructive relationship can lead to future successful collaborations.

Learn from the Experience

View the failed campaign as a learning opportunity. Assess the insights gained, both positive and negative, and apply them to future campaigns.

Continuously adapt and refine your influencer marketing strategies based on the lessons learned. Remember, if it can be measured, it can be managed.

Consider Adjustments or New Partnerships

If the influencer's content or approach did not resonate with your target audience, consider adjusting your messaging or exploring new partnerships.

Experiment with different types of influencers, content formats, or platforms to find the most effective approach for your brand.

Remember, even if a campaign fails, it does not necessarily reflect negatively on your brand. Document the experience and learnings, and use it to inform your future campaigns.

Maintaining a Long-term Relationship

Brands and influencers should form long-term, ongoing projects rather than one-off sponsored posts. A long-term marketing campaign with an influencer is often more effective than a short or one-off.

Unless there are serious problems with the influencer, you should stay in contact and establish a relationship with your influencer. They are highly valuable, and their reputation will be tied to yours – adding authenticity and credibility to your brand.

Building trust and a good reputation with influencers will naturally see customers associate those qualities with your brand and their experience, giving them more reasons to keep coming back and spending with you again and again.

Foster Authentic Relationships

Your relationships with influencers are based on trust and mutual respect.

Engage in meaningful conversations, respond to their comments and messages, and show appreciation for their work. Authentic relationships can lead to long-term partnerships and enthusiastic brand ambassadors.

Invest in nurturing long-term relationships with influencers who consistently deliver results. Long-term partnerships allow deeper brand integration, increased trust, and enhanced audience connection.

Consider exclusive collaborations, ambassador programs, or co-creating content with influencers to strengthen relationships and stay culturally connected.

Co-create Content

Collaborate with influencers to co-create content. Involve them in brainstorming sessions, content ideation, and campaign planning.

Including influencers in the creative process lets you leverage their expertise and make sure the content resonates.

Provide Exclusive Experiences

Offer influencers exclusive experiences related to your brand. This could include complimentary stays at your hotel, VIP access to events, or personalised services.

Providing unique and memorable experiences can deepen the influencer's connection with your brand and foster loyalty.

Supporting Your Influencer on a Long-Term Campaign

Once the campaign runs, the assumption is that the influencer will provide the content on time and in the agreed-upon voice. However, you should not take a 'set it and forget it' approach to the campaign.

It is important to keep in mind that your influencer is a person, and your support is important.

When asked what influencers value when working with brands, 31% responded 'Support with creating content', with a further 28% answering 'exclusive information'.

The support you can offer your influencer not only informs and aids them in promoting your brand but also builds up your relationship with them – the more they have to love about you and your brand, the more they'll share that with their audience.

Regular check-ins should be agreed upon in advance, as well as the ability to contact a Project or Team Manager should the influencer need to.

Ensure influencers receive ongoing support by promoting their content, engaging with their audience, and sharing their success stories. Actively participate in their social media channels, comment on their posts, and amplify their reach.

Demonstrating your commitment to their success can strengthen the partnership.

The Future of Influencer Marketing

Niche-specific influencers are becoming more prevalent. Their expertise in their niche makes them even more desirable to brands in those industries.

As influencers become more specialised, the language used to describe them is also evolving, with terms like "creators" or "content creators" becoming more common.

Increasingly, the creator economy is turning social media networks into global distribution platforms.

By 2027, the creator economy is forecasted to be a $480 billion industry, almost double the sector's current value of $250 billion, it's currently worth, according to a report from Goldman Sachs.

These creators include social media influencers, web content creators, bloggers, podcasters, videographers, consultants, and the tech brands that facilitate that growth and monetisation.

Brands Appoint Chief Influence Officers

As influencer marketing becomes recognised as a field in its own right, brands will likely give formal titles to those in charge of this specialised field.

Training institutions will adapt their curriculum to offer influencer marketing training and recognised qualifications.

Rise of the Petfluencers

There is big money in being a pet influencer, and brands are starting to take notice.

The Westminster Kennel Club began promoting its 2020 Best of Show on TikTok. It featured videos from leading pet influencers—like Loki, the golden retriever—to hype the event. The video from Loki received close to three million views!

Interestingly, the top pet influencers earn a lot of money.

"On average, a pet e with 10,000 followers is getting around $1–2K per post; someone with 500,000 followers earns around $5K per post, and someone with more than 1 million followers is in the $10K range," Loni Edwards, CEO - The Dog Agency

Does your venue offer a paw-sitive experience? (#sorrynotsorry)

Affiliate Programs & Live Shopping

There is an increasing interconnection between influencer marketing and affiliate marketing. In addition to recommending products, influencers are also becoming brand affiliates. Influencers work harder because they know they will be paid for their results.

Consumer preferences are shifting toward seamless shopping experiences. Shoppable e-commerce allows influencers to convert their content into direct sales channels.

With integrated product links and affiliate partnerships, influencers can guide their audience from discovery to purchase with a single click. This expands a brand's reach, boosts ROI, and provides influencers with more monetisation opportunities.

This trend cultivates a more immersive shopping experience, blurring the lines between content and commerce. Harnessing the power of shoppable e-commerce will shape the future of influencer marketing, creating a seamless and gratifying shopping journey for followers.

Diversity & Representation

Society is placing greater emphasis on diversity and representation, as reflected in influencer marketing.

Influencer agencies are starting to focus on representing underrepresented groups, working exclusively with brands that share their passion for diversifying media.

Increased Spend on TikTok Influencers

Influencers and brands alike have embraced TikTok. It is estimated that there are currently more than 1 billion users of this service worldwide, and experts predict that it will continue to grow in popularity through 2024.

Brands are expected to double their spending on TikTok influencer marketing by 2024 nearly.

Short video content dominates the social media landscape.

Platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, Snapchat Spotlight, and YouTube Shorts are all capitalising on this trend, and many influencer collaborations now feature short video creatives to deliver their messages.

Employee Brand Advocacy

Employee-driven or employee-based content is set to increase. Brands are beginning to treat their own employees as influencers through employee advocacy programs. This approach can significantly impact sales and how brands are perceived and attract top talent.

Influencer Marketing Take-Aways

In the hospitality industry, influencer marketing has become an essential brand strategy.

Hotels, resorts, and restaurants can expand their audience and increase brand awareness by effectively tapping into an influencer's engaged audience through ongoing collaborations.

Successful influencer marketing requires careful planning, sourcing and vetting of influencers, effective outreach and relationship management, and continuous evaluation and adaptation.

Following the guidelines and strategies outlined here, you can deploy a successful influencer marketing campaign that delivers meaningful results.

Here's To Your Success 🥂