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It鈥檚 no secret that 2020 has changed the world in more ways than one.聽And聽with digital communications moving faster than ever before,聽many of us are questioning if聽it鈥檚聽just a phase or聽if it聽will聽stick around?聽And influencer marketing is just one industry that has adapted with the current times and聽adopting a digital-first approach.聽Amelia Neate, Senior Manager at the Midlands-based agency聽Influencer Matchmaker,聽explains how COVID-19 has impacted the聽industry from a digital perspective and whether it will continue into聽2021.

Influencer Marketing Has Become Digital-First

Just like many other industries, we have been thrust into an era where businesses have had to adapt and digitise to meet the new-found needs of consumers.聽Typically speaking, the influencer marketing industry is renowned for hosting lavish events for press, product launches and workshops. However, due to current restrictions in the UK, social distancing and the guidelines set out by the government, such events are no longer able to go ahead.聽With that being said, the industry has had to think on its feet and adapt quickly. We are quite fortunate that a lot of what we do is already online, however 2020 has been a year like no other and things have changed quite dramatically.

It isn鈥檛 just influencers that have had to change and alter, though. Brands too have had to adapt to a completely new way of聽working聽by聽being聽thrust into the deep end with no option but to learn as they go.聽For many, this hasn鈥檛 been too challenging due to the natural nature of the industry, however in today鈥檚 world, we simply have no choice. It is crucial for brands to become聽digital-first businesses聽in order to succeed and keep up.聽And many have managed to achieve just that.聽And with聽Zoom users increasing by 2,000%,聽will live streaming continue into聽2021?

Influencers Go Live

Throughout the course of lockdown, Instagram feeds were filled with our favourite influencers going live to keep us company. From general chats and daily check-ins to live fitness sessions and book clubs, social media influencers took to the changes like a duck to water. A聽social media聽platform鈥檚 live feature provides a better source of interaction between the influencer and their audience. Any form of video content is also much more engaging and with it being filmed in real-time, it is a great way for followers to feel involved and better connected.

Many influencers have used this feature to get to better know their audience, their interests and what they want from the influencer-to-consumer relationship. Even now, as we come towards the light聽at the end聽of the lockdown-shaped tunnel, influencers are continuing to adopt this new digital-first strategy,聽incorporating the likes of Zoom, Skype and other live聽streaming features.聽And it looks like it鈥檚 here to stay.

Global skincare phenomenon聽Caroline Hirons聽has been a regular聽user聽of Instagram聽Live, both through lockdown and beyond. Using the feature to impart her expert knowledge as well as going live with some of her favourite brands, Caroline聽is just one of many who has implemented this strategy into her work.聽A firm favourite among聽fitness influencers, Instagram Live provides them with a platform to share real-time workout sessions and classes for their followers to get involved with.聽The likes of聽Gorka Marquez,聽Carly Rowena聽and聽Gemma Atkinson聽have all continued to use live聽streaming聽post-lockdown, too.

Brands Go Digital

It isn鈥檛 just influencers that have had to adapt to the times and the newfound fast pace of the industry.聽Digitising聽a brand may have been even more challenging than it was for influencers. Brands are so used聽to hosting events, product launches and holding their very own workshops, that for a short time, the pandemic put a hold to almost everything.聽But now, brands have become more digital-first than we could have imagined. When聽we thought such events would no longer be able to go ahead, we couldn鈥檛 have been more wrong. Brands simply took everything online.

Creating virtual events and workshops as well as hosting online launches, it meant that the industry could keep on moving and not just steadily, but at a rapid pace. This time of year is especially busy for press events and workshops, and a number of global beauty brands have pulled it out of the bag, creating virtual events for people to enjoy and attend wherever they may be.

Jo Malone took their yearly wreath-making masterclass online, hosting the event聽online.聽When people were unable to meet face-to-face, they were able to come together virtually. With packages sent to influencers鈥櫬爃omes with聽all of聽their wreath-making essentials,聽the brand was able to continue to raise awareness and host their usual events, although a little differently to normal.聽Also聽keen to keep up festive spirit and continue a long-lasting partnership with their favourite influencers, Viktor and Rolph created a 鈥楥hristmas at Home鈥� event. Sending聽out bespoke branded biscuits and a package filled with floral crafts, the fragrance brand invited聽the likes of聽Fleur De Force聽to attend their virtual press event.

Is Zoom Here to Stay?

Platforms such as Zoom and Skype allow brands and influencers to stay connected, regardless of where they are in the world. And location also plays a pivotal part in the influencer marketing industry. Not everybody lives in Central London or in big cities, and with travel restrictions in place for the foreseeable future, hosting virtual events is a great way聽for everybody to get involved.

Even without a pandemic, travel can be an issue for many, which is why many believe that live streaming is here to stay. We鈥檙e living in a world where digitisation and technology is firmly at the forefront of all industries, and if brands don鈥檛 embrace it, they may not be able to keep up.