With an average ROI (return on investment) of $6.50 for every $1 investment, there’s little wonder why brands are choosing to integrate influencer marketing into their marketing mix. Last year, 86 percent of marketers engaged influencers for branded promotions, and nearly 50% of them are looking to double their investment in 2017.

With budgets rising, it’s more important than ever to tap into the trends and plan strategies accordingly. Victoria Harrison, Managing Director at The Exposure Co., shares her top four predictions for Influencer Marketing in 2017.

Influencer marketing will become more accountable

As more brands and agencies turn to influencer marketing, the need for accountability will increase. Marketers need confirmation that it’s affecting their bottom line and will to look to metrics such as cost per engagement, sales and revenue lift to justify growing budgets.

The rise of the intimate influencer

While it was once the celebrity, top tier influencers that were considered the best pick, more brands are beginning to think otherwise. In such a lucrative industry, it will be the influencers who stay true to their audiences by providing value and inspiration, while balancing sponsorships cautiously, who will be the most sought after by brands.

Increase in cross-platform promotion

Say goodbye to the one-off sponsored posts, and hello to cross-platform promotion. This year we will see a rise in influencers mentioning brands on their multiple channels of influence. In addition to their carefully curated sponsored posts, influencers will be engaged to promote brands via Instagram stories, Snapchat and Facebook live. The raw, personable aspects of these channels help provide a new dimension to traditional sponsored posts and will be key to building increased brand awareness, value and trust.

Transparency between online and offline promotions

As influencers continue to grow in importance and value for brands, we can expect to see them engaged for more offline opportunities as part of their brand collaborations. Digital influencers will be invited to join their celebrity counterparts at offline launches, events and other appearances – with the expectation to document their experience online, of course!

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ABOUT THE EXPOSURE CO.

The Exposure Co. connects brands with leading Instagram and Snapchat influencers. The Australian based business was founded in 2013 to fill a need for a reliable and time efficient solution for brands seeking to identify and build effective relationships with influential Instagrammers. The Exposure Co. has built its success on looking beyond insta-celebs to match brands with multiple niche influencers and their more intimate audiences that are closely aligned to brands’ target demographics. The Exposure Co. boasts a network of more than 1,200 reliable Influencers with a total reach in excess of 50 million.