Think of an influencer that you follow. What is the most endearing characteristic of that influencer? No doubt, authenticity ranks right up there with the best of them. Before we barrel ahead into our feature presentation, it’s worth defining authenticity from an influencer/follower perspective. An authentic person is genuine. These people are true to themselves and project their values, principles, and beliefs to their followers. Anyone can spot a cheap fake a mile away because they are inauthentic. When we talk about influencer currency, we’re talking about those characteristics that magnetize us to our favorite influencers. Charisma, style, expertise, pomp, and ceremony all factor into the equation. But the X-factor is authenticity.

 

Influencers aside, everyone gravitates towards authentic people. We may not always like what they have to say, and even if their message doesn’t resonate with us, we still consider them genuine. People who flip-flop on issues quickly lose credibility. They say one thing today and something completely different tomorrow. Authentic people tend to be consistent, transparent, and hopefully honest. It’s perfectly acceptable for an influencer to pivot on topics while staying true to their core values, beliefs, and principles. These influencers create long-term relationships with their followers because that’s what loyalty and a sense of community are all about. With that said, it’s time to look at some hot influencer marketing trends.

 

High Production Quality: Coherence and Evolution

The first marketing trend is easy: High Production Quality. Audiences want so much more than a polished presentation. Because a shiny, glossy cover isn’t enough to translate into trust. In fact, overly polished material can actually work against an influencer because it feels rehearsed. People want to see a real person living authentically. Clickbait is easy to spot, and it doesn’t serve audiences well. Actually, there has been a shift toward rawness as a unique form of credibility. We see it all around us, in the influencers on the political stage. Years ago, diplomacy was the order of the day – today it’s all raw emotion, bluntness, and in-your-face messaging. Quite a difference from back then! And to many people, off-the-cuff communication is surprisingly refreshing.

 

Coherence is incredibly important too. It’s about being sensible with alignment between words and deeds. As followers, we expect [and demand] truth in what we’re being told and shown. If an influencer is being paid to promote a product or service, we should be told as much As everyone knows, paid promotions are not authentic. They are all about marketing gobbledygook. Sure, we can handle a bit of marketing spin here and there, but the best enticements and motivations come from authentic interactions and actions. That’s where coherent and forthright messaging is prioritized. Everything should be closely aligned with influencer and audience expectations. We – the consumers – are not dartboards for anything that’s thrown at us.

 

Talk to Your Followers: Exclusive Interactions with the Audience

Anyone who is trying to please everyone is bound to fail. Influencers who succeed understand they have a target market to serve. It’s so important to narrow the focus to the specified audience with exclusive interactions that resonate deeply. You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all the people all of the time – ever heard a variation of that before? Top-performing influencers don’t post for everyone; they post for their people. We see evidence of this with smaller influencers – micro and mini-influencers with niche audiences. That’s why the loyalty, bonds, and connections are so much stronger in authentic communities.

 

Remember the dartboard analogy? We’re not really consumers in the traditional sense with influencers, but we are followers.  That said, it is our choice to follow an influencer, and our patronage is the reward they receive for their high-quality content. We’re pretty specific about our tastes and preferences, and we’ve got a good idea of where our boundaries lie. Niche creators are hot property right now – they focus their energy on specific audiences, and they’re hitting bullseyes with their targeted material. It all circles back to trust, and that takes time and effort to cultivate.