Liz Gottbrecht is vice president of marketing at influencer marketing platform Mavrck
‘Tis the season for 2019 trends predictions, but as the industry looks to marketers to share their expert opinions on what to expect next year, there is another untapped source eager to weigh in on the conversation: influencers.
Influencers, by definition, have such rich, direct knowledge of the consumer and influencer spaces that including them at the point of initial campaign research, ideation, strategy and planning is among marketers’ single biggest opportunities for value in 2019.
As modern brands and marketers struggle to remain influential and trustworthy themselves, influencers are in the unique position to help bridge the gap for brands as insights consultants who enable marketers to set trends ahead of the curve.
Based on feedback from 105 micro- and macro-influencers across eight areas of expertise –fashion, food, travel, lifestyle and home, beauty, health and fitness, family and parenting, and film and music – these are the trends that influencers are keeping an eye on as we head into the New Year. Brands, pay attention.
Clean beauty
Ingredients they can pronounce and minimalist, recycled packaging are in this coming year for influencers and beauty-lovers alike. Sixty percent of beauty influencers surveyed noted green beauty and ethical skincare
To address these queries and more, customizable product lines and experiences are becoming a reality among companies that are starting to realize a one-size-fits-all approach does not work for influencers who choose to partner with these beauty brands.
Wanderlust
Eco resorts, glamping, dark tourism, van life, bike tours and minimalistic luggage are all a part of this trend towards exploring responsibly and straying beyond the Seven Wonders of the World.
As millennials continue to value experiences over material goods, influencers see travel as a key opportunity to flex social validation with economical and ethical wanderlust content and partnerships.
Influencers called out Mykonos, Portugal, Jordan and off-the-beaten-path destinations such as the Lofoten Islands in Norway.
Tastes pretty
From cute to colorful food combinations, looks matter, especially when it comes to the table.
Acai bowls, smoothies, buddha bowls, novelty-themed foods and matcha will continue to fill our feeds with vibrant and delicious content in the new year.
This trend is fueled by more influencers creating lifestyle content through which they can document their day-to-day, beautiful meals included.
Fresh and fast
More than ever, influencers are embracing the health and wellness trend. Their diets are cleaner, and their food is greener.
What is next?
One pot, one pan, one bowl meals dominate, with emphasis on vegan and farm-to-table fare.
To keep up with their busy lifestyles, influencers are very willing to partner with healthy delivery services, such as Hello Fresh, that are able to accommodate their health-conscious interests.
Creating content around food and cooking is a great way for vertical-specific influencers – fashion or fitness – to break into the lifestyle category, which we have seen as a trend in 2018.
Fitness in motion
Leaving runway standards for the supermodels, influencers are embracing beautiful muscles and strong bodies in 2019.
Female influencers inspire other women to take their places on the mat, with a trend towards strength-training and weight-lifting workout routines.
Fitness videos will continue to be a trend in 2019, as influencers leverage the power of video to create impactful, engaging fitness content to promote strong, healthy lifestyles.
Influencers looking to make careers out of fitness accounts, incorporating more video content, are going to invest in at-home equipment.
Capsule collections
The end of fast-fashion? Limited-edition outfit sets, kits, and capsule wardrobes will continue to reign supreme when it comes to 2019 fashion, with consumers favoring fewer pieces that they can mix and match over the next “it” thing.
With conscious consumption trending across many industries, capsule collections offer major opportunities for influencer collaborations, rapid style iterations and non-competing brand partnerships.
For the luxe vertical, in particular, buying the full collection is the new sign of subtle wealth and privilege.
While 1990s normcore is the “lewk” (Think: bike shorts and dad sneaks), expect the influence of 1940s and 60s’ styles to resurface in 2019.
Anticipate pastels balanced with extreme art and exotic prints, with a continued emphasis on sustainability and ethical, eco-friendly fashions.
INFLUENCERS KNOW THEIR audiences inside and out. They know what content generates the most engagement and how to introduce new ideas or products that are still authentic to their personas. So why not use that knowledge to your advantage?
As the New Year approaches and brand marketers finalize their marketing calendars, now is the perfect time to take the influencer perspective into account and figure out how to make influencers part of the strategic process from start-to-finish.
Without influencers, you just might find yourself one step behind the pack in 2019.
Liz Gottbrecht is vice president of marketing at influencer marketing platform Mavrck, Boston. Reach him at liz@mavrck.co.