Instagram overtake YouTube as a top influencer platform as brands see rewards for better disclosure
Instagram has become the top-rated platform for influencer content, speeding past YouTube as per the Rakuten Marketing report.
The research, which surveyed 3,500 consumers and 700 marketers working directly on influencer programmes globally, found that Instagram is the platform most commonly used to view influencer content (65%) beating the video streaming platform by 3%.
The video is the preferred content – cited by 64% of those polled – and images (61%) naturally overtake the written word (38%) according to survey respondents. More than half of those polled (53%) said they discovered new influencers on social media platforms themselves, ahead of friends and family (48%). One in three (32%) said giveaway offers influenced them.
From a consumer perspective, 90% of those polled said they share some form of content. Two thirds (66%) said they shared content because it was exciting and different, while half said they shared to refer a friend to a brand or product.
“Influencer marketing has come a long way and understanding from consumers, brands, and influencers themselves has grown. People increasingly appreciate the work and financial investment involved in making great daily content. Influencers are promoting products that aren’t a natural fit, audiences will switch off,” said Anthony Capano, Managing Director EMEA at Rakuten Marketing. “Brands prioritize partnering with influencers that align with their brand values. Influencers must prioritize promoting products that align with their own ‘brand’ or risk losing their audience,” Capano concluded.
