The influencer marketing landscape is evolving rapidly, and staying ahead requires understanding the key trends shaping the industry.
We sat down with influencer marketing leaders, Neahle Jones, VP of US Consumer Engagement & Content at L’Oréal, Lana Gregg, Director of Social Media and Influencer at NYX Cosmetics, and Nikky Martinez, Associate Influencer Manager at Neutrogena, to highlight what influencer marketing strategies brands should be prioritizing for success.
Influencer Marketing Strategy Tip #1: Don’t Sit On YouTube
Recent data from Traackr’s US Influencer Marketing IMPACT report, which surveyed 1,000 Millennial and Gen Z consumers, showed that consumers rank YouTube as their #1 platform for consuming creator content.
Why are YouTube and long-form videos making a comeback after several years of consumers being obsessed with sub-3-minute videos?
- Genuine Connections: Consumers are now starting to crave more genuine connections with content creators and are really looking for trust. Can I trust you and what you’re saying about this product? Long-form videos provide the space for creators to “put it all out there” and show their genuine selves and opinions.
- Strong Communities: A creator’s “loyalists” show up on YouTube. These are the people who don’t just want to see one GRWM, they want to see the whole journey of that person's day. As a brand, you need to show up where the loyalists are because this is where conversions happen.
- Platform-Specific Incentives: YouTube has created a variety of ways for creators to get paid for their content. Creators can link products more efficiently, show their work through bumper ads and split up content with shorts. Compared to other social media platforms, YouTube offers creators higher earnings through factors like higher ad revenue per view, and a more established monetization model.
And now with YouTube Shorts, your brand has an opportunity to bridge the gap between short and long-form content.
“YouTube Shorts has been a game changer for us at Neutrogena. We’ve seen strong engagement, and the ability to blend it with long-form content has given us more opportunities to drive impact.” - Nikky Martinez, Associate Influencer Manager at Neutrogena
Influencer Marketing Strategy Tip #2: Use Organic Content to Drive Paid Efforts
The debate between organic and paid influencer marketing is over—both must work in tandem to drive success. While organic content fuels authenticity and trust, paid amplification ensures that high-performing content reaches the right audiences at scale.
“You can’t focus on one at the expense of the other because it’s an ecosystem. If you don’t invest in paid, you lose reach, and if you ignore organic, you lose authenticity. The key is finding the right balance and ensuring they fuel each other.” - Neahle Jones, VP of US Consumer Engagement & Content CPD at L’Oréal
The key is surfacing content that naturally resonates with your audience and moving quickly to amplify it. For NYX Cosmetics, Lana highlights this strategy perfectly – when their community organically engages with a creator’s post, they invest in paid amplification to maximize its impact and reach.
Traackr’s Brand Buzz Feature helps brands monitor mentions and spot high-engagement posts in real-time. This is crucial for boosting because investing in paid promotion for content that isn’t connecting with your audience is a wasted opportunity, as your budget should amplify what’s already driving engagement.
Just remember to boost your creator’s content to the right audience. Instead of broad reach, leverage audience data and precise targeting tools to ensure the right people see the creator’s content – those most likely to engage and take action.
“Our organic partnerships allow us to connect with creators’ audiences in a more meaningful way, while paid content helps reinforce brand messaging at scale.” - Nikky Martinez, Associate Influencer Manager at Neutrogena
For more inspiration, check out these lists of top organic and sponsored content
- 3 Fashion Brand Influencer Marketing Program Examples
- 3 Beauty Brand Influencer Marketing Program Examples
- 6 Successful Instagram Influencer Sponsorships
- 8 Successful TikTok Influencer Sponsorships
Influencer Marketing Strategy Tip #3: Strategically Leverage Creator Tiers
A key factor in influencer marketing success is leveraging creator tiers strategically to optimize reach, engagement, and conversions.
General Best Practices for Creator Tiers:
- Nano and micro-influencers: Drive high engagement and authenticity.
- Mid-tier influencers: Offer a balance of reach and engagement, making them ideal for paid amplification.
- Macro and celebrity influencers: Deliver mass awareness and brand visibility.
For example, if you are promoting an awareness campaign, you may want to prioritize working with creators that have more reach (vs higher engagement rates), like those in the macro-VIP tiers.
On the other hand, if you want to drive sales, you’ll likely want to focus on partnering with creators who have high engagement on sponsored content and have experience with discount codes, affiliate links, or other social commerce techniques.
At Neutrogena, Nikky shares that the team analyzes which creator tiers do best with organic, gifting and paid efforts. Working closely with Traackr’s reporting capabilities, the team can unlock new strategies by identifying which creator tier will maximize their paid and organic efforts.
Influencer Marketing Strategy Tip #4: Focus On Relationship Building
With uncertainty surrounding platforms like TikTok, brands must prioritize creator relationships rather than relying on platform-specific strategies.
“We’re shifting to a creator-first approach. It’s no longer about how many TikTok or Instagram creators we need—it’s about building holistic relationships with influencers across multiple touchpoints.” - Neahle Jones, VP of US Consumer Engagement & Content CPD at L’Oréal
Here are a few ways these experts identified to build strong and long-term creator relationships:
- Offer early access to products and exclusive brand insights.
- Provide career support and resources to growing influencers.
- Create collaborative content that aligns with both the influencer’s and the brand’s identity.
“When creators feel like they’re part of your brand family, they’re more invested in your success. We involve them in product development, invite them to brand events, and foster a genuine two-way relationship.” - Lana Gregg, Director of Social Media and Influencer at NYX Cosmetics