Instagram influencer marketing is alive and kicking

TikTok is by far the most popular influencer marketing channel (69% of brands using influencer marketing utilise it according to Influencer Marketing Hub research). 

In fact, latest data from The Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report 2024 shows it’s well ahead of Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. But that’s not much of a surprise considering the hype around TikTok in the social and influencer marketing space. With many brands eagerly venturing onto the platform in the hope of reaching younger audiences and ‘going viral’, it’s certainly on every marketer’s radar.  

But what’s driving this shift, and should your brand be following suit? 

Well, a recent survey surveying more than 1,800 Americans, found that of six social platforms, Gen Z trusted YouTube, Instagram (and even X!) more than TikTok.  

This is interesting because it’s generally accepted, without much question, that TikTok is the place to be if you want to reach Gen Z and, increasingly, millennial and older audiences too. But if that’s at the expense of building trust, then maybe it’s time for a rethink…  

Instagram isn’t dead

While TikTok’s recent growth represents a big opportunity for many brands, the latest data from GWI shouldn’t be ignored. It reveals that Instagram’s now the world’s “favourite” social media platform, among actual internet users between the ages of 16 and 64. It’s also consistently ranked as one of the most trusted. 

And while marketers may feel the pressure to shift their focus to TikTok, they actually cite Instagram as their favourite channel when it comes to influencer marketing. The numbers speak for themselves, with 68% of marketers having the most confidence that Instagram delivers a positive return on investment for their organisation (second only to LinkedIn). In addition, 32% of marketers say it’s the easiest platform for working with influencers. Not to mention that it’s where influencers achieve the highest ROI for the companies they work with, particularly nano (those with 100 to 10,000 followers) and micro-influencers (with 10,000-100,000 followers) who offer better value for money.

And from the perspective of creators, 80% prefer Instagram over other platforms for brand collaboration.

We’d say that makes it a win-win for everyone.

Getting the influencer marketing mix right

While we’re certainly not suggesting ditching TikTok to put all your eggs into Instagram’s basket – depending on your objectives, TikTok can be a brilliant platform for influencer marketing. But what’s important is having the right strategy in place to ensure you’re investing in the right partners, at the right time, on the right platform. And when budgets are being scrutinised more closely and pressure to demonstrate ROI is greater than ever, it’s time to get smart with where your influencer marketing efforts are going.  

So, why make Instagram a priority platform for your influencer marketing? 

• You can reach relevant audience in both B2B and B2C as demographics span a wide range of ages and interests  
• Brand safety and trust is perceived as high on the platform 
• The potential for strong ROI (especially via additional promoted content) is higher than other channels  
• Brand partnerships are easy to activate efficiently and effectively with Instagram’s well-established collaboration tools and capabilities  

 If you’d like to discuss how we can support your influencer marketing goals for 2024, whatever the platform, get in touch! Contact [email protected].