Social media influencing has become a huge part of the digital environment. Many believe that individuals with a significant following have the ability to add value in an array of areas and you can now find influencers in every niche, from education to gaming.

In the last few years, there has been a focus on those who review products and make shopping online easier, but sentiment is changing for 2024.

Changing consumer needs

As winter comes around and 2023 is beginning to come to a close, there is likely to be a huge drive in social media spaces in regards to commerce-based content.

Users can expect their favourite names to create gift guides and do try-on hauls for festive clothing, as well as an increase in holiday-themed recipes, decor and more.

This is likely to be one of the last times that a hard-sell approach is going to be lucrative, and signs are already showing that those who simply promote products and provide links are falling in favour.

More and more audiences are beginning to look for entertainment and a more natural approach to giving opinions and affiliating with brands and posts that are fun, dynamic and engaging are going to be the way forward in the coming year.

What is driving this new need?

One of the biggest factors behind a shift in market sentiment is the fact that daily life has largely returned to normal in the last year or so and consumers are now beginning to resume their normal habits when it comes to shopping in physical stores.

There is no longer such an intense need to rely on online resources, and this is largely returning social media platforms back to spaces where users can explore their interests and unwind.

One thing that isn’t changing is that audiences will be looking for well-curated and professional imagery that encourages them to respond emotionally through following, liking and sharing; they simply want more value.

What can influencers do to stay ahead of the curve?

Right now, quality content is extremely important and a whole host of influencers are turning towards the capabilities of AI and are leveraging it to edit their photos and videos.

The CapCut creative suite has been designed to offer all of the traditional editing tools and some additional unique, AI-powered functions, so that everything can be taken care of with little downtime and effort. A fantastic feature of this type of solution is that it allows content creators to boost their creativity and better focus their efforts without the time-consuming and often draining tasks that are waiting in the wings.

As there has been such a focus on providing fast and simple solutions to making purchases, a lot of newer influencers have entered markets with low-effort content that does the job. Consumers are quickly becoming decensitised by this type of approach, and this is increasingly evident with the rise of micro influencers.

Both audiences and brands are now interacting with pages and channels that have a smaller yet more committed community and are focusing on those with a better balance between follower counts and engagement rates.

There is also a greater need for diversity in influencing, and viewers are now looking for a better blend of imagery and videos, as well as accessibility across different platforms. This means that a video editor for YouTube can be a great addition to an influencer's itinerary.

Will becoming an influencer still be viable in 2024?

The good news is that influencers are still highly sought after, but there will need to be a strong consideration for the type of content that is produced to ensure success in 2024.

Even those who are well established or have enough of a following to be able to monetise their efforts are seeing a drop in engagement and conversions, so it can be a good idea to do your research and provide nothing short of high-quality, useful and relevant content moving forward.