By Sanjana Bhosale, senior recruitment consultant, MBR Recruitment
The future of influencer marketing in the Middle East is expected to continue to grow, with more brands recognising the importance of using social media influencers to reach their target audiences. As the market becomes more crowded, there is likely to be an increased emphasis on data-driven campaigns and the use of AI and machine learning to identify and track influencers’ impact.
In terms of hiring trends, there is expected to be an increase in demand for influencer marketing professionals with expertise in social media analytics, content creation, and campaign strategy. Additionally, as the market becomes more sophisticated, we may see a shift towards more specialised influencer marketing agencies and consultancies, as well as increased demand for in-house influencer marketing teams within brands.
Further to this, my colleague Priya Niranjan said, “There are multiple benefits of having an influencer such as brand awareness, gain credibility and trust, expand reach and the list goes on.”
In 2021, roughly 58 per cent of marketers said influencer marketing was the most effective marketing trend, ahead of SEO, experiential marketing, and short-form video content. (HubSpot Blog Research). In 2022, 86 per cent of marketers plan to continue investing the same amount or increase their investment in influencer marketing.
A recent study found that influencer-led campaigns result in an average ROI of $6.50 for every dollar spent, that’s a 650 per cent return. And it’s not just small businesses that are seeing results – even big names like Nike, L’Oreal, and Sephora are using influencer marketing to reach new audiences and drive sales. There’s no doubt that influencer marketing is a powerful tool. The beautiful fact about influencer marketing is that the audience is already there, brands just need to establish a trustworthy and a strong partnership where both parties are offering amazing value to each audience.
Influencer marketing has become increasingly popular in the Middle east in recent years. With the rise of social media, many individuals have become popular on platforms as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube and have built a significant following. These individuals, known as influencers, have the power to influence their followers’ opinions and behavior, any many brands have recognised the potential of partnering with them to promote their products or services.
