The State of AI in Influencer Marketing [Released for 2024]

2023 brought us a bunch of crazy marketing trends. They sizzled in and out of our lives quickly, like a hot potato. But one trend didn't bail. Nope, it's here to stay and dominate the marketing scene for a good while. 
 
🥁 🥁 🥁 Enter AI in influencer marketing. 
 
Back in the day, before AI swooped in to rescue us from the influencer marketing chaos, we marketers were playing detective.  
 
Imagine the struggle — scouring the web for influencers, relying on basic stats to gauge influencer performance and crossing your fingers with trial and error.  

Spotting fake influencers? It was like finding a needle in a haystack.  

Personalizing campaigns? Don't even ask.  
 
Performance tracking felt like drowning in data, and negotiating partnerships? A marathon, for real.  

But with the advent of AI in marketing, it's a whole new game. Think automated influencer discovery, next-level analytics, and data-driven strategies.  
 
Curious? Let's discuss the current developments in AI-driven influencer marketing.  

Current trends in AI-driven influencer marketing

I find it intriguing that artificial intelligence is reshaping influencer marketing, a marketing strategy whose primary objective is to humanize a brand or an organization. Isn’t that amusing? 
 
But it turns out, like all things marketing, AI has altered the way we approach this strategy. And the following trends serve as a testament.  

1. Influencer discovery using AI

Influencer marketing is essentially about handing over the reins to influencers to promote your brand. You're counting on them to paint your brand in the best light! But let's face it, teaming up with the wrong influencers can backfire. 
 
This is where an AI-powered influencer marketing tool like Sprinklr steps in to help! 

Smart tools help you discover the perfect influencer match by digging into their alignment with your values and mission. Demographics, age, interests, engagement rates and brand affinity — these tools consider it all. 

Consider this: A beauty and skincare company, let's call it “Ad’Oréal,” launching a campaign for a revolutionary anti-aging product, let's call it “Timeless Radiance Serum.” 

Now picture the beauty giant playing it smart by using AI to search and filter beauty and lifestyle influencers aged over 45 to spread the word.  

We all know the result, don't we? Authentic and spot-on content for the target audience. 

Choosing to roll with the right influencers you've worked so hard to build.  

This brings us to our next trend.  

2. Influencer fraud detection 

The world of influencers is highly competitive. Unfortunately, some influencers resort to buying fake followers and falsifying engagement rates. 

And what happens next? 

ROI expectations are skewed. 

This means your influencer marketing metrics may indicate interest and engagement, but there's no actual conversion to sales. 

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Thanks to AI, the days when such influencers would cost billions of dollars are gone. AI algorithms can now weed out profiles that are filled with bots or purchased followers.  
This ensures that you're getting the best overall reach and engagement with real people. 

Influencer fraud is on the decline: The Influencer Marketing Hub Benchmark Report 2023 indicates a substantial reduction in influencer account fraud, decreasing to 50% in 2021 and further dropping to an average of 36.68% by 2022, thanks to the implementation of advanced tools and technology for detection. 

It’s good to note, influencer fraud isn't completely wiped out. About 64% of companies are keeping an eye on it. On the bright side, spotting fake influencers has gotten less tricky, thanks to AI. 

3. Content creation

AI rocks for finding what clicks with influencers.  

No more A/B testing headaches — data spills the tea on top-performing content.  

Leveraging AI capabilities, you can scan through a myriad of daily topics to identify what genuinely captures audience’s attention. Armed with this intel, you can team up with influencers to craft content that boosts your social media engagement. 

Having a tool like Sprinklr’s Audience Insights is invaluable in this regard as it provides in-depth data analysis, enabling you to create content that resonates with your audience. 

There’s more. AI cooks up custom content for each influencer, tailoring it to their followers, interests and brand history. No generic stuff here — just content that keeps influencers and their followers hooked.  

4. ROI and performance measurement

Now let’s talk ROI — the elusive unicorn of influencer marketing.  

But luckily, AI brings it down to earth. It helps you track campaign metrics, correlates them with sales data and voila — you've got a clear ROI picture.  

Traditional campaign reports sometimes overlook the granular details that determine whether a campaign is a hit or miss. But what if I told you that's no longer the case? 

With AI-powered social media sentiment analysis, you can now get into emotions from social mentions and influencer comments. Imagine the ability to identify people with purchasing intent. It's like going from basic stats to understanding your audience's heartbeat. 

To add to that, AI watches what your competitors are doing in real time. Many marketers use influencer marketing, so it's likely your rivals are into it too. If you understand how your efforts compare to theirs, you can adopt new strategies when they gain attention. Plus, you can identify successful approaches and allocate more budget to those initiatives.

5. Use of virtual influencers  

AI’s influence on marketing is clear with virtual influencers. Businesses are catching on, using digital avatars to promote products on social media. Real people control these virtual influencers, crafting authentic content. 

In 2023, folks were hit with a fresh question, and the answers were unexpected. Turns out, when people were asked if they ever experimented with virtual influencers, a whopping 60.4% spilled the beans and said, “Yep, guilty as charged!” 

Case in point: Miquela Sousa, widely recognized as Lil Miquela, is a virtual robot model collaborating with esteemed fashion brands such as Prada, Dior, Calvin Klein and more recently, even venturing into partnerships with top automotive companies like BMW. 

Yet another example: In 2022, Lu do Magalu was the most followed virtual influencer, with a whopping 14 million Facebook fans, 6.5 million Instagram followers and 2.81 million YouTube subscribers.  

Source: Instagram  
 
It's not surprising that brands are interested in partnering with virtual influencers to generate financial success. 

Benefits of AI in influencer marketing strategies

In a world where hashtags wield more power than handshakes and likes can be more influential than traditional endorsements, the marriage of AI and influencer marketing emerges as the ultimate power couple. 

Here are some specific benefits of incorporating AI into your influencer marketing strategy. 

Time and effort optimization

AI automates repetitive tasks, such as data analysis and influencer identification, saving time for marketers. Real-time analytics enable quick decision-making and adjustments during campaigns. 

Targeted campaigns

AI enables precise customer segmentation, allowing for more targeted and personalized influencer campaigns. This leads to better engagement and higher conversion rates. 

Improved return on investment

By leveraging data-driven insights and predictive analytics, AI helps optimize campaigns for better social media ROI and performance. 

Quick adaptation to trends

AI can analyze social media trends in real time, allowing brands to adapt quickly to changes in consumer behavior or market trends. 

Optimized content performance

AI-powered content optimization ensures that the content resonates well with the audience, leading to improved performance metrics. 

Related Read: How to Optimize Social Media Content With Generative AI the Right Way 

Coming up are insights by thought leaders and research firms. 

AI in influencer marketing: Insights by leaders

Understanding the insights shared by market leaders is like having a reliable GPS in the business world; it helps you navigate through the twists, ensuring you reach your destination of success with fewer wrong turns along the way. 

Let’s take this ride.  

Statista insights on influencer marketing expansion

Statista reports that the influencer marketing market worldwide has more than doubled in size since 2019.   

Source: Statista  

Influencer marketing is stealing the spotlight as one of the most popular and impactful strategies. Millions of people are scrolling through social media every day for a mix of entertainment, inspiration and product suggestions. 
 
It's no wonder marketers are tapping into the influence of the most recognizable faces on social media for their promotional game. 
 
So, what's the outcome? The global influencer marketing market reached a record 21.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2023. 

Learn More: 7 Smart Uses of Influencer Marketing and Why They’re Effective 

Forrester’s insights on the creator economy

You can totally see how the whole creator economy is really shaking things up, right?  

It's not just a small trend anymore; it's a major player in how people decide what to buy.  
 
In a conversation with Sprinklr for Socialverse 2023, a documentary-style masterclass, Kelsey Chickering, Principal Analyst at Forrester, said, “Over half of Gen Z in the U.S. says that creators are the reason that they're purchasing new products. So we need to consider how creators are part of your commerce strategy and part of your lower funnel strategy, not just using them for those upper funnel metrics.” 

💡 Key takeaways for brands: 

• Creators are the new publishers on social media: Allocate more budget and attention to influencers as they play a crucial role in reaching and engaging with the target audience. 

• Consider hiring influencers as creative directors: This move can bring fresh perspectives and authenticity to brand messaging, as seen with examples like Gymshark and PrettyLittleThing. 

• When selecting influencers, prioritize those who authentically use and appreciate your brand: Look for creators who can genuinely communicate the brand's value to their followers. 

• Avoid one-off partnerships: Instead, focus on building long-term relationships with influencers. This allows both parties to understand each other better, leading to more authentic and effective collaborations. 

• Recognize the potential of affiliate marketing in the creator economy: Over half of marketers working with creators are driven by the goal of direct sales. Incorporate creators into your commerce strategy for enhanced results. 

💡 Key takeaways for creators: 

• Choose brands that align with your values and resonate with your audience: Quality collaborations lead to more authentic content and stronger connections with your followers. 

• Focus on working with brands you genuinely love: Establish deeper relationships over time, allowing for more authentic representation of the brand in your content. 

• Be strategic in your approach: Understand the brands you collaborate with and how your content fits into their marketing goals. This strategic alignment can lead to more successful and long-lasting partnerships. 

You can watch the video here👇: 

University of Washington on amplifying engagement via influencer marketing

According to a University of Washington study,  

Increased influencer marketing spending = increased engagement 

The study spilled the beans on the magic connection between splurging on influencers and skyrocketing engagement rates.  

Hold onto your hats — a mere 1% increase in influencer marketing spending translated to a jaw-dropping 0.5% surge in engagement.  

Now, imagine the possibilities if brands tweaked their budgets according to this golden nugget of wisdom — we're talking about potentially cranking up that engagement rate by a whopping 16.6%. Time to rethink those marketing dollars, folks.  
 
On that note, let's uncover where marketers are gearing up to revolutionize their marketing budgets. 

Influencer Marketing Hub on how AI dominates the campaign budget

In the 2023 Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report, a whopping 63% of marketers are gearing up to leverage the power of AI in their influencer campaigns. 
 
What's even more exciting is that two-thirds of these savvy brands are turning to AI to nail down the perfect influencers for their game-changing campaigns. 

Sprinklr on combining social listening and influencer marketing 

According to Sprinklr’s State of Social Media Marketing report 2024, 1 in 2 marketers are planning to invest in social listening tools like Sprinklr in the next 6 months. 32% of marketers say one of their main use cases will be to tap into audience sentiment regarding specific influencers, enabling right selection. Social listening will also help understand how audiences react to influencer content and collaborations.  

The State of Social Media Marketing 2024

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Mistakes to avoid while incorporating AI in influencer marketing

In influencer marketing, it's essential to approach campaigns strategically to maximize their effectiveness.  
 
Here are some mistakes to avoid: 

Fail 1: Neglecting disclosure and transparency

Inadvertently overlooking the importance of influencers clearly disclosing sponsored content can be a critical misstep. Failing to prioritize transparency not only jeopardizes trust with the audience but also exposes you to potential legal repercussions for non-compliance with advertising regulations. 

Fail 2: Ignoring audience demographics

Failing to research and understand the demographics of an influencer's audience can lead to ineffective campaigns. Overemphasizing vanity metrics like the number of followers can lead to investment in influencers with big but irrelevant followership. 

Fail 3: Slighting engagement rates

Focus on more than just follower counts. Assess engagement rates, comments and likes to gauge the true impact of an influencer. 

Fail 4: Undervalue micro-influencers

Don't underestimate the power of micro-influencers. They often have highly engaged, niche audiences that can be more valuable than larger influencers with less engaged followers. 

Fail 5: Overlooking due diligence

Conduct thorough due diligence on influencers before partnering with influencers. Ensure they align with your brand values and have a positive online reputation. 

Fail 6: Ignoring analytics

Failure to track and analyze campaign analytics can prevent you from learning and improving future influencer marketing efforts. 

Fail 7: Being overly controlling

While guidelines are essential, being too controlling can stifle creativity. Trust influencers to connect with their audience authentically. 

Fail 8: Lack of clear communication

Clearly communicate expectations, deliverables and compensation upfront to avoid misunderstandings later on. 

Fail 9: Ignoring legal compliance

Neglecting to stay updated on local and international regulations pertaining to influencer marketing can lead to significant legal pitfalls. Overlooking crucial aspects such as disclosures, data protection and other relevant laws may inadvertently expose you to legal issues that could have been easily avoided with proper awareness and adherence. 

Fail 10: Discounting platform trends

Stay updated on platform trends and changes to optimize your influencer marketing strategy for specific platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, etc. 

We've got a whole blog on Social media algorithms 101: Top insights in 2024. The blog includes round-up of the major social media algorithm updates that were rolled out in 2023 that you need to watch out for in 2024. Save it for later! 

Finding it tough to avoid all those mistakes and also keep tabs on all your influencers?  

Managing influencer campaign analytics manually on traditional spreadsheets is error-prone and time-consuming. Plus, all that channel-switching can wear you out, making you prone to errors!  

Sprinklr’s influencer marketing platform simplifies it all, streamlining your process with a single, unified platform. 

🌐 Your influencer campaigns, harmonized across 30+ channels, all from one dashboard  

💡 Finding influencers who vibe with your brand isn't just easy, it's practically automatic with multi-layered AI technology and algorithms 

📊 Real-time insights? Absolutely. Track, tweak and triumph with data that speaks your language 

Catch a demo of the platform today⏬ 

SIMPLIFY YOUR INFLUENCER MARKETING TODAY

Take your influencer marketing campaign to the next level with Sprinklr AI+  

In 2024, AI is expected to play an even more prominent role in influencer marketing, driving innovation and performance in several ways. 
 
Sprinklr AI+ can be your friend in this journey if you let it.  

With the power of generative AI, it teams up with Sprinklr's advanced suite of products for stellar customer experiences.  
 
Friendly and adaptable, it effortlessly integrates with new generative AI apps and is on the hunt for top-tier partnerships.  
 
Currently fueled by Sprinklr AI, Open AI's GPT models and Google Cloud’s Vertex AI, it's the dream team of AI tech.  
 
And more goodies are in store for you, with plans to expand it into text-to-image and NLG applications.  

Here’s what you can achieve with Sprinklr AI+:  
 
1. Generate campaign ideas and develop strategies in a few clicks by generating campaign briefs, descriptions, hashtags, channel-specific posts and more. 

2. Generate content instantly via Quick Publisher by brainstorming content ideas and getting creative, channel-specific copy for posts.   

3. Ensure faster response management via Sprinklr AI+ Quick Replies by simplifying responses, modifying their length and tone and maintaining their quality with grammar checks. 

4. Translate content at the click of a button and engage in your audience’s language of choice. 

5. Simplify the content review process by instantly reviewing content for grammatical accuracy and tone/voice with generative AI before you publish it or schedule to publish it.  
 
6. Safeguard your data with enterprise-grade security and data handling 
     Here’s what that means: 

• Sprinklr AI+ only shares with third-party generative AI vendors the data actively entered, like the wording specified for rewording, and this information is not used for training their own models 

• Sprinklr AI+ obscures dates, times, email IDs, URLs, IP addresses, driving licenses and common medical license numbers and it allows customization for customer-specific data masking/anonymizing through its regex capabilities 

• Sprinklr reduces the risk of "AI hallucinations" and similar issues through the implementation of various guardrails, including prompt engineering 

You can get to experience Sprinklr AI+ first-hand 👇