InspireInfluencer marketing has come a long way in the past decade. What started as celebrity shoutouts and polished brand deals has shifted into something more nuanced. Brands once paid top dollar for visibility—partnering with A-listers and micro-influencers alike to push products in a one-way conversation. It worked—until it didn’t.
Now, audiences are harder to impress and even harder to trust. The real power lies not in reach, but in relevance. And for social media marketers, that means rethinking the playbook entirely.
The Evolution of Influencer Marketing
Ten years ago, influencer marketing was all about visibility. Big brands like L’Oréal, Specsavers, Dior, and Chanel paid celebrities and high-profile influencers to front polished campaigns in a broadcast-style format. It was a numbers game—more followers meant more exposure.
And for a while, that worked. But these campaigns often prioritised volume over intent. When you're a household name with deep pockets, that can still be part of the mix. But for most businesses, it’s no longer enough.
The Rise of Instagram-Driven Influencer Marketing
The rise of Meta-owned platforms, particularly Instagram, triggered a shift. Brands began recruiting influencers and reality-TV stars to create ‘ads’ on their behalf. The goal? Expand reach and connect with audiences who might otherwise ignore traditional brand messaging.
Instagram became the birthplace of a new kind of influencer marketing—one that moved away from vlogs and blogs, instead favouring quick, highly visual content that could be consumed in seconds. This made brand messaging more digestible but also more fleeting. While effective for some, it didn’t work for everyone.
The Growing Cynicism Around Influencer Marketing
This strategy worked for years, but as digital touchpoints grew and audiences became more demanding, scepticism increased. People started questioning the authenticity of influencer marketing, prompting a return to more trusted sources of influence—friends, family, experts, and specialists. This shift reflects the growing importance of social proof, where trust is built through visible endorsements and genuine interactions rather than paid promotion alone.
So, does this mean influencer marketing is dead? Not at all. However, while the landscape appears to have evolved, in many ways, we’re returning to a more familiar way of engaging with brands—seeking authenticity from friends, family, experts, and specialists rather than blindly trusting influencers based on their follower metrics.
For marketers, this shift means we need to rethink our approach. For more meaningful engagement, instead of focusing solely on large-scale influencer campaigns, we should consider how different platforms can be used as part of a clearly defined social media strategy.
LinkedIn: The Power of Employee Advocacy
Traditionally, LinkedIn was used for networking and job-hunting. However, since COVID, it has evolved into a platform where people discuss career journeys, work-life balance, and even personal experiences like neurodivergence. The result? A shift from passive consumption to active engagement and thought leadership.
Unlike in the past, LinkedIn’s playing field has levelled. Thought leadership is no longer reserved for executives with 20 years of experience. Instead, the platform prioritises authentic voices over corporate messaging. In fact, a Refine Labs study found that personal LinkedIn profiles receive five times more engagement than company pages.
For marketers, this presents a clear opportunity—but also a clear question: how to build employee advocacy on LinkedIn in a way that feels genuine, scalable, and effective. As personal profiles outperform company pages, embedding advocacy into your social strategy can significantly boost reach and engagement through real, people-driven content.
For more ideas here
TikTok: The New Search Engine and Community Hub
If you still think TikTok is just for teenagers following viral trends, it’s time to reconsider. Over the past few years, TikTok has evolved into a platform rich in subcultures and communities, offering a wealth of opportunities for brands to engage with audiences in more meaningful ways.
Unlike Instagram, TikTok’s algorithm prioritises community engagement over follower count, meaning any user has the potential for great reach. This has led to a rise in expert-driven content. Rather than relying on traditional search engines, people now turn to TikTok to find real-world advice from specialists in their fields—whether it’s doctors, aestheticians, chefs, or builders.
According to eMarketer, a staggering 74% of Gen Z use TikTok for search, with 51% preferring it over Google. This shift explains why TikTok has become the number one platform for global ad equity (source: Kantar, Media Reactions 2024).
For brands, the challenge is figuring out how to navigate TikTok effectively. However, there’s a place for every brand, no matter the sector. We’ve already seen heritage brands like Argos and M&S successfully use the platform to showcase their employees and celebrate their communities, bridging the gap between brand and consumer. You can check out some examples below.
The Future of Influencer Marketing: Authenticity Over Reach
According to Nielsen, in their Global Trust and Brand Messaging report, 92% of consumers trust recommendations from individuals over brands. This makes the value of smaller, more authentic voices clearer than ever. Whether it’s employee advocacy driving engagement on LinkedIn or niche creators building communities on TikTok, micro and nano-influencers are leading the charge.
These platforms reward genuine, relatable content, giving brands the chance to connect meaningfully without relying solely on follower counts. For marketers serious about results, adopting a “less is more” approach isn’t optional—it’s the strategy that will drive brand trust, engagement, and long-term growth across every social channel.
In Summary: Less Reach, More Resonance
The days of chasing follower counts and glossy endorsements are behind us. Today’s most effective influencer strategies are rooted in trust, community, and genuine connection. Whether it’s employees sharing insights on LinkedIn or niche creators building loyal audiences on TikTok, the real magic happens when content feels human—not manufactured.
Influencer marketing isn’t about being everywhere—it’s about showing up in the right places, with the right people, in the right way. For brands willing to prioritise authenticity over scale, there’s never been a better time to stand out by doing less, but doing it better.
Want to go deeper? Our Social Media Courses explore many of the themes covered here—from influencer strategy to platform-specific best practices.
Zoe Miranda
