Gain access to new holiday retail stats and insights, paired with actionable influencer marketing strategies to run an impactful BFCM campaign this year.

Believe it or not, the time has come again to prepare for the biggest shopping season of the year — the holidays! During the 2023 holiday season, online spend grew 4.9% year-over-year to $222.1 billion, a new record for ecommerce. Plus, for the first time, mobile shopping surpassed desktop during the holiday season, driving 51.1% of online sales.

In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, brands are constantly vying for attention in an oversaturated market. One unique strategy that has gained momentum in recent years is influencer whitelisting, a game-changing tactic that bridges the gap between influencer marketing and paid advertising. As retailers seek new avenues to capture the attention of their target audience, influencer whitelisting has emerged as a powerful tool for driving authentic user engagement and boosting sales.

Photorealistic AI influencers are here — and marketers say they are eager to use them — but what does that mean for brand authenticity?

Aitana Lopez is a fashion, fitness, and lifestyle model with more than 312,000 followers on Instagram. She is also not real. A creation of Barcelona-based AI model agency the Clueless, she and other photorealistic AI-driven influencers are vying for brand endorsement deals. Courtesy of the Clueless

In the age of network fragmentation, influencers are an essential part of every marketer’s playbook. As social feeds become more personalized and insulated, consumers’ content consumption and buying preferences are converging. Influencers are the missing piece to providing cohesive brand experiences and reaching larger audiences.

Now is the time for brands to double-down on influencer marketing if they expect to grow. But not all influencer marketing efforts are created equal.

Do you have a “comfort influencer?” The one whose content you go back to again and again. You’re more invested in their personal life than any celebrity or other internet personality. No, you don’t know them. But you trust them.

Our favorite influencers really do feel like friends, and we take their product recommendations seriously. According to the 2024 Influencer Marketing Report, almost all (86%) consumers make a purchase from an influencer at least once a year, proving the hold influencers we trust have over our buying habits.

Need influencers? Look no further than your own customers! Discover how to spice up your loyalty programs by turning customers into influencers. Loyalty programs support brands both online and offline, but at a time when eCommerce is bursting at the seams, it’s essential that your loyalty practices support digital sales. Enter the  Influencer Loyalty Program.

A modern spin on the classic loyalty program, influencer loyalty programs find the perfect intersection between your customers and influencer marketing. They follow the belief that every customer has the potential to “influence” others and drive more sales your way. The best way to keep track of who is referring others to you is to systematize it. Here’s how.

Energize your influencer campaigns year-round. Being an influencer marketing manager is hectic enough, which is why planning is your best friend. We all know the benefits of a comprehensive, forward-looking content calendar, but sometimes you just need a little inspiration. With Klear, Meltwater’s Influencer Marketing feature, you can manage your holiday-themed influencer campaigns (and others) from beginning to end, which means you’re free to focus on doing your best work.

We surveyed over 1,200 American consumers to learn about their Amazon purchasing behavior and how much influencers impact their purchasing decisions. The report is based on U.S. consumer sentiment and examines the effectiveness of influencer marketing on purchasing behavior and its impact on products sold on Amazon. 

The survey found that 59% of social media users surveyed have purchased a product after seeing it used by an influencer, and 94% of those consumers have made influencer-inspired purchases on Amazon. Additionally, consumers who make purchases based on influencer recommendations are 2.4 times more likely to purchase on Amazon than any other website.