Hey there,
Our annual 2025 predictions piece is coming out shortly in Forbes, but that’s based more on our team’s hunches than what we are actually seeing in plans (we work on it before we start most of our 2025 client proposals).
In advance of that, and in light of the fact that we are now knee-deep in 2025 proposals, we thought it would be fun to look through them all and see what kind of themes are jumping out at us for the new year.
Here are 5 key themes we are seeing in the 2025 plan requests from our clients:
- Flexibility
- Relaxed exclusivity requirements
- Increased desire for niche influencer groups
- A switch to more creator-generated content (CGC)
- Inter-agency collaboration
1. Flexibility
Our 2025 plans are being built to be flexible. While we once used to scope out how many influencers we planned to use within each tier and on each platform, we are now building programs that are made to flex. Our clients want to be able to modify where their budgets are allocated throughout the year. This allows them to jump on fast-moving trends, quickly activate a perfect fit influencer that popped up out of nowhere, or adapt their entire annual plan if TikTok suddenly goes away.
2. Loosening of Exclusivity Requirements
With the increased cost of exclusivity, our clients are adjusting their expectations accordingly. While in the past the idea of working with an influencer who was involved with a rival brand may have seemed counterproductive, brands are now willing to compromise and even see a benefit to non-exclusive partnerships. Authentic partnerships and genuine storytelling don’t always require a strict exclusivity deal.
3. Specific Niche Requests
Our clients are getting more specific with their influencer requests. What does this mean? We’re getting fewer requests for creators that simply fit one loose demographic description like “women aged 25-35.” Clients are now asking for creators who are moms in their mid-30s who live in a specific zip code. Or young professionals who went to X university. Or even creators who have installed a specific brand of roof or window within the last year. What can we glean from this? Clients want authentic spokespeople who consumers can trust because they relate to them on a personal level. Brands see the value of partnering with individuals who genuinely believe in the product or service. It will be interesting to see how platforms pivot to accommodate requests like this, as most of them are more focused on audience makeup vs. the demographics of the influencers themselves. (Psst… this is a great reason to use Sway Group. Our proprietary dashboard has all sorts of demographic and profile information about all 51k+ creators in our network.)
4. Creator-Generated Content
We’ve witnessed an increased enthusiasm for creator-generated content (CGC) in our 2025 plans. Professional content creators are experts on crafting engaging short-form videos and brands are now seeing the numerous benefits of using creators to supplement their traditional creative agencies for social clients.
5. Inter-Agency Collaboration
One really exciting trend for us at Sway Group is the rise in inter-agency collaboration. We are increasingly being asked to coordinate with our clients’ media buying agencies, PR firms, digital shops, creative agencies, and more. We love to see it, as the best work comes from collaboration. When agencies work in silos, there are a lot of missed opportunities.
Have you noticed any interesting new patterns in your 2025 planning? Connect with me on LinkedIn and let me know your predictions, thoughts, or questions!
Danielle
