Once you have begun your journey of monetizing your social media, there is more work ahead to gain the best presence online. Upcoming trends are often rearing their heads, so making sure you’re in touch with what is trending is also key. To enhance your social monetization, here are some key points to learn from, as well as influencer trends to look forward to in the upcoming year.

Direct Sales

Are you a realtor or in the service industry? Social media is a great way to passively market yourself to your network. With direct sales, you can drive traffic to your website, and promote events. Depending on the size of your following and your goals, services such as Tap Influence are beneficial. Services like Gleam.io allow you to run contests and promotions via social to engage your network. Here you can build direct relationships and connect with brands via services like BrandBacker for the fashion industry.

A recent report by Linqia found that over 90 percent of marketers who employed influencer marketing in 2017 found it to be extremely effective. What’s more, the report reveals that nearly half of business-to-customer marketers intend to increase their influencer budgets.

Influencer trends to watch out for in 2019:

More thorough KPI tracking

With bigger budgets comes greater oversight and performance scrutiny by the companies that employ influencers. “As influencer marketing evolves, standard KPIs that brands are using to measure ROI have emerged,” Brandon Brown, CEO of Grin, recently told Forbes.

Authenticity as currency

Customers are fickle when it comes to brand loyalty and skeptical of corporate interests. Influencers who indiscriminately connect to corporate brands might find themselves impoverished in one area that matters most: authenticity. This year, authenticity is a currency allowing influencers to grow a larger and more engaged following.

Long-term partnerships

With influencer marketing passing the proof-of-concept test in 2017, brands are starting to form long-term partnerships with particular influencers that suit their messaging and mission. Ambassador programs targeting mid-high level social influencers are now common enough beyond large tech companies, almost becoming necessary for small-medium size companies to utilize.

Ease of access to influencers

Chicago startup Cameo allows users to purchase personalized messages and shout-outs from a host of influencers. Founder Steven Galanis’s stated goal “is really to help the 99 percent of talent monetize.”

More platforms

Influencers are expanding their reach across platforms, beyond Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Look for influencers to incorporate platforms like Snapchat, Periscope, Twitch, and Musical.ly into their range of services.

Tightening regulations

As YouTube works to tighten regulations, governmental bodies are also more closely scrutinizing the influencer marketplace. In September 2017, the Federal Trade Commission released stricter guidelines when it comes to influencer endorsements and transparency.