What were the best practices for influencer marketing in 2021?

In 2021, influencer marketing best practices centered on prioritizing authenticity, long-term creator partnerships, and measurable performance over one-off sponsored posts. According to Influencer Marketing Hub’s 2021 benchmark report, the influencer marketing industry was valued at $13.8B in 2021, which pushed brands to formalize selection criteria, contracts, and disclosure processes. The most consistent 2021 playbook was to use micro-influencers for trust and engagement, require clear FTC disclosure (e.g., #ad), and track outcomes with unique links/UTMs, promo codes, and landing pages tied to pipeline. For B2B teams, the practical 2021 example was pairing subject-matter experts (analysts, practitioners, technical creators) with webinars, LinkedIn thought leadership, and co-created assets to drive MQL-to-SQL impact—not just impressions.