Exploding Topics: Nano Influencers, Non-Fungible Tokens, Broccoli Coffee, and Purito

Hey IHers,

Here are some rapidly trending search topics (with insights + analysis) to take advantage of.

1. Nano Influencers

Nano influencers are social media influencers with roughly 1,000-5,000 followers.

17% of companies in one survey stated that they spend at least half of their marketing budget on influencer marketing.

And this heavy investment in influencer marketing has led to the average cost of a sponsored post going up by 53% since 2018.

Enter: nano influencers. Nano influencers tend to charge significantly less per post compared to influencers with a massive following.

Also, an industry study by InfluencerDB found that nano influencers got 2.4x higher engagement per post compared to influencers with over 10,000 followers.

What’s next:

Nano influencers are part of the Influencer Marketing 2.0 meta trend. As influencer marketing grows and matures, we’re seeing a number of influencer marketing-specific tools, platforms and strategies emerge. Other examples of this trend include Sparktoro, Heepsy, AspireHQ, and Upfluence.

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2. Non-Fungible Token

A non-fungible token (NFT) is a digital representation of something with unique properties.

NFT forms of crypto collectibles, video game items, sports cards and digital art recently hit a total all-time sales value of $7.5M.

But what are they exactly?

NFTs are cryptographic tokens like Bitcoin. But unlike Bitcoin, they can’t be exchanged 1-for-1 with other units of that token. This is because each token represents a one-of-a-kind item.

For example, a piece of artwork is unique and therefore non-fungible. NFTs are now gaining traction as a way to certify ownership of each piece. In fact, Christie’s auction house recently sold its first NFT “Block 21” for $131,250.

Since they can’t be altered or counterfeited, proponents believe NFTs will be a more secure method for property ownership in the future. And, like Bitcoin and other tokens, they’re more easily transferable than traditional assets.

What’s next:

NFTs are part of the Tokenize Everything meta trend. Fungible assets like USD tether and PAX Gold were the first to be tied to the blockchain. New, non-fungible examples of this meta trend include virtual land in Decentraland, collectible soccer cards with Sorare, and “.crypto” domains via Unstoppable Domains.

3. Broccoli Coffee

Broccoli coffee is traditional coffee infused with broccoli powder.

The drink was initially developed by the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) as a way to increase vegetable consumption. And has since gained some early mainstream traction.

Broccoli coffee is just one of many growing coffee alternatives. Global coffee exports have dropped by 2.2% since 2018. Partially due to consumers seeking out caffeine-free coffee alternatives, like turmeric coffee and chicory coffee.

What’s next:

Broccoli coffee is part of the Functional Beverage meta trend. The functional beverage market is estimated to hit $208.1B by 2024. Other examples of this trend include hard kombucha, Four Sigmatic, and pea milk.

4. Purito

Purito is a South Korean beauty brand that’s starting to catch on worldwide.

(Searches for the brand have increased by 515% over the last two years.)

Why the growth?

Purito has tapped into three rapidly-growing trends: “Veganification”, natural beauty and K Beauty.

7.3M Americans consider themselves vegan or vegetarian. And they’re increasingly on the lookout for vegan versions of traditional products, like vegan jerky, vegan protein powder, and vegan shoes.

Also, demand for organic beauty products is rapidly on the rise. In fact, the organic beauty market is set to reach $54B by 2027.

What’s Next:

Purito is also riding the K Beauty wave. K Beauty products typically combine vegan and natural ingredients with high-tech innovation. And cosmetic exports from South Korea have increased by 212% since 2015. Examples of growing K-beauty products include sheet masks, scalp brushes, and acne patches.

We hope you enjoyed this week's Exploding Topics Tuesday. See you next week.