From Kareema Barry to Shantanu Dhope, here are rising content creators who we are excited about in 2022

• With TVC shoots on hold and people stuck at their homes in 2020, brands realised that the influencer marketing model is well-suited in a time in which the audience is looking for some inspiration, searching DIY videos, learning new recipes or focusing on self-care.
• Today, Indian audiences are watching more online videos than ever before and social media has become an extension of our identity.
• As we move forward in 2022, the one trend that will grow massively this year will be the rise of Micro and Nano influencers.
• We look at some of the budding influencers who stand out in the crowd and are only set to grow stronger from here.

2021 was a rollercoaster of a year but social media influencers and content creators made us laugh and pushed us to be more creative with their entertaining and informative content. The year was a catalyst for the growth of Influencer Marketing in India as we saw new creators rise to the forefront and brands showed more interest in working with nano and micro-influencers for better engagement, authenticity, and budget-friendly costs. Creators also played an integral role in building a sense of community -- something that people yearned for when living in isolation.

According to Facebook’s Marketing Guide for 2021, social media has now become a leading channel to drive brand discovery and purchase during the festive season. Facebook’s report further reveals that half the people said that influencers help them discover new products and 45% added that influencers help them make a purchase decision.

Influencer Marketing in 2021 also saw a momentous shift from sales-driven campaigns to content creators focusing on environmentalism, socialism and empathy-driven content. It’s no more about posting memes and recommending high-end fashion products. From gaming and crypto influencers to decor creators, the influencer marketing landscape saw a massive shift in 2021.

As we move forward this year and turn to content creators for life advice ranging from DIY ideas for balconies to which stocks to invest in, here are a few influencers that you must follow:

Comedy

• Shirin Sewani
• Nirmal Pillai
• Satshya
• Karan Sareen
• Kareema Barry

Finance/Education

• Sharan Hegde
• Shivani Bafna
• Nidhi Nagori
• Heena Sheikh
• Reshionbusiness

Dance & Music

• Shazeb Sheikh
• Avanti Nagral
• Ruchika Kashelani
• Nafisa Haniya
• Vinayak Ghoshal

Fashion/Makeup

• Aditya Madiraju
• Diksha Rawat
• Tarini Shah
• Ishita Mangal
• Shantanu Dhope

Art

• NehaDoodles
• Hafiz Sajeev
• thesamosaclub
• Anik Jain
• Christina Furtado

Travel/Lifestyle

• Aakanksha Monga
• Sahil Gulati
• Tapesh Kumar
• Sonia Garg
• Isha Borah

Fitness

• Plankbefore_pancakes
• Nidhi Gupta
• Anaheez Patel
• Pranit Shilimkar
• Sakshi Kirpalani

Decor

• Decor_miniz
• Shilpa Singh - Gharaonda
• Createyourtaste - Abhinav Yadav
• Kala By Mann
• Incredible_prodigy