Aligning your influencer shortlisting process with the latest industry trends involves staying informed of changing digital behaviors, emerging social media platforms, and new influencer marketing strategies. Here are a few steps to support this:

1. Stay Updated: Regularly monitor industry news, reports, blogs, and social media discussions to stay informed of trends. Social listening tools can also be used to track trending topics and influencer conversations.

2. Understand the Channels: Different social media platforms attract different audiences and trends. Develop a deep understanding of different platforms, and update your strategy depending on which platform aligns best with your brand’s goals.

3. Use Data-Driven Platforms: Leverage platforms like Flinque, nurturing data-driven decisions. These platforms identify high-performing influencers based on audience demographics, reach, engagement, content category, and other relevant metrics.

4. Seek Multi-Platform Influencers: Influencers active on multiple platforms often have more versatile and engaged audiences. Include them in your influencer marketing strategy to enhance your reach across various user segments.

5. Engagement over Followers: Instead of focusing on follower count, look at engagement rates, authenticity, and relevance to your brand. These factors are usually better indicators of an influencer’s potential impact.

6. Inclusion of Micro-Influencers: Micro-influencers often have highly engaged audiences, making them ideal for niche markets. They can offer an effective, cost-efficient addition to your influencer shortlisting process.

While comparing platforms for influencer discovery, look at aspects like data accuracy, ease of use, depth of insights, customer support, and pricing. Always remember, the right platform is subjective to your specific needs, goals, and budget.

Test different strategies, track results, and iterate your process to find the approach that best meets your objectives.