Introduction
The year 2020 has brought in a lot of turmoil. Many industries were haywire. So many activities came to a halt. So many things changed, such as online classes and being a part of video conferences. There was an increase in the users using OTT platforms as well. Since offline stores were shut down, online stores have been used.
All in all, the usage of the internet increased among people. More people started searching for safe and trusted products online on digital platforms.
This has led to a surge in the number of opportunities for businesses and marketers. These businesses and marketers engage in influencer marketing. The influencers often have a huge fan following those businesses can target. These influencers have their niche areas and have built trust with their fans as well. The content is often produced in the form of texts, videos, and images.
Influencer marketing is becoming an emerging strategy for digital marketing brands.
What is Influencer Marketing?
Collaborating with online influencers to market their products or services is Influencer Marketing. Anyone can become an influencer. Just like the word suggests influencers are influential because of their large following on social media.
An influencer can be a fashion model or photographer on Instagram or a blogger who tweets. Or a marketing executive on LinkedIn. Influencers have expertise in their niche. Depending upon their specializations, they can make engaging social posts. They share images, make videos and run informative discussions online.
Shifting the Perspective of Brands and Buyers
The perspective of brands and buyers has changed with the pandemic. The brands want to create products that are sales-oriented and sensible. Customers, on the other hand, search for products that can be trusted. Influencers cater to the demands of both customers and brands. Influencers present the products or services of the brands in a more genuine manner.
The customers expect the product to be genuine. They want genuine offers that can serve their purpose well. Collaborating with influencers is proving to be beneficial for brands.
The brands want to portray a good image and come across as trustworthy. Influencers help these brands to maintain this image.
What Influencer Market does not Involve
It is important to make use of different influencers. One size does not fit all influencers. Simply looking at the popularity does not work out. The major goal is to elicit action from the customers. Famous influencers are not necessarily suited for a particular niche.
Often some buyers mention a product in their posts or videos. These buyers or consumers can be nurtured and motivated to promote the brand later. However, likely, these buyers won’t have a huge following from the get-go. This is a time-consuming process.
The influencer market is all about creating content that consumers can relate to. Adding credibility matters as buyers today care about transparency. Being an influencer, you’re not just promoting a brand but rather showing yourself as a member of a community.
Innovative Content and Magnified Reach
So many times, we see ads produced by brands to promote their products. But do we buy them just after seeing those ads? Most people don’t. This is where the role of influencers matters. An influencer is a third party for the brand. They market the products in innovative ways. Influencers act as a bridge between the buyers and the brands.
The influencer presents themselves as a customer and reviews the product. You can find so many product reviews on YouTube and other social media platforms. Content created by influencers is more accepted by people.
Realistic Video Content
People today want instant gratification. They prefer watching videos over texts. It is easier to grab the attention of people with videos. People like to watch videos that are made by influencers.
It is easy to make videos today. Videos can be made even with a mobile phone. What’s important is genuine and impactful content. Even Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube have augmented their video-making features. This is to become video-supported platforms.
The influencers seem more authentic to the viewers. It is because of this reason that the videos made by influencers are sought after. These videos are not scripted, so it feels more personal. The audience also feels a connection with the influencers. The viewers don’t care if the video is shot professionally or not. The viewers are often able to relate with the influencer if there are imperfections in the videos.
The product reviews do not come across as ads, and that’s the reason why people like it. Consumers want realism and influencers know how to make realistic content. Realism added with humor is compelling, something that influencers are aware of. Marketers are also aware of the fact, which is why they collaborate with influencers in the first place.
All about Authenticity
Whether it is a product or a brand, it must be authentic. Consumers are smart today; they are aware of when a campaign is paid or genuine. They steer clear from campaigns that are too sale-oriented. All influencers claim to be genuine on social media. However, brands should check which influencer has an organic fan following. Adding to this, a brand ambassador program should also be developed that has clear goals. This increases brand awareness, sales, the website traffic and so on.
The ambassador program can be effective in checking whether the influencer has an organic fan following. Ambassador programs have bona fide influencers who have their profile and professional experience verified. Brands can identify the right influencers by tracking the data of the campaigns.
Conclusion
The advent of the influencer market is getting bigger in the business market and also among marketers. Consumers expect more transparency in the influencer marketing industry.
There are stringent rules which are being introduced regarding updates. The brands must carefully choose influencers who are knowledgeable in their fields. The focus should be to generate long-term partnerships with the influencers. This also helps in building and cultivating long-term trust with people.
