Influencer Marketing is gaining popularity as more companies are using this new digital marketing tool to communicate and connect with their target audience better.
Social media is enabling audiences to communicate with each other as well as with experts and celebrities who endorse and promote products. More and more consumers are asking friends and acquaintances for product recommendations prior to any online research. This increasing popularity of sourcing information from other people versus company channels is changing traditional marketing communication methods.
“Influencer Marketing” involves experts in respective fields like health, beauty, and fitness, sharing their experiences, opinions, and beliefs about products and services through various social media channels. This is directly affecting purchasing decisions of the younger generation. The personification of these influencers at the hands of the youth is continuing to give them leverage to shape and affect opinion, seek validation and acceptance. Companies are realizing this changing trend and accepting it as an effective way to reach an audience.
Therefore, here are some ways marketers are forming relationships with influencers in the hope to connect with the target audience better while growing their business:
Choosing an influencer
Influencers don’t always have to be celebrities or have popular social media profiles. An influencer needs to have a strong industry voice and be able to communicate knowledge effectively. They should be relevant to, resonate with and able to reach the audience. This means that people who can elicit a positive response from the audience are good candidates, as well as those that that can command a certain action of their followers. Businesses are now turning to influencer marketing before their competition adopts these tactics. However, some businesses are failing to realize that choosing an influencer is not a short-term tactic to boost sales, and help grow the business. In fact, it is more like building a long-term strategy. That is why they must make a concerted and genuine effort to gain their trust and loyalty.
Tactics used by companies to get the best out of influencers
Marketers are realizing that influencers should be given the space to interact with the audience. They should have the creative leeway to communicate content and thoughts in a manner that comes naturally to them. The more real stories that come across, the more powerful impact they are likely to have the target audience. Additionally, influencers should be allowed and encouraged to provide honest and unbiased reviews of products and services. The more organic their reactions are, the more they are likely to connect a chord with the millennials. Some companies are choosing to work with influencers who do not even represent the industry. They feel a new person may bring an interesting perspective and will garner more appreciation by the target audience. Influencer marketing is built on authenticity and quality of content. Therefore, steps should be taken by companies to provide valuable content as well as guidance to support the influencers.
Marketers must learn to deal with the influencers effectively improving customer experience
Since influencers have such strong fan support, companies are wary of dictating too much. They believe that this might result in a backlash from supporters who feel that too much information about the brand /product is being pushed in their face. Influencers can often be unfollowed by the target audience, for sharing too much-sponsored content. Another risk of influencer marketing is deceiving the target audience with hashtags such as #paid or #ad, when it’s not authentic. Measuring influencer marketing is primarily done through engagement. This can be misleading since a lot of influencer marketing entails word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing that is not recorded after the first interaction with an audience member.
Marketers must understand the importance of influencer marketing. This form of marketing will yield positive results if understood and implemented correctly. Each influencer should be respected and upheld for their individuality and creativity. This will enable marketers to set realistic expectations and consequent business growth. More importantly, brands must remember that influencer marketing isn’t an opportunity for them to sit back and relax. They must consistently work with the influencer to provide content and support, without impinging on their creative expression. Joining the influencer marketing bandwagon isn’t for everyone so companies must evaluate if this will work for their target audience.
About IGM Creative Group
IGM Creative Group provides advertising solutions, marketing strategy, and web development for Fortune 500, mid-market, and small businesses.
166 Main Street
Suite 202
Lincoln Park, NJ 07035
Contact by phone at 973-709-1126 or send an email to creativeteam@igmcreativegroup.com