Marketing through public and influential people is not a new practice. Many brands have turned to celebrities to promote their products and services in television - on TV channels, and in the digital age, this strategy is still effective.
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Due to the evolution of the internet and the multiple content creation platforms, many users have become known in a very short time. Some of them are today's influencers, people who have developed real online communities with thousands or even millions of followers.
They can influence the general opinion of the users subscribed to their social media channels and implicitly, their behaviors, as consumers. The subject is vast, and we recommend that you read on to find out what the notion of influencer marketing entails, what are the best practices, how it can be implemented effectively and much more.
What is influencer marketing?
Influencer marketing is essentially a hybrid concept between old and new practices in the industry. This strategy takes the idea of promotion through an influential person and adapts it to the current context.
In other words, influencers are the intermediaries between the online community and the brand. A first notable difference from the classic strategies is the platform used. This type of marketing involves the promotion of an influencer on his social media channels, where he can interact directly with each follower.
An influencer is not necessarily a celebrity. It can be a person known in the online environment, in a certain niche or field of activity in which he specializes. In most cases, it is not chosen at random, taking into account the possible contribution on the image of the brand and the category of public to which the company in question wishes to address itself.
The benefits of an influencer marketing campaign
Any brand that wants to improve its online promotion campaigns and strategies should consider influencer marketing. It's a fast, efficient, and modern way to reach your target audience for your brand's products or services. Influencers are the ideal messengers for this, being already present on most relevant platforms and being up to date with the latest trends.
Proven efficiency
Over time, this strategy has become one of the preferred options for many brands to strengthen their online presence, being a mainstream practice today.
According to statistics from influencermarketinghub.com, Google has seen a 465% increase in searches for influencer marketing globally from 2016 to this year. The emergence of the pandemic has increased investment in this type of marketing, reaching $ 9.7 billion in 2020 and about $ 13.8 billion in 2021.
It is certainly a trend with a strong social and economic impact. Therefore, more and more brands want to be informed and turn to the services of a marketing agency that specializes in this field.
What are the steps to follow?
1. An important first step is to define the objectives of your brand through the marketing campaign that you will carry out. Specifically, what do you want to achieve by contacting an influencer?
2. Then determine the target audience. Decide which audience your product or service is targeting. Consider the age factor of users. In areas such as technology, there may be influencers who approach common topics, but address a different demographic. This brings us to the third and final step.
3. Internet research is crucial. Nowadays, there are influencers for any field of activity, but some of them post content from multiple areas of interest. If it becomes difficult, you can always seek specialist advice from a specialized agency.
How can efficiency be quantified in a short time?
As we mentioned, marketing campaigns through influencers can be effective, but the results can appear over time, especially if we talk about goals such as increasing notoriety or creating a positive attitude among your audience. But how can you measure the effectiveness of this strategy for your brand in a faster way? Well, there are several parameters that are analyzed, but the most important is the ultimate goal of your marketing campaign. But here are some examples of data you can track:
• Post audience
• User impressions
• Engagement (number of likes, comments and shares)
• Content quality and relevance
• Conversions
• Increasing the number of newsletter subscribers
• Increasing the number of followers
• Increase traffic to your website
What should we pay attention to when forming such collaborations?
It is important to know how to convey the message to a certain audience, to whom you want to address. Followers and fans of an influencer may be accustomed to a certain type of content, which may be different from the approach of your brand. From the visual concept, to the tone of voice or the soundtrack used, all these aspects can have a different approach.
However, it is best for the influencer to be able to maintain his characteristic style, for a more natural integration of the marketing campaign, without risking the loss of the general interest.
Situations where you may need influencer marketing
Every business goes through different stages, more or less pleasant. The Covid-19 pandemic has left its mark on many companies, with most consumers turning to online shopping.
This change came with its own challenges for certain brands, which may not have made their presence felt in this environment as much.
If there is a discrepancy between what the brand offers and what the consumer wants
Statistically speaking, most internet users often have more confidence in the recommendations and opinions of the people they follow on social networks. Thus, the influencer may be the intermediate that presents the product in a different form.
Brand awareness training
If you have just launched a start-up and your brand is new to the market, an influencer marketing campaign may be ideal. Consumers will learn about your product or service and you will be able to gain their trust in an efficient way. Find out who are the influential people who address your audience and send the first collaboration offers.
If you are targeting a new or different market
When you want your brand to enter a new market, you need the right way to adapt. Whether it's another country or just a different industry, an influencer familiar with those consumers will know how and to whom to turn.
Influencer marketing is a concept that does not seem to be disappearing too soon, but is growing year by year. The situations presented above are just a few examples of how you can implement such a campaign, but the opportunities are endless.
Call on the specialized services of the Image Marketing agency and enjoy the results of a well-developed marketing strategy!
