Digital marketing agencies can no longer look past the impact that influencers can have on building relationships to cultivate their own brands. There are key areas that brands are going to want to focus on to get the most out of their influencer(s). But how can you make your campaigns seem authentic in the age of “#ad”?
The appeal of influencers
Navigating an influencer marketing strategy is now an essential part of any B2C company. Influencers have been able to drive change in various industries and drive consumers toward the point of purchase. Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of fraudulent profiles and being fed ads from the people that they don’t follow. This means that followers are less likely to buy something from influencers that they can’t trust. Companies are looking more towards micro-influencers to bring a voice to their brand. Macro-influencers are not as trustworthy or relatable, making them less appealing to both consumers and digital marketing agencies. Kylie Jenner actually made Snapchat lose $1 billion in market capitalization virtually overnight! Her single tweet ultimately finalized the initial loss of interest that most had been feeling about Snapchat. Now THAT is some serious influence.
Authenticity will be key
People want authentic content. Period. Influencer marketing strategies must return to its roots to stay relevant. At the end of the day, people want to feel connected to whoever they follow. So ads have to be placed in a realistic way. Personalization is key. When consumers feel that they are a part of something, they are more likely to act on it. Many influencers have become modern day celebrities. That being said, most people are not likely to relate to or truly interact with celebrities or macro-influencers. They are on a pedestal that consumers cannot attain. Of course, they are often emulated, and their value is still pertinent in the industry. When it comes to bigger brands, they can afford celebrities and macro-influencers to get a large pull for their brand. However, smaller and medium sized digital marketing agencies should be relying on micro-influencers in 2019 to take their influencer marketing strategy to the next level.
Niche influencers and direct targeting
Niche influencers will be crucial for marketing in 2019. Smaller influencers that focus on particular topics, have the ability to directly reach people with those exact interests. Working with an influencer for more than just one time will create a solid foundation that their fans, your customers and the influencer themselves will be able to trust. Niche influencers give your business the ability to directly reach people that could be interested in your product and in turn, remain loyal customers. There are niche influencers for just about any area you can imagine- whether it be hobbies, material goods and various other categories.
Remaining authentic, focusing on niche influencers, and the relationships these influencers have is crucial for social media success. While there is no exact science, these areas are significant in driving growth and engagement. Take a look at your current marketing strategies and see how influencer marketing can fit into it. You never know, you could be one post away from the best campaign your brand has ever had... so, what are you waiting for?
