With Apple’s latest move in enhancing its users’ privacy, the digital marketing landscape is becoming more and more difficult. We know that consumers are wary of being tracked. So much so that they are taking extreme measures to avoid ads as much as possible. Is influencer marketing the answer to this worrying trend?
What is Influencer Marketing?
Influencer marketing is a clever strategy where businesses leverage the status of an individual to boost the profile and branding of the business. In fact, many influencers also make use of their own status and reach to launch their own companies as well.
“Influencing is about connecting, and that’s what marketing revolves around today – making us feel connected with the product and people who use/promote that product.”
– Anja Skrba at First Site Guide
The greatest thing about influencer marketing is that everyone is an influencer. In fact, your customers are your greatest assets. Connect with them and use their voices to generate some buzz for your business.
So, how do you develop marketing campaigns through the use of influencers?
Influencer Marketing Campaign Types
1. Promo Codes
The beauty of promo codes is that it can be used anywhere and at any time. From online platforms to offline media, promo codes are flexible and adaptable. Influencers are especially bug fans of promo codes because they are convenient to use on a cross-channel platform. For example, the influencer is able to use promo codes on their social media accounts, on their email blasts and even on their YouTube channels seamlessly.
Businesses are also able to track and measure the performance of each influencer that they are collaborating with. Just make sure that you provide each influencer with a unique promo code for your tracking purposes.
2. Giveaways
Unboxing videos are the norm with influencers and celebrities now. It is easy to produce and helps shine a light on the products that you want to highlight at a minimal cost and effort. You might even strike a deal with the influencer and get them to try out or review your product after the unboxing. Ideally, you should be giving away exclusive merchandise that is set to be released in the near future.
3. Competitions and Contests
This is an easy way to quickly spark a conversation about your brand. You can easily drive up your engagement levels by hosting competitions and contests on your social media accounts. Ideally, the prizes that you are giving away should be exclusive or lucrative enough to get people excited to participate in your contest. Make sure that your contest details are simple, transparent and easy to follow.
Influencer Marketing Trends
1. Collaborate With Influencer Who Use Video
Video consumption is on the rise, which means that demand for video content is rising too. While Youtube is the main channel for video, do not be duped into creating a Youtube ad. In fact, brands are actually boycotting Youtube advertising mainly because of the lack of control in where their ads are shown.
Instead, when we talk about video content, we are referring to influencers who produce and create their own video content. This allows the influencers and brands more creative control. Influencers are also able to share their views about a product in a more relaxed manner. Therefor, unboxing videos or exclusive reviews from influencers are useful content for brands.
“80% of millennials would go to a video content when researching a purchasing decision”
2. Embrace Transparency
Consumers are smarter than ever. They are more aware of pushy advertisements and will do anything to steer clear of such brands. Rather, consumers would prefer if brands are more upfront about their advertising strategies.
Maintain the trust that the consumers already have for you by disclosing the fact that you are engaging an influencer to promote your products or brand. Be open to influencers putting #sponsored #ad #[yourbrandname] in their posts. Develop transparency with your audience and trust your influencers to help you with your marketing.
3. Develop Useful Content Marketing
Content marketing is developed as a way to value-add to the consumer. This is because the modem consumers now are tired of the traditional forms of marketing intruding into TV, radio, magazines and billboards.
Now in the digital era, consumers are demanding for greater authenticity and more elevated forms of advertising. Thus, the influencer you partner with will need to have some authority in the subject matter for their promotion to be deemed as genuine. Do keep in mind that once the trust factor fades, the followers and influence will fade together with it.
Conclusion
The digital marketing landscape is shifting rapidly. Influencer marketing can be considered to be a subset of word of mouth marketing. Luckily, this form of marketing is unlikely to go anywhere. Throughout time, consumer behaviour still dictates that we hold genuine recommendations and reviews very highly. Thus, as long as your influencer of choice has a good reputation and is considered a genuine and authentic person in the community, your influencer strategy will bring forth positive outcomes.
