Sure, some brands are building their influencer marketing strategies around celebrity influencers
, such as Estee Lauder, which tapped Kendall Jenner to help launch a new product line for young women.
But Kardashian-level names aren’t the only influencers brands should consider. There are individuals in almost every field who have established their credibility to loyal followers.
Digital marketers realize that engaging with Instagram influencers in social media yields quick results in creating and maintaining brand awareness among prospective and repeat clients. If you haven’t considered influencer marketing yet, here are six reasons you should:
1 – Influencers are well-trusted
Over time and with consistency, influencers have built a rapport with their audiences. The relationship is founded on trust and belief in what these individuals have to say whether it’s positive or negative. An influencer’s recommendation can sometimes be enough to move a reader or viewer to action. Digital marketers can leverage on that trust to drive sales for the company. As marketing consultant Jay Baer says, “True influence drives action, not just awareness.”
A good start is to share a YouTube influencer’s content and offer your content as well. Observe how the audience will receive the tandem. You can use marketing analytics to measure the social interactions and digital data for a more reliable insight on customer receptiveness.
2- Influencers hold your target audience.
Look no further. Your intended market segments may already be the influencers’ loyal followers. The beauty with these tastemakers is that they attend to a particular group of customers like sports enthusiasts or parents. To be discovered and remain visible to these niche markets is a major reason to dive into influencer marketing.
When influencers bring you right away to your target clients in social media, you’ve hit the bulls-eye. They can deliver content on your behalf, which lessens the appearance of being too pushy that is standard with sales and marketing copies. They help build images, shape perceptions and contribute to purchase decisions and consumer behavior. Marketing departments and companies save on efforts and funds testing and finding audiences. Influencers have done this part of the job.
Learn more about influencer marketing on Thursday, July 19 in a new free virtual event “5 Keys to Successful Influencer Marketing” Register now to join us live or listen on demand and learn how SAP Ariba, Wellness Amplified and more are using influencers in their marketing strategies.
3- Influencers fill the content void.
The digital landscape demands recent and exciting features to circulate. Influencers can be the answer to the agonizing content gap that happens when a brand is promoted from the owner’s perspective alone. Sometimes the well of content ideas can run dry. Or you want a different twist to your stories on the website and social media pages. Third party influencers can supply the missing link by doing the pitching for you.
Your content plus an influencer’s content equals a variety in style and tone in crafting the headline, visuals, or call to action. Still, the same message is delivered: that your brand is the best in the industry. A precious resource you can readily draw from, repurpose, and convert to sales.
4- Influencers give added-value content.
Influencers keep their audiences because they exude authenticity and provide content that consumers love. Influencers can deliver more than product knowledge. Inherent in them is the desire to show how problems are solved. They educate and inspire. They have a mission they hope to fulfill and in doing so find people who align with the mission and whose needs are met. Coming from such purpose yields fresh and creative content all the time.
Shared interests that go beyond brand name and benefits strengthen the network of influencers and their audiences. They truly want to know deeper: the people behind the product, its history, innovations and competitive edge and more. These are the stories that you would gladly share over and over.
5- Influencers stretch brand awareness.
If you are using conventional marketing techniques, then influencers can complement them by opening the gates to the digital world. Sponsoring the work of an influencer, for example, can get more people to notice your brand. This will generate traffic, and ultimately, new leads for your sales funnel.
Ardent fans will associate a brand with the influencer, which is why an influencer should embody the unique characteristics of a label. Conversely, digital marketers can research on key influential individuals who have been satisfied clients and check the possibility of working together. However way you search the influencer that fits, both strategies will introduce untapped market segments, thus, expanding a brand’s reach and growth potential.
More on Influencer Marketing:
6- Influencers are partners
Reaching out to influencers is like adding characters to your brand’s evolving story. Make your content in sync with their voice and aspirations. When they see your content matches their mission and can widen their online presence, they will most likely share and lend their reputation to your product or service.
Charlotte McCleary is a Boston-based brand strategist.
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