As a businessman or brand owner, if you have not been living under a rock, you should be familiar with influencer marketing and how much of an impact it has these days. It is the trend at the moment and looks to continue in the future as well.
Everything concerning influencer marketing in 2019 looks to be set in stone in terms of the approach for those who have been working with it as well as for those who are thinking about making a contact with their first influencer.
If you happen to be among the latter group, you should know some things before contacting him or her. Make sure to continue reading onwards as this article will reveal the most important aspects, such as benefits, of working with influencers.
The Value
First and foremost, the biggest reason for the sudden influx of influencers on the internet has to be the fact that they bring so much value. Traditional methods of marketing seem to get left behind by a mile in terms of how much you get in return when compared to influencers.
Most people on social media follow at least one or more influencers. This number is continuing to rise because you do not see accounts of influencers dropping followers, right? They are only growing.
Trust
Before making a purchase online, most individuals will certainly look at reviews and what others had to say about a particular product or service. However, because it is easy to manipulate this system and purchase plenty of fake reviews, it is understandable that smarter customers are looking for information elsewhere. Call it the evolution of an average customer if you want.
Now when someone that they trust advertises the product, it is bound to make a difference, correct? After all, there is a reason why someone is following an influencer. Compare their word to a big corporation and you have a clear winner.
Generation Z
It would be unwise to expect that influencer marketing will have the same impact among all age groups. Older people should be disregarded most of the time, even if they are on social media.
According to the research by Global Web index, it is generation Z that is the most likely to convert. If your product or service is targeted at that specific demographic, you should put even more resources into the influencer marketing campaign.
Gender
You might think that it is mostly females who are engaging with influencer content. But it is quite common for men to have similar behavior.
Of course, as you can expect, interests for these differ quite a lot. It all comes down to your brand and what your goals are. Having a clear plan helps when looking for an influencer.
Instagram Rules
Proclaiming Instagram as the hub for influencer marketing is not a stretch by any means. Marketers themselves identify Instagram as the number-one platform. And they are correct because younger generations are much more active in it. Meanwhile, Facebook is preferred mostly by the older cohort.
It should not be that surprising since Instagram posts capture the message perfectly. It is a visual that brings attention to people who are browsing, and the format allows for a lot of creativity whenever influencers are creating their content.
Transparency
Transparency is without a doubt an absolute must as far as influencer marketing goes. Followers will notice someone if they are not true to their word. Posts that include a promotion tend to have a clear message, whether it was paid with money or by providing a free sample.
Influencers that follow this protocol are the ones who have the most trust. It is just another step of getting more followers and people on your side.
It Will Not Stop
With how things are going, it is highly unlikely that influencer marketing is going to slow down any time soon. Both brands and influencers have discovered a perfect method to make the most out of what is available to them.
Separating the Good from the Bad
As a final piece of advice, it is worth noting that those who will dip their feet in influencer marketing for the first time should be able to separate the good from the bad, the real from the fake.
Plenty of accounts might look great on the surface, but the reality can be quite different. Pay attention to the content itself and how it is in terms of quality. Also, the engagement rate is the most important part of the equation. Someone with a million followers but a few thousand likes is worthless and highly paid money to purchase those followers.
In a word, if you have not had an opportunity to work with an influencer before, you should be good to go after reading these tips. And once you find someone you like, keep that relationship in check because you never know when you might need that service again.