SUMMARY
When brands leverage social media to promote their own offerings, their reach is often limited to their own followers
With influencer marketing, a brand’s products and services can be exposed to a host of new individuals
76% of internet users are likely to trust brand-centric content created by ‘normal’ people instead of the brands themselves
In a recent study around the benefits of influencer marketing, it was found that out of 81% of marketers who use influencer content, 51% claimed that it outperforms brand-created content significantly. The same report also suggested that 49% of all consumers would depend on influencer recommendations for their next purchase.
Such is the power of social media-led influencer marketing. Ever since social media platforms became the go-to method for brands to market their products, users with high follower counts began to leverage their vast reach to help brands promote their products across a wider audience. Now, as influencer marketing has become a mainstream marketing trend, brands are looking for newer ways to drive meaningful engagement and higher visibility by collaborating with leading content creators.
Here’s looking at some ways in which influencer marketing can enhance brand visibility:
Reaching New Target Audiences
When brands leverage social media to promote their own offerings, their reach is often limited to their own followers. These people may have already bought products from the brand before and may even consider making repeat purchases. But, again, it’s the same set of people! However, with influencer marketing, a brand’s products and services can be exposed to a host of new individuals, who may not be aware of the brand. Branching out to a wider set of people can, thus, create a fresh stream of leads and convert newfound visibility into sales.
Gaining Trust And Credibility
The first step of long-lasting customer retention is building trust and credibility with current and potential users. Recent research by Olapic suggested that 76% of internet users are likely to trust brand-centric content created by ‘normal’ people instead of the brands themselves. Partnering with influencers will help brands get endorsements from more trusted sources, and deliver better brand salience. For instance, if a revered technology influencer speaks highly of a particular mobile phone, it will have a much deeper impact than if the brand itself harps on its superiority and features.
Boost Sales
It is a well-established fact that a majority of new-age consumers consider social media while making a purchase decision. A brand’s social media presence can, then, make or break its sales numbers in a major way. A report compiled by the Digital Marketing Institute mentioned that 86% women turn to social media for advice before purchasing products and more than half of them make purchase decisions based on Influencer posts on Facebook and Instagram. Clearly, brands can influence purchase decisions and witness increased sales through influencer collaborations.
Creating Engaging Content
The recall value of a well thought our influencer marketing campaign can do wonders for a brand’s recall value. By creating content that deeply resonated with the target audience while establishing a sense of bonding and trust, influencers can help brands form a fiercely loyal customer base.
A remarkable example of such content creation is the brand Budweiser India, which recently roped in numerous popular stand-up comics including Abish Mathew, Rohan Joshi, and Kaneez Surka to recreate their iconic ‘Whassup’ ad from 1999. Set in the lockdown period, this ad focused on the importance of social distancing while delivering exceptional engagement across all social media platforms.
It would not be an overstatement to say that influencer marketing can help a brand garner more reach and visibility than any other method in today’s competitive, digital-first market. As collaborations between brands and influencers are set to skyrocket, influencer marketing has emerged as the best way to drive engagement and conversations with the target audience.
