For eons, companies have used marketing strategies, advertisements to influence the buying decision of the customer. However, the surge of social media challenged all the conventional methodologies. Today you would notice the surge of vloggers, bloggers who are also popularly known as influencers. These people have a huge fan following and can influence the buying decision of the people who follow them. The rise of social media platforms like Facebook and Youtube has played a key role in influencers’ popularity. And this is the reason they are challenging the conventional promotional and influencing strategies followed by the companies.
As per the latest reports of Linqia:
In 2017, out of 86% of the marketers who used influencer marketing, 92% found it useful.
44% of the marketers aim at using influencers to make their digital channels fruitful.
With such big numbers showing their inclination towards using the influencers shows how important the influencers are for the marketers.
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Let us understand the different ways; marketers can use influencers :
- They can use it to establish brand image- Popular influencers have a huge fan following. And the best part is that their positive or negative comments drastically affect their followers’ buying decisions. Companies can use marketers to promote their products or service and gain credibility in the market. You would have often seen promotional videos showcased by influencers; it can be about a cosmetic brand, consumer good, etc. These influencers leave a review of the product, which is followed by thousands of people.
- Influencers can establish a personal connection with the customer- There is no better way to promote a brand or product than establishing a personal connection with the customer. Influencers make this task easy.
- Influencers are revenue generators- Whenever marketers invest in a marketing strategy; they want it to give them returns. If we consider the conventional marketing method, they may be revenue-generating but not that quick. When it comes to influencers, then they help in boosting the conversions and also increase the sales. You would have often noticed companies making use of influencers to unbox their new product or services. This is done every month, or companies may opt for a different time-frame based on the product. The crux of the matter is that the influencers have a strong and direct impact on the customer. They establish one-to-one connect, which has a greater effect on conversion rate as compared to other methods.
- They are a great channel for boosting brand awareness- If you are willing to create instant brand awareness and create a brand recall, then influencers can be beneficial. They make your brand look more real and authentic, thus establishing an instant connection with the customers. Many companies and big names are making use of influencers. They have a strong fan following and their followers trust their opinion, point of view, and decisions. Thus influencers become beneficial for the companies who are looking to generate brand awareness.
- Influencers are trust builders- As per Neilsen’s report, the reviews by friends and their recommendations play a key role in influencing the buying decision. Influencers also have a similar effect. They create a huge fan following based on their followers’ trust and the ingenuity of their opinions. Marketers can make use of this power of in flivvers to propagate their product and build trust.
Conclusion-
The crux of the matter is that influencers are the choice of modern-day marketing strategies. They help in building trust, garner attention, and generating brand awareness. For companies who wish to gain the maximum benefit out of social media platforms and marketing channels, influencers will play an integral role.