Marketing with digital influencers, is it worth investing?
You know what digital influencers are. He certainly accompanies at least one and certainly, even if unconsciously, he has already been influenced by it.
The changes brought about by digital technologies and social networks have caused consumer behavior to change as well. Today, we know that one of the main characteristics of the new consumer is to research before buying.
The buying journey has changed and today it is already so complex that Google, in 2020, suggested a new model, in which the consumer is constantly looking for triggers. One of these triggers, and probably the most effective one, is that of influence and authority. Consumers look for other people’s opinions before making a decision.
And that’s where the power of digital influencers comes in. This power is so great that there are already specific strategies within Marketing that we call Influencer Marketing.
But before investing, understand the subject better and be aware of certain precautions.
Good reading!
What is Influencer Marketing?
Influencer marketing is a collaboration tactic between a brand and people who can be considered “digital influencers”.
The idea is to use the influence of these individuals to publicize the brand, its products and services. Due to the influence of influencers on their followers in the digital universe, the brand tends to gain credibility.
This effect is present in mental triggers that are already known and used in marketing, such as the authority trigger, in which we use the voice of someone with proven expertise (for example, “9 out of 10 dentists recommend it”) and the social proof trigger, where we show that the brand is chosen by successful people (for example, “see so-and-so’s personal story”).
In addition to credibility, your business also gains more visibility, increasing the long-awaited organic traffic on your networks.
Care when investing in digital influencers
1. Number of followers is not the same as engagement capacity
Of course, the number of followers is important, but not always having hundreds of thousands means engagement.
You may not remember the case of the American influencer “Arii” who, even with 2.6 million followers on Instagram, was unable to sell more than 36 shirts from her brand. This is a great example that the number of likes on a post does not necessarily reflect its effective reach. That is, the follower may have liked the title and the image, but not actually made any decision.
Engagement capacity is in the level of influence that a profile exerts.
2. Alignment of the influencer’s profile with their audience
Following the logic of the previous topic, the influencer’s profile must be in line with their audience. There’s no point in trying to get a fashion blogger to sell car products.
It is much more interesting to invest in a profile with only 5,000 followers, but which is related and has authority with your audience, than to invest in a profile with more than 100,000 followers that has nothing to do with your brand.
Aligning the profile also means avoiding controversial positions that don’t go down well with your audience. Always look for an influencer who is closest to your company’s values and positions, as he will be your spokesperson.
3. Integrate your channels with the influencer’s
In addition to choosing the right influencer, it is also necessary to outline the ideal strategies regarding the dissemination channels.
The strategy should consider what you are promoting, but also monitoring points so you can check the effectiveness of the campaign.
3 reasons to invest in influencers on social media
1. More engagement
Every entrepreneur seeks to build a customer base that is engaged and loyal to the brand. But for that, investment and patience is needed, after all, this is a process that takes time.
Influencers, in turn, have already gone through this process and already have an established base that is highly interested in what they offer.
Investing in an influencer on social networks can mean a certain “transfer” of authority, helping to increase your customer base.
2. More credibility and authority
As we mentioned earlier, on the internet the opinion of the other counts a lot. For the new generation of consumers, there is nothing more credible than a good review of other individuals’ experience.
According to research by ROI & Influencer Marketing, more than 74% of consumers use social networks at some point in their shopping journey to decide on a purchase. These are people who are looking for good brand reviews to trust the brand.
3. Low cost and high return
Of course, the strategy needs to be very well planned and the cost will depend on the negotiation with the influencer. But, in general, actions with digital influencers are much more accessible and the return on this investment (ROI) is one of the best compared to other strategies.
Furthermore, as with any digital marketing strategy and unlike advertisements made in offline media, the results are measurable, making it possible to understand the public’s reaction and what you need to change or not for future strategies.
In summary, it is worth investing in digital influencers, especially those who are close to you and your audience. But to enforce and reap the best results, you need to have a well-studied and defined strategy.
Surely you realized that knowing the public and their main communication channels, understanding what they want, is essential for all stages of the process.
