The rise of social media has created a level playing field for brands to compete in their niches.
There are so many examples of startup brands giving a run for their money to established brands when it comes to driving up sales and increasing market share. The reason? Choosing the right influencer through an influencer marketing platform.
Influencer marketing is not something that can be planned overnight- it takes months of careful planning, developing, conceptualizing, and execution to build a successful influencer marketing campaign. Nevertheless, an influencer marketing campaign done well can result in handsome gains for any brand.
External factors, too, can help your influencer marketing campaign get extremely popular. In 2020, the Covid-19 induced pandemic was a single big reason for the rise of online shopping- brands saw tremendous growth in their online sales as most people stayed indoors.
Brands took this opportunity with both hands- resulting in a staggering rise in online sales of various products and services. In fact, considering the current market conditions, experts estimate influencer marketing to be worth $15 billion in 2022.
Trending social media-endorsed celebrities
Social media is one platform that people go to when they need advice or entertainment. They find user-generated content (UGC) as one of the best ways to refer to when in need and to unwind.
Though social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook target a younger audience, these platforms also see many middle-aged and older adults using them. That is why there are so many influencers who have become social media celebrities due to their following of older adults. In fact, many of these influencers create and post content targeting a specific niche- earning them a select audience that is interested in that niche.
How micro and Nano- influencers are ruling the roost
Brands have realized that the likes of Kim Kardashian or Justin Bieber do not give the personal touch that micro and Nano-influencers do. They are the ones that connect directly with the target audience, allowing brands to connect with the target audience through them.
No wonder brands of all hues are hiring droves of micro and Nano-influencers within their niches to promote their wares. Even if high-end celebrities have the same number of followers as these micro and Nano-influencers do, people see these small influencers like friends and their product recommendations are seen as genuine and trustworthy. This was the main reason brands use the power of micro and Nano-influencers to fulfill their marketing goals.
Brands have jumped on the online shopping bandwagon when it comes to sales channels post-pandemic. To not look opportunistic or pushy, brands have realized that the best way to target the audience is through these small-scale influencers.
Niche influencers are in high demand
An influencer can be anyone- a teenager giving his peers fashion advice or even an experienced doctor answering people’s questions on health issues. Though Instagram and TikTok were seen as social media platforms for the youth, many experienced professionals became influencers overnight. They used these platforms as a medium to give genuine information about COVID-19 and explained how people can stay safe.
One shining example is Laurel Bristow, an expert on infectious diseases. She used her Instagram page to bust myths and keep people abreast of the latest developments during the pandemic. This helped increase her follower count exponentially, making her a prime example of how niche influencers can gain an immense following if their content is interesting and relatable.
A drastic shift in content creation
With the lockdown, some types of content become difficult to create- travel, sports, and other outdoor activities. On the other hand, entertainment content saw a big jump in impression and viewership. Predictably, many influencers who used to create outdoor-based content suffered, while those promoting healthy eating, entertainment, and other indoor-based content saw encouraging and surging viewership and engagement.
Though the change was temporary, it had a deep impact on the way people consumed content online.
Change in content strategy
When governments worldwide announced lockdowns, the first reaction from the influencers was of shock and awe. In the first few weeks, brands used influencers to answer customer queries. Slowly, as things normalized, brands used this time to push content and products that helped with staying indoors, like the Work from Home (WFH) trend that saw millions of sedentary jobs being done at home.
With the growing concerns of infection, workplaces have slowly shifted from the office cubicle to the drawing-room computer table. Influencers realized this and produced content that helped people tide over this new reality.
Businesses that relied on gathering crowds of people together suddenly had no option but to change their work processes. Some businesses went online, while others changed the way they operate. To attract people, businesses knew the only way to do so was with the help of a sound influencer marketing strategy.
People are so used to seeing paid ads everywhere that most people do not even take them seriously. An honest and unbiased recommendation works better than a forced (and many times irrelevant) advertisement that only demonstrates the product.
