This is 2024, and there will be hardly anybody who does not know or follow an Instagram influencer. The influencer marketing industry has reached a worth of around 21.2 billion dollars in 2023. Yes, you read that right. But the question is, how did all this happen? Well, in the marketing industry, it happens this way. If it’s working, it’s going to break records. Moreover, it has become an integral part of Digital marketing trends.
If we look 3-5 years back, we used to know only Kylie Jenner as an influencer, but now, India has more influencers than the West. Thanks to the COVID-19 years. 2020 saw a huge rise in the number of influencers who are earning, and brands are also growing.
You would be surprised to know that influencer earns up to 2000+ dollars a month (minimum), while micro-influencers earn up to 1500 dollars a month. It is all happening because they are providing what people want: authentic content with transparency. They are the ones holding their entire lives in front of their audience; what can be more relatable than that? But how are brands utilizing them? Keep reading this blog to learn. There are also some tips for you guys!
How Does Influencer Marketing Work?
So, the proposal can come from any side. Sometimes brands reach out to influencers, and sometimes small influencers reach out to brands to increase their reach. In both ways, it works. Here, we will talk about how brands reach out to them.
When a new product launches, brands decide what audience they want to target and then check what influencers are popular among the audience. As the next step, they reach out to them and give the proposal. In the end, they discuss the pay, and the partnership is locked.
For example, if it’s a beauty brand, it usually collaborates with beauty influencers, or if the brand is into food or similar products, it will target chefs. We hope that you have understood the process. Now, let’s talk about why it is becoming so popular.
Why Has It Become Popular?
It has become popular because it gives people what they want. The audience, their taste, their likes, dislikes, preferences—everything has changed. People are very smart; they don’t fall for the conventional marketing trap. They need something authentic and relatable. This is the only way you can convince them to buy your product. Perhaps this is the reason that almost 60% of brands have collaborations with at least 10 influencers.
Unlike celebrities, influencers live life just like other people. To speak very specifically, they are none but ordinary people, putting their lifestyle and unique content on social media. That’s why they are called influencers; people can relate to them.
Therefore, if they promote a brand, there is a high chance that people will buy them. For example, take the example of popular influencers like astuti_mw. She has been portraying Indian moms, especially Bihari moms and women. Harpic collaborated with her, and the video didn’t seem like an ad, which is what people want.
Influencer Marketing: Changing the Marketing Scenario
Now, let’s talk about how it has been changing the digital marketing scenario. Influencer marketing has changed how people perceive products and services. People are more into authentic reviews, content, and transparency. Brands cannot just promote some creative content and make people fall for it. They see stats and reviews and then make their purchase, and it is all happening because of influencers who show people what the brands provide and whether they should purchase the services or products or not. Now, let’s discuss how they all do it.
Provide Unique Content:
In this world of social media, content is the only thing that can make your brand stand out. Influencers provide the audience with unique content like tutorials, tips, vlogs, shopping experiences, product or service reviews, etc. These kinds of content are unfiltered, which makes people believe in them more than the company ads.
Tip:
Ask influencers to use and give reviews of your product or services. This way, it becomes easy to gain the audience’s trust. Don’t make fake recorded reviews; if there are any negative or problematic things, let them and put that out there respectfully.
Having a Personal Touch:
You guys tell us, are you more likely to buy products that invoke thoughts in you or make you remember an old memory? We do that all the time. Brands also do it with a little bit of a twist, like making the regionally popular signer sing a song for the brand. It is also very effective.
Pantaloons did the exact same thing in their Pujo with Pantaloons campaign. Famous singer Anupam Roy sang a song that went viral along with the love story. The video portrayed the excitement and sweet memories of teenage love.
Tip:
Rather than images, focus on making videos. If you are into beauty brands, reviews work best, but if you can add music and target strong human emotions, it will be more impactful.
Transparency:
Transparency is the key to retaining your brand’s reputation and creating an everlasting legacy. The more you are transparent about your services and products, the more people will trust you. This trust helps brands in times of negative marketing or controversies. It is one of the most important strategies that you can use in influencer marketing.
Tip:
As we told you earlier, put exactly what you have on the table and let the audience be the judge. Don’t force them into something; give them time and space to make their decision.
Wrapping Up
In the end, all we will tell you is to start small. You don’t need to collaborate with celebrities or the biggest influencers; you can start with local ones and then move forward gradually. Keep upgrading the quality of your products because there is no point in promotion or branding when your product is not meeting people’s needs. Get professional digital marketing help if needed. Remember, you will not see the growth overnight; it takes time, so hang in there!
