Gone are the days when only famous artists or models could promote well-known brands. Today, it can take luck and the help of the internet to become an influencer. Social media influencers can have a strong enough social media following that they can act as representatives for brands.
As social media platforms continue to flourish, we will see more and more influencers create new types of content and trends to engage with their audiences. In return, the content they create can help brands expand their reach and help generate leads and revenue.
During the global pandemic, brands struggled to tap into their markets now stuck at home. With social media influencers, they can reconnect with their audience. Traditional advertising activity decreased vastly, while influencer marketing efforts grew by over 50 percent.
There will always be social media influencers
Unlike celebrities, influencers emerge from internet obscurity almost every day. During the onset of the pandemic, consumers saw a great disconnect between them and the celebrities that once had a huge influence on them.
A great example was when many celebrities produced a video singing Imagine by the Beatles. The general public saw that as inauthentic. Influencers, on the other hand, are seen as more genuine representations of consumers. It’s quite clear that social media influencers are here to stay.
Growing social media platforms don’t push influencers into obsolescence
The strength of social media influencers is that they are digitally everywhere. By everywhere, we mean that they can be seen on every social media platform available. Recently, Tiktok tapped the 800 million mark for their followers with a rating of 75 percent active users.
In the digital world, visibility is equivalent to relevance. Since influencers are seen everywhere, they can stay relevant, which is why brands are gravitating towards them. Since we can’t predict which platform will rise next, there is only the assurance that influencers will thrive on future platforms.
Influencers produce great engagement
Being an influencer doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to have a million followers to be considered one. However, what’s important is that brands see that you have great engagement with your audience. Engagement means the number of times people click on your content, the number of shares you get, and the number of reactions to each post on average.
Even if you only have a thousand followers with nine hundred active followers, that’s considered great engagement. When an influencer has great engagement, it only means that the content they create reaches a lot of people, which is good for a brand’s visibility.
Authentic partnerships
In any form of marketing or advertising campaign, what always sells is authenticity. Since people feel the most authentic content comes from influencers, brands are participating in long-term partnerships instead of one-time endorsements. The authenticity that content exudes is not only good for the target audience but also for the brand.
Influencers produce trends
The digital space thrives on trends, and influencers are the biggest trendsetters online. Social media influencers are seen as individuals who have trusted opinions, making their recommendations popular. Compared to traditional advertisements, over a third of millennials will trust an influencer’s recommendations since there is open communication between the brand and consumers.
Conclusion
Social media is here to stay, and so are influencers. Influencer marketing is more than just a trend; it is becoming an essential and effective aspect of digital marketing. At the end of the day, it is important to consider all avenues of marketing, including influencers.
CCG is a marketing agency based in Santa Monica dedicated to improving the digital landscape. What matters to us is our client’s success to ensure every investment makes an impact. We bring together the world’s best creators, marketers, and innovators to do omnichannel marketing for our clients. Check out our in-depth strategy review for full-scale productions today.