If you’re anything like this writer, you’re completely impervious to the cunning deployment of advertising and manipulation in videos online. Although… that leather-bound notebook and carbon fibre pen that chap is talking about on Facebook do look really good…
Anyway, this is what makes the concept of influencer marketing so interesting. Here’s a closer look at what it does – and what it does to you.
Knowing Your Influencers
To begin with, there will be influencers you recognize, those who are also the face of massive ad campaigns you see all over the world. Then there are the others you don’t know, or at least not yet. However, you soon will – they’ll make sure of it.
Sometimes
known as micro-influencers,
these are people with a small but dedicated online following of only a few
thousand. The funny thing is, though, if they’re not the right influencer for
you, you’ll carry on never knowing they exist – while being adored by plenty of
other people!
The Need for Social Proof
Think
back to your childhood. It’s likely that there were a number of occasions you
didn’t quite push yourself to do something until you’d witnessed someone else
do it – and lived to tell the tale. Now think about the number of review sites
and customer testimonials you see every day.
Whether
or not you’re more attracted to a product after reading a review or
testimonial, the evidence is clear. People look for proof from other people, and
many influencers are just that – people. Not celebrities, not icons, just other
plain ol’ folk like you and me.
…and the proof is in the promotional pudding
The results of this study, conducted by Collective Bias, prove everything you need to know about the power of influencer marketing. It revealed that around 3% of consumers would consider purchasing a product endorsed by a celebrity – while ten times as many would place their trust in an influencer who wasn’t also a celebrity!
However,
apart from the likely substantial difference in their bank balances, what’s the
key difference that becomes an attraction to so many people? Well, aside from
telling you about a product that you might like, what else could a celebrity
really tell you about their life – that you could identify with? Many
influencers tend to talk about their personal lives, too, revealing key things
that you, I, and most people (maybe not Kanye) can relate to.
The Power of Reciprocity
So,
when somebody feeds you with useful information or helps you to understand a
feeling, situation or problem you’re experiencing, what do you do? Unless
you’re in a particularly bad mood, you’re going to thank them, right? Maybe
even offer them something in return?
This simple, friendly way of communication is at the core of the relationship between influencers and us. Marketers all over the world are currently embracing it. Influencer marketing agency Socially Powerful is one of the most prominent names in the industry and specializes in pairing the ideal influencers with the right brands. In effect, finding the right influencer is the hard part of the job – letting them work wonders for your brand, though, is simple.
