How your brand can benefit from an influencer
The word influencer has been around since 2009, but the idea of an influencer goes way back. Consider the impact of people like Coco Chanel, who inspired a whole century of women to dress in a style that grew to epitomise elegance. Celebrity status has been used for decades to sell everything from apple sauce to airlines, and perhaps this is the problem. “55% of Generation Alpha would purchase a product that was endorsed by an influencer.” Futures 2020, Wunderman Thompson Commerce Why partner with an influencer? Research shows that influencers garner around 55% more trust than a celebrity endorsement – especially amongst the younger demographic. If a brand wants to stay relevant and create an identity that works as well online as it does in real life, then harnessing the power of the influencer is essential. Your creative strategy may include live streams of product testing, or the opportunity to enjoy a special offer if an influencer led link is followed. You can offer the opportunity for two way interaction, with live Q&As about your products and services, as well as more quirky offerings like participation in an online challenge. An influencer can offer insight into your products and services, as well as comments on their real-life love of what your business has to offer. Adaptable and flexible The beauty of an influencer-led campaign is that it can be adapted to work on a localised scale too – you can choose an influencer from your local area, who will be able to understand and actualise the realities of what makes your target audience tick. Choosing to create a localised campaign gives your business authenticity and relevance that can be lacking in this over-commercialised world. As we begin to reconnect with “outside”, we want to feel rooted and relevant in our community – choosing to use influencer created content, especially from local providers, means this connection is secured and enhanced in a way that keeps your brand and business as relevant for future consumers as it is for those loyal clients who love to feel they are part of something relevant and forward-thinking.