Why Influencers are Relevant for Nearly Every Industry

Consumers intake vast amounts of media on a daily basis. Digital content  heavily captures their attention and influences decision-making processes. Online resources makes it easy for consumers to search or view specific content they want to see. According to a Forbes article, “we have arrived in a new era of democratic media consumption where consumers choose what they listen to and who they trust.” This forces brands and marketers to fight for consumers’ attention, often leading them to pay high prices for ultra-premium content and placements.

One way to push through the crowded online marketplace is to introduce your brand through content your consumer already subscribes to – in other words, through influencers.

Why influencers?

This channel is growing immensely, with the global influencer market value reaching $13.8B in 2021 (Statista). The industry has increased in value by $12.1B over the past 5 years and is projected to steadily continue growing. This upward trend is unsurprising given consumers’ outspoken desire to have brand interaction with them in a way that is more personal and authentic.

Build equity, authenticity and awareness with influencers

Influencers offer brands the opportunity to go beyond simply responding to consumers’ questions and concerns on their social posts to using creators as a vehicle to showcase real life product use-cases, while also building brand equity in a non-invasive way – if done properly. Creators build brand authenticity and awareness. They gives consumers an additional resource to reference and interact with when considering your brand or product.

Consumers have diverse interests in both their personal and professional lives. Many follow social media influencers that they find inspiring, relatable, or a helpful source of knowledge. Because of this, influencers impact the way their followers think and feel about certain things, including your products. Followers are often actively looking to discover and seek out recommendations surrounding their preferred areas of interest. Advertising in an environment where consumers are already seeking these recommendations gives your brand a competitive edge because consumers are more likely to take interest in your message rather than scroll past it and consider it irrelevant.

Use creators to influence buying decisions

Using an influencer in your broader marketing strategy helps put a face and personality to your brand, which makes your audience feel greater brand affinity. Because of this familiarity, consumers usually trust the influencer’s opinions or recommendations. According to the Digital Marketing Institute, “49% of consumers depend on influencer recommendations.” Adding the weight of an influencer’s opinion to your product/brand increases brand equity among audiences. Providing a connection to your brand through a trusted influencer can improve consumer engagement, retention and loyalty.

Recommended Reading:

• How to Choose the Right Influencers for Your Brand
• Debunking Myths of Influencer Marketing