Building trusting relationships can be difficult in a world flooded with marketers trying to engage customers across different platforms and channels. And while brand building remains the top objective of marketers worldwide, channels that reach the masses may not always match the bill.
Marketing professionals are always looking for new and better ways to create brand awareness. To do this, many are turning to social media এবং and influencers তৈরি to build more personal (and profitable) connections with consumers. Next year, global marketers will increase social media spending by 53%. This is more than any other channel. And social media remains the most bankable channel for global marketers, with 64% of global marketers surveyed for this year’s annual marketing report saying it is their most effective payment channel.
And it’s easy to see why marketers are spending so much on social media and influential marketing. SME Scarborough reveals that 42% of Americans seek advice on buying decisions from other people. They want it to be relevant and trustworthy. Influential people can make meaningful connections with their customers if they can relate. According to the SME Trust in Advertising 2021 survey, 71% of consumers believe in advertising, opinion and product placement by influential people.
It is interesting to note that not all influential marketing starts with one company. Many influential large-scale brands serve as inspiration for promotion. For example, the video of influencer Barbara Christophersen showing a gap hoodie in a color not made by the company in the early 2000s has gone viral with the hashtag #brownhoodie, which has a combined engagement rate of 188.35% and has resulted in no more visits to resale sites. Up to 300.
Gap was quick to take advantage of the organic traffic his brand was receiving and collaborated with other influential people to launch the #gaphoodie campaign which received over 6.5 million views. It also brought back the old shades of brown that had been discontinued and it got so flashy that it was quickly stuck.
This engagement results in brand awareness, camaraderie and withdrawal. SME’s Brand Impact service has measured the effectiveness of influential advertising in about 200 campaigns. This study found that 80% of influential ad viewers may remember the brand featuring them. Influencer ads are an average 9-point increase in brand affinity, as well as relative purchases of those who have not seen the intent to buy.
Aldo, a shoe company, has partnered with influential people to help promote the #StepIntoLove social-media campaign. For a chance to win $ 5,000, viewers were encouraged to share and create videos with the hashtag #StepIntoLove. The TikTok campaign has garnered more than 5 billion views and increased Aldo’s brand awareness by 2.5%, according to SME InfluenceScope data.
Marketers who are able to hit the right mix of content, personality and engagement can use influencers as a way to increase brand awareness. Brands that align themselves with the right influencers can be a trusted source for consumers — and the brand they remember when they want to shop.
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