DailyPost 594
INFLUENCER MARKETING
The urge for influencing the decision of the customer is at the core of business. This brings the whole business cycle to fruition. Different strategies have been in vogue; advertisements, hoardings, celebrity endorsements etc. The pre-eminence of Social Media in our existence today has made it a medium of choice for marketing. Influencer marketing can be understood as one who an influence & the method to do it.
”An influencer has the power to affect purchase decisions of others because of his authority, knowledge, position or relationship with his audience.” It can also be an individual who has a following in a particular niche, the size of the following is directly proportional to the size of the niche. There remains an active engagement between the influencer & followers. These individuals are not just marketing tools but social relationship assets which brands can collaborate for influencing marketing decisions. Social media influencer has already become a category. Influencing social media can make a difference today.
Having built a reputation by their knowledge & expertise, they write regularly on topics of their choice &expertise, on their preferred social media channels, followed by enthusiastic engaged people. Brands love social media influences as through them trends can be created & decisions influenced. Majority of the influencers fall in the category of Celebrities, Industry experts & thought leaders, Bloggers & content creators and Micro Influencers. The last two categories take the bulk of social influencer marketing today.
Celebrities influence over their vast following is debatable. Industry experts & thought leaders giving an objective opinion for a product helps. Bloggers & micro influencers in social media are the real toast. They have the most authentic & also the most active relationship with their fans. Micro-bloggers with big following can make an immense impact. Brands are getting aware of this reality. Strategies are made to tap it to the fullest.
TAPPING SOCIAL MEDIA THE INFLUENCER WAY WILL YEILD BUSINESS DIVIDENDS.
Sanjay Sahay