Digital marketing has various tools that can be used effectively to optimize the reach of a brand message. Influencer marketing is one such tool that, if carefully used, works out to be a great medium for the brand. It is a method involving three players: the influencer, the brand, and the customer. The brands communicate their messages to the customers, with the influencers being the messengers. Let us have a look at the role of influencer marketing in today’s digital landscape.

Who are Influencers? 

Influencers are a set of people who, on their own or as a group, have accumulated a large and loyal following on social media networks. Well-known public personalities like film stars, sports people, political figures, religious leaders, and other known personalities fall into the first category. People follow them on the basis of their popularity. Then there is a second category, which comprises common people who, by the sheer quality of their content, get followers. These people put in a tremendous amount of hard work and effort to provide top-quality content to their followers. If celebrity status is the only criterion for the people in category one to have a large follower base, hard work is the only criterion for those in category two.

How Influencer Marketing Works

The brand passes its message through the influencer to the followers. In one go, the brand manages to reach a group of quality audiences. Apart from being paid, the influencer gets their status enhanced by being recognized by top brands. The followers get certified content from a quality brand.

How the Brand Benefits 

Communication is often a game of hits and misses, with the message seldom reaching the target customers, with a certain percentage of media wastage being a factor. Influencer marketing is one such tool that, to a large extent, reaches a certified set of audiences with minimal wastage. By collaborating with influencers, brands can leverage their influence to promote their products, leading to increased brand awareness. Influencer marketing allows brands to reach a highly targeted audience. Influencers have a set of followers that belong to a specific niche, and by tapping into that audience, brands can ensure that the message has reached the right people. This style of marketing also allows brands to build trust and authenticity. When an influencer promotes a brand, they do so after a careful evaluation of its promises and values, so as not to jeopardize their personal relationship with their audience. It is more of a message from someone whom the audience trusts and values. The brands benefit to a great extent because trust is the main factor at play in this style of marketing.

Challenges

Though on the surface, the influencer marketing tool appears to be a win-win situation for all stakeholders, there are some precautions that need to be taken by the brands. Brands should be very careful in selecting an influencer. An influencer with a great number of followers may be disliked by a large number of people too. Collaborating with an influencer with the wrong credentials may cost the brand thousands of loyal customers. The onus is on the brand to select the right influencer whose values match those of the brand. At the end of the day, the influencer survives, but the brand either stands to gain or lose.