This is an article “Influencers and Risks in Digital Marketing” by Marc Primo.
With today’s prominence of social media, more content creators or influencers are crawling out of the woodwork to build a significant online following for companies. From those that serve as ambassadors of culinary arts to travel vloggers, online influencers continue to shape the social media landscape driving a 35% rate in terms of effectiveness. But are there risks in hiring influencers for your digital marketing campaigns?
Today’s online content creators can somehow be considered yesterday’s commercial models who aim to convince online users to try out a brand or service. Its role in social media marketing is undeniable given that it now has become a multi-billion dollar industry. People want to know expert opinions and foster connections with these influencers, which gives a whole new meaning to the term ‘experiential marketing’. But like every aspect of marketing, there are factors to be considered in hiring content creators to carry a brand.
Here are a few things to think about when you are planning to hire an influencer.
Can influencers really drive sales?
According to one report, only 23% of online users consider influencers credible. Most of today’s consumers still rely on word-of-mouth recommendations from close friends and family than content creators on the web. In fact, 60% are convinced that their purchasing decisions are more influenced by the people around them. But this does not mean that influencers can’t do their jobs right. It is just a matter of studying the online behavioral patterns of your target and discover if they are open to being influenced by content creators. Given that, there is an absolute risk of spending money on hiring an influencer who cannot serve as a true ambassador for your brand and can’t haul in followers.
Aside from this, content creators like those on YouTube can merely resort to ad placements in their videos which is not quite enough to convert viewers into loyal consumers, reduce your organic searches, and negatively affect your SEO rankings.
Can they push call-to-action?
Influencers are more transparent than the traditional product placements we used to see on television. What this does, however, is question credibility as viewers know that a content creator is paid to advertise a product or service. After all, the main objective is to drive sales via influential marketing and online users couldn’t care less if someone merely says the things he’s saying for profit. When hiring an influencer, make sure you get an expert relative to what you’re offering the market so they can assume a position to call consumers into action.
Is hiring influencers enough?
While there is nothing wrong with hiring influencers as they can still bring in a loyal following, complementing marketing strategies are still needed to make your campaigns more effective. Your content can’t go viral if you do not have the necessary strategies to implement it online. Influencers can open up wide viewership from their own followers, but what really matters is how you send this market your message. Usually, content creators work hand in hand with marketing firms that perform data analysis and trends on social media to come up with more effective advertising. With great content and an influencer who can increase traffic to your site and create a call-to-action, achieving significant sales is not all that impossible.
If you want to know more about Marc Primo Pulisci and Digital Marketing click here.