Influencer marketing, especially in South Africa, is growing by the day. With social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, industries (especially cosmetic retailers) are making big bucks by leveraging this form of marketing.
Realistically, however, not every brand has the resources to snag an influencer – which is fine! As a business owner or social media manager, you can still exploit the basic principles that make influencer marketing successful.
What is Influencer Marketing?
Influencer marketing is where popular social media users or celebrities collaborate with brands to promote their products/services. Social media users or celebrities make videos or post content that tells their wide audience about the product while also encouraging them to purchase it. With the massive following these individuals have, businesses are granted access to a larger audience, and it's more likely that people will view their content.
What Principles Can You Exploit?
For those who do not have the resources to access an influencer, some principles can be applied to obtain the same results. These include:
- A tailored experience
- Relationships
- Good content
- Creativity
Tailored Experience
When you follow an influencer, you keep tabs on his or her life. Thus, you should be using your social media platforms so that your audience can relate to and share what you post, as though you're a family passing around a photo album in which everyone features. Instagram, TikTok and other social media platforms can help you in this regard as they allow you to post videos and pictures that show your brand's face or the people behind it.
Relationships
Influencers are real people, a lot of whom rose to social media fame without so much as a webcam; herein lies the appeal. Foster a relatable, human brand, and you'll connect to other humans because regardless of your specific marketing goals, social media is all about building relationships. As Internet pioneer Jay Baer states, "Social media allows big companies to act small again."
Default to an approachable person, not merely a brand, and you level the communication fields. When you truly put the consumer at the forefront of your social efforts, you're activating rather than just (potentially) collecting fans or relationships.
Good Content
Social media is a lot like an old-fashioned consumer bar crawl. You're trying to make friends with people who may or may not be in the market for what you're selling and see if you can't persuade them. To ease the flow, ensure your content is engaging.
It's no mistake that Instagram offers filters, lighting adjustments, and other tools to improve how your photos look. Uploading a good photo is just the first of many steps toward a consumer's heart; it's how you hashtag, reply to comments, and tag others that prompts action.
Creativity
With so many businesses advertising their product/services on social media platforms, it's tough to stand out. That's why being creative is vital; you have to come up with something that's eye-catching and hard to forget.
For example, when the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge went viral, it was a novel idea that got people talking and spread awareness like wildfire. It was creative and engaging and made a lasting impact on its audience.
Ready To Grow Your Online Presence?
If you want to grow your business's online presence, start exploiting the abovementioned influencer marketing principles. While there is no influencer involved, you can still follow their way of doing things.
At Starbright, we have a team of social media managers who stay up-to-date with the current trends, and that involves influencer marketing techniques!
Sign up for our social media marketing services, and we'll ensure that your business stands out from the crowd.