.png?resize=2240,1260&ssl=1 "What is \"influencer marketing\"? Thorough explanation from benefits to key points of success")
“Influencer marketing” has recently become a
popular marketing
method for companies considering new advertising and customer attraction methods. In recent years, more and more people are using SNS to gain fans, and people with many fans are called “influencers.”
Nowadays, an increasing number of companies are using influencers who have many fans and strong influence to promote their products and services.
In this article, we will give an overview of influencer marketing, the benefits of implementing it, and the key points for success. Please use this as a hint to expand your marketing options.
What is influencer marketing?
Influencer marketing is a method of having people called influencers disseminate product information to influence the purchasing intentions of many consumers. “Influencer” is a general term for users who influence the emotions and actions of other users by transmitting information on SNS etc. Nowadays, not only celebrities and celebrities, but also people who were originally ordinary users have strong communication power and often become influencers.
Influencer marketing is attracting attention because not only can it be expected to increase recognition of products by leveraging such strong influence, but it can also be communicated from a consumer’s point of view and that viewers can easily relate to. I am.
5 benefits of influencer marketing
Influencer marketing is attracting attention, but what are the benefits of implementing it in
PR
and communication? Here we will explain the benefits of implementing it.
Enables implementation of various marketing measures
Influencer marketing allows you to not only have influencers disseminate information about products and services, but also to implement various other marketing measures. For example, you can have them visit an event or shop and give a local report, or use live streaming to transmit information in real time. It is also possible to collaborate in planning and creating products, and using your influence to supervise products can create a big topic. This means that you can implement a variety of marketing measures, which means you can take measures that suit your business type.
High ability to spread information
Influencer marketing is characterized by its ability to spread information above all else. Influencers who have a strong influence write reviews on SNS, and users who are influenced by those posts take actions such as purchases. Then, when a user takes an action and writes a review or experience, other users who see the post will take action such as making a purchase. In this way, it is widely spread through followers’ shares, creating a chain of word of mouth, and spreading awareness among many people. Influencers not only have a direct influence, but also have influence that spreads from there to other users, so it can be said that the power of information dissemination is high.
Easy to trust information
Word-of-mouth is based on the words of a single person called an influencer, and this is a way to spread the word-of-mouth, making it easier for people to trust the information. Nowadays, more and more people don’t trust corporate commercials and web advertisements because they are just advertisements. Information that has a strong advertising feel is difficult to accept and is often ignored. However, by using influencer marketing, it becomes easier to gain trust because the reviews are written by real people. Also, if the information is coming from someone you support, you will be more likely to trust and accept the information, thinking, “I feel safe if the information comes from this person.” It is easier for influencers to reach the hearts of consumers when messages are sent by influencers than by companies.
Easy to understand product image
Influencers are asked to actually use the products and share their reviews and honest impressions on their own social media. Users who have obtained this information can hear their impressions after actually using the product, making it easier to understand the image of the product. This will increase purchasing intent.
Easy to measure effectiveness
Since we utilize communication on the Internet such as SNS, it is easier to collect data and measure effectiveness. You can obtain multiple data such as how much it is shared on SNS, how much traffic you are getting on your website, and how many users who come to your website are connected to purchases, and think about what you can do to make it even more effective. You can.
Things to note about influencer marketing
There are some things to keep in mind when using influencer marketing. Make sure to understand the precautions before using influencer marketing.
There are cases where it is difficult to control the content of messages.
Influencer marketing is based on communicating what the influencer feels in their own words, so it is sometimes difficult to control the content of the message. It is difficult for the requesting party to have complete control, but if the direction and rules are not agreed upon, there is a risk that the content of the message will not be what the requesting party intended.
Risk of being misunderstood as stealth marketing
Influencer marketing comes with the risk of being misunderstood as stealth marketing.
Stealth marketing refers to marketing activities that are carried out in such a way that the consumer does not realize that the advertisement is an advertisement, even though the advertisement is paid for by the company. It is unique in that it does not look like an advertisement at first glance, as it mixes in the influencer’s daily communications and promotes products and services by word of mouth.
As a result, users may misunderstand it as stealth marketing. From the client’s point of view, even if it is not intended to be stealth marketing, a slight misunderstanding may lead to the misunderstanding that it is stealth marketing, so be careful.
There is a risk of fire
It is also important to be aware that there is a risk of flames caused by influencer posts. If an influencer with low IT literacy makes a post that lacks morals and consideration, it may cause a firestorm on SNS. If your company’s products or services were featured in that post, there is a good chance that the product or company will be affected. Influencers have a high level of influence, and by leveraging that influence, you can expect to greatly expand awareness, but it is important to note that there are negative risks such as being flamed.
3 points for successful influencer marketing
We have explained the benefits and precautions of influencer marketing, but from now on, we will explain the key points to make it successful. I mentioned some things to keep in mind earlier, but if you keep the points I’m going to share with you in mind, you’ll be able to get the most results.
Clarify the purpose of influencer marketing
When it comes to influencer marketing, be sure to clarify the purpose of implementing the measure. By clarifying the purpose, you will be able to judge whether the marketing is meeting the purpose during or after implementing the measures, and whether it is a good idea to continue implementing the measures in the future. It will be. If you carry out influencer marketing without setting any objectives, you may end up with a measure that is just “implementing,” and the results may not be very effective. When implementing influencer marketing, be sure to clarify the purpose of the implementation.
Carefully select influencers
If you have clarified the purpose of the implementation, you need to ask the influencer to be someone who can be expected to have an effect that matches your purpose. Just having a lot of followers does not necessarily lead to effective marketing. Select influencers who are highly compatible with your company’s products and services, and influencers who seem to have a large number of your company’s target groups. Past posts and comment sections of posts are also important checkpoints. Check the comments section to see if there is a good response from your target audience and select an influencer.
Clarify the rules and collaborate with influencers
In order for influencers to be able to carry out effective PR, the response of the client is also important. Once you’ve made a request, don’t just leave everything to the influencer, but set detailed rules such as managing schedules and the direction of PR posts. There is a risk of it being misunderstood as stealth marketing or causing a firestorm, so it is a good idea to check the draft of your post.
However, if there are too many requests and opinions from the requester, there is a risk that the influencer will not be able to demonstrate its appeal, so it is important to listen to the influencer’s requests as well. We recommend working closely with influencers in order to strike a good balance between the parts that are left to the influencer and the parts that the requesting party must adhere to.
summary
We have explained the overview, benefits, and key points for success of influencer marketing. Influencer marketing is attracting attention as an excellent marketing method that is changing the concept of traditional advertising. Simply having influencers carry out PR will not be very effective as a marketing tool. By planning the direction and strategies for posting, and repeatedly improving and improving using data, you can achieve great results. The market for influencer marketing is expected to continue to expand in the future, so why not take this opportunity to consider using influencer marketing?