INFLUENCERS

In the past, the idea of using celebrities or well-known opinion leaders, who have a high social value, to influence others has been a well-known marketing strategy (Knoll and Matthes 2017). However, this approach has its downsides as it can come at a very high price for brands. Celebrities and people in the public eye are possible influencers however due to their cost smaller brands have started to take the opportunity of “micro-influencers’’ who are known as a new form of influencers. Micro- influencers are influencers who are not as well-known as celebrities however have a strong following, ranging anywhere between a few thousand to hundreds of thousands of followers.

Micro-influencers have fewer followers than big influencers but they have the advantage of higher engagement among their audiences on social media. In general, these types of influencers are considered to be more auhentic than traditional celebrities, which is a major reason influencer marketing has grown increasingly appealing to brands (Enberg 2018). Influencer marketing has quickly become a very popular and effective marketing tool. Influencer marketing is one of the best ways to quickly build brand awareness. According to Forbes, influencer marketing is growing faster than digital adverts. This marketing technique quickly builds trust, improves brand awareness and reaches the target audience.

Influencers have a large devoted following with whom they share content ranging from fashion, lifestyle and makeup to gaming and toys. Influencers also share sponsored content and get paid by brands to promote their products to their audiences. Influencers have the power to sway their followers’ purchasing habits and thinking and even beliefs. Influencers are seen as credible “experts” in the content they post, encouraging their followers to want to view the content and show engagement. Influencers are considered more transparent and personal through the ways they target their following which is more effective in engaging consumers.

Influencer marketing is showing no signs of slowing down, even during the ongoing global pandemic. As the world is slowly starting to emerge from the pandemic, influencers will need to be more mindful of the messages they give to their audience.

As technology is advancing quicker than ever it won’t be long before virtual influencers are just as common as current influencers. Virtual influencers, also known as avatars, enable companies to grow their marketing strategies. Virtual influencers will soon be taking over the internet and many brands will use virtual influencers as their main brand ambassadors. The main advantage of digital influencers is the fact that brands have complete control over them and everything they do or say. Brands have the ability to tailor the persona of the influencer to align with their brand image and their values. This innovative phenomenon will capture consumers’ attention and allow them to stand out from other brands. Consumers will be intrigued and want to know more about this technology. Virtual influencers have already been shown to be three times more engaging than human influencers (“The evolution of the virtual influencer: no longer just a trend”, 2021). This type of technology will enable brands the chance to catch the attention of younger consumers such as Generation Alpha.