Trends: Micro and nano influencers

MICRO & NANO

ARE SHAPING ‘DISCOVERY’ PURCHASES

Micro and nano influencers are at the heart of the shift from intent-based online research and shopping, to discovering new brands. Murray Webb of Webfluential, a digital platform linking influencers with brands, discusses how micro and nano influencers are shaping ‘discovery ’ purchases.

Marketing has always been consumer-led. Since the birth of marketing in the early 20th century, brands have spent enormous resources trying to understand what people cared about and then crafting messages that spoke directly to them. A lot of it was hit and miss. John Wanamaker, who is credited with being the father of marketing, famously said over 100 years ago, “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half. ”

With the advent of search engines and social media this became easier because brands could pinpoint search terms and who clicks on which content. Today ’s challenge is that the way consumers use the internet and social media channels is shifting, which means marketing strategies need to adapt again.

THE MOVE TO BRAND DISCOVERY

The first big shift is that although search engines (34%) and ads seen on TV (33%) remain the most common modes of brand discovery, according to Social, GWI’s annual flagship report on global social media trends, ads on social platforms are catching up. Twenty-seven percent of internet users who responded to GWI’s survey stated they use social media channels to find products to purchase. This is considerably higher in Kenya (73%) and Nigeria (72%). The message is clear: social media has become a space where advertising content is expected and possibly even desired, provided it is authentic and aligns with users’ values. What’s possibly even more critical than this change in where consumers are comfortable seeing advertising, however, is how brand discovery is changing. Previously, consumers would use tools like Google to research products. Someone looking for a smartphone, TV or even wearable tech would Google it, possibly after seeing a display ad. Research is intent-driven. This is the foundation of why Google AdWords and search engine optimisation have been so fundamental to online marketing strategies. Consumers were looking for a specific brand, product or solution and their search criteria would lead them to a company ’s display advert, piece of content or website. However, the move from intent-driven research to discovery is something different, and it’s

Twenty-seven percent of internet users who responded to GWI’s survey use social media to find and purchase products.

the reason why platforms like Instagram, Etsy and Pinterest are growing bigger each day.

Scrolling through beautiful images with little to no text input on your mobile phone is key to discovery and it’s the reason why many consumers are finding exciting new brands to connect with. They want to be exposed to new brands and products through their social media platforms. More often than not, they ’re doing so through the people whom they follow and engage with.

INFLUENCERS AND ECOMMERCE

Traditional influencer marketing is associated with the glitz and glamour of celebrity lifestyles, but increasingly, the real power of influencer marketing lies in authenticity. Consumers today aren’t interested in unattainable lifestyles, holidays or even products.

They want to follow real people who share their values and interests and who create meaningful and entertaining content that speaks directly to them. The result is that authentic content that resonates with individuals is taking centre stage and more and more, it’s influencing the way people shop online. Afterall, what can be more authentic than a micro or nano influencer offering unfiltered insights into their purchasing decisions and preferences?

American author, Seth Godin said: “People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories and magic. ” The challenge is that it’s very difficult for a brand to tell a story – brands need people to do that for them.

Let’s put what this looks like online into context. Gen Zs are almost as likely to follow influencers as brands, followed closely by millennials. More importantly, the influencers they are predominantly following are not celebrities – they ’re role models. They are people who have a wide variety of interests, from wildlife photography and triathlons to personal health and wellness. They share their DIY interests and where they are volunteering. They are individuals who like learning new skills, challenging themselves and contributing to their communities and the experiences. Tips and insights that they share with their followers aren’t just influencing how the next generation thinks, but shaping how they choose and consume brands. There’s enormous value in being real. A model eating a fast-food burger is the opposite of authentic – few followers, if any, would believe that fast food takeaways are her go-to lunch choice. On the other hand, a mother sharing her experiences with a new baby food brand is extremely authentic. At its core, marketing is driven by trust, not the number of followers a person has on Instagram or Facebook, which is why content matters.

A study by Twitter highlights just how much of an impact-influencers have on consumer behaviour. Fourty-nine percent of people said they rely on influencer recommendations when it comes to making purchase decisions, while 40% admitted that they ’ ve bought an item from an online store after seeing an influencer using it on Twitter, Instagram or YouTube.

FROM INFLUENCER TO ECOMMERCE CURATOR

Instagram’s shopping feature is a great example of how social media platforms are responding to how their users consume digital media. The feature enables businesses to add product tags in their posts, allowing buyers to click on pictures displayed in posts and instantly see prices, fabric types, sizes and any other information they need at a single click. Customers can even order products directly on Instagram. Influencers use hashtags to drive traffic, they share personal and authentic experiences to win the trust of their followers, and they often make use of promotion codes to boost sales. We believe that the next evolution will be influencers who create curated collections on their own platforms that can be purchased then and there, effectively closing the loop in how brands are discovered, researched and finally purchased through influencer accounts. A

“People do not buy goods and service. They buy relations, stories and magic. ”

A HEALTHY WAY OF TO GETTING work BACK

Level 1 lockdown. We all have While we remain positive, we, as an a good idea how this will play organisation, must be cognisant of the out socially, but what are the uncertainty, instability and disruption for ramifications for business? How will it affect our employees, and we’ ve taken proactive our day-to-day workflow and what systems steps to address their personal grievances. will we need to put in place? The first thing we did was make this ‘new

The conditions imposed upon normal’ easier to navigate by ensuring organisations during the various lockdown everyone has adequate equipment and levels focused on digital interactions and support for remote work, so that employees finding new ways of connecting, ensuring working off-site can carry out their duties continued delivery on our commitment effectively and without frustration. to patients, employees, communities and We also scrutinised our human resources stakeholders. This also facilitated better policies to accommodate employees’ work-life balance for our employees, which changing needs. This includes, among will continue to be a focus in the future. other factors, adjusting the start and end of

Taking a step back, we’ ve established a workdays, considering part-time work clear distinction between the uncertainty options, and accommodating an employee’s of the initial stages of the pandemic and personal responsibilities outside of the the more manageable place in which we workplace. now find ourselves. Initially, no one had any Topmost of our concerns is the mental idea how long this would last, so managing health of our employees. We see them as employees’ expectations and planning for more than the people who fulfil roles in different scenarios was an unenviable task the workplace. They have families, and are for most managers. Thankfully, we’ ve all spouses, parents and/or siblings. These built resilience and a better understanding anxiety-ridden times have reminded us of of the situation and are now working the need to consider each other’s humanity. towards recovering quickly from the impact Without a strong core of resilience, of Covid-19. individuals, families and organisations will fall apart. And a resilient leadership, while a good thing, is simply not enough. Resilience must filter down to teams and employees. We’ ve all been affected by this pandemic, and we all need to work together, checking up on each other amid the challenges we’re facing. We need to be honest and open with each another and help wherever we are able, both as an organisation and individuals.

For our part, as a provider of medical solutions, we’ ve amply proven our commitment to helping South Africa and the African Union address the current pandemic, as well as facilitating equitable global access to our singleshot Covid-19 vaccine. But healing takes place on a practical front, which is where our organisation comes in, as well as a humanitarian front, where all of us can play a role. Thankfully, we also have technology on our side that we can harness to the benefit of all.

It should be noted that the new way of doing things, once we get back to work, will not be like the ‘the good old days’ before the arrival of Covid-19 and this is not necessarily a bad thing. Online meetings, for example, are likely to remain a regular feature of our working days. This should be celebrated, as virtual meetings allow us more productive time, given that less of our time will be spent commuting. We are also likelier to be in a better space to engage with others if we haven’t been dealing with the frustration of traffic.

Despite the virtues of online meetings, I don’t want to suggest that face-to-face meetings will ever disappear, or indeed, that they should. Digital meetings will play a greater role than ever before and it has proved to be effective in certain applications. However, I don’t think that anything can truly replace human interaction in which multifunctional teams come together and work in the same space. It is essential for creativity. It’s where magic so often happens. Ultimately, I foresee a hybrid model developing between both solutions.

Whatever our decisions around the workspace and how we deploy our employees, they must always be informed by our responsibility to our stakeholders. Our primary focus has always been, and will remain, to provide essential products to those in need of them, and our thinking and strategising should always make this a priority. A