Why Influencer Marketing is Important in 2022

Brands are competing to turn prospective visitors into loyal customers and thanks to the unstoppable dynamics of social media, this is a race for everyone to witness. Aside from numerous digital ads people see everyday through various channels of social media, they are actually bound to see ads that are more subtle. People probably grow tired or lose trust in ads that are too blatant, so they opt for some ‘honest’ reviews from reliable individuals online before purchasing something. So, how do brands advertise their goods or services in an era where conventional hard-selling ads are no-go? Influencer marketing is the answer.

What is Influencer Marketing?

Influencer marketing is a mix of traditional and innovative marketing methods. It includes the concept of brand association into a modern content-driven marketing strategy. The primary distinction is that the campaign results in partnerships between companies and influencers. Influencer marketing incorporates a brand working with an online influencer to promote one of its products or services. However, many influencer marketing collaborations are less obvious when it comes to advertising certain brands; for example, businesses may engage with influencers to increase brand awareness.

Influencer marketing is not limited to celebrities. Instead, it is centered on smaller scale influencers, many of whom would never consider themselves famous in a mainstream way. Recognize that the majority of influencers have worked hard to cultivate an attentive and passionate audience. It is not by chance that these followers prefer to listen to influencers rather than brands. The audience could care less about your brand, as they are solely interested in the opinions of these influencers.

Why Influencer Marketing

So, why do you need to consider influencer marketing for your brand? Here are some reasons!

Years of Trust

People are drawn to influencers because they produce one-of-a-kind content which makes them known for something unique. Beauty influencers gain attention because they regularly create skincare reviews and shopping haul on TikTok. Couple of videos posted within a week do not make them famous instantly; but it is their persistence over months or even years of doing so that make people recognize them.

This is what influencers do best; they gain people’s trust. It is noteworthy because people put quite a good faith in honest reviews and comments from common people with whom they can relate, such as local influencers. Your brand may have been on the market for a few months or a year, but as it completely serves a commercial purpose, it is rather difficult to get people to trust you. Influencers are your shortcut to get people to take a look at your brand, as they have had people’s trust in place.

Straight to Segmented Target Market

Influencers have established their personal branding as someone who can give actual takes on a field of interest. This is why people look forward to their contents and it makes them influential. Influencer marketing fosters authentic interactions from individuals while also increasing brand awareness. People in Singapore, for example, seek Leanne (loveforskincare) for skincare-makeup recommendations. In Indonesia, many go to David Brendi (GadgetIn) for gadget reviews. As their audiences are segmented, you may go directly to your target market by selecting an influencer who is prominent in the same industry as your business operations. Less gambling, more earning, right?

Organic Traffic at Hand

When an influencer posts about your brand, you gain access to their audience. They also allow you to avoid the limitation of having a business account, such as your content being too hard-selling. When you endorse an influencer, your brand is featured on the influencer’s feeds alongside other organic contents he or she typically shares. People that find the content interesting typically visit, like, and share it when it is supported by a good influencer, even if it is promotional that involves your brand. Sounds like organic traffic? Well, it is actually one!

Influencer Marketing in 2022

If you are questioning the effectiveness of influencer marketing in 2022, where people are no longer gullible to hard-selling ads, think again. Influencers are always improving their selling points, so they can maintain their trustworthiness and their contents remain engaging to retain their audience. Influencers are the creators of your brand. They develop natural messages that are more likely to resonate with customers, which may enhance your advertising effectiveness and total engagement. For example, an influencer makes a vlog of “What I Do in a Day as a Graphic Designer” and throughout her daily activities filmed as a content, one thing pops out; she always wears a particular wristwatch, which is actually a sponsored product that is revealed at the end of the video. People will still enjoy the content and the brand is subtly, yet effectively there throughout the content. This is something that conventional ads cannot do.

Below is a brief study case on how effective influencer marketing can work.

Toyota and Indonesian Automotive Influencers

As one of the leaders in the automotive industry worldwide, Toyota need not to worry about making their brand popular. However, as the brand releases more lineups of cars in the market, Toyota cannot afford to rely on its well-established brand alone. This is why Toyota is making the most out of influencer marketing to further solidify its brand awareness for its Indonesian customers.

Fitra Eri, Ridwan Hanif, and Motomobi are the ‘three musketeers’ of Indonesian automotive industry that are considered prominent influencers, aside from being car reviewers. In each of their own personal YouTube channels, they post automotive videos almost every day and people never seem to grow bored of their creative content. Having recognized this opportunity, Toyota seized the chance to have these influencers to promote its newest MPV, Toyota Veloz, through a mini-series called ‘Epic Journey: Road Trip’.

These three automotive influencers do not only introduce Toyota Veloz and review its features while encouraging the audience to fall for the car. Instead, Ridwan, Fitra, and Mobi filmed a travel vlog in three episodes covering their trip from Jakarta to Yogyakarta and Malang. Along the road trip, they crack jokes, talk about automotive stuff and safety driving, and point out convenient features for road trips; all while taking turns driving Toyota Veloz. Although the audience already knows that this series is sponsored by Toyota, they get to know more about the car along with its plus and less satisfying features. In the meantime, the audience also enjoys the whole content these three influencers are serving.

Toyota should be proud of their latest influencer marketing strategy that involves Fitra Eri, Ridwan Hanif and Motomobi. With three large bases of devoted audience for each influencer, the 3-episode-series got a total of 2.5 million viewers and the number keeps increasing. People believe in the words of these three influencers as they have built their reputation in the automotive industry for years. In fact, people can always find legit video reviews of almost all cars in Indonesia delivered by these three influencers all around YouTube. It is not surprising if the sales of Toyota Veloz skyrockets in the coming months, as more people are aware of its features, thanks to these influencers!

Conclusion

Now that you know why influencer marketing is the real steal-deal for your marketing strategy, are you ready to take the leap of faith and get your brand to try it too? Let us be of help! Hit us up and we will cater your needs of influencer marketing with our large base of influencers, tailored specially to suit your brand!

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