The influencer fever is a fact. For any type of launch, the first strategy that comes to mind for entrepreneurs who do not have much knowledge in marketing is to use these web personalities to engage an audience similar to their ideal target. However, it is necessary to ask: "Is investing in influencers the right answer?" after all, there are many other strategies that can be used instead, capable of delivering equally good results.
Indeed, there is no denying the influence of these personalities today. In a survey conducted by StartSe regarding the use and effectiveness of influencers, for example, 75% of respondents stated that they have already purchased something because they perceived the product as a good opportunity presented by an influencer; in addition, 55% said they have more confidence in buying from a brand recommended by someone they follow on a social network.
In terms of results, a study presented on the Harvard Business Review portal in 2022 showed that companies that increased their influencer marketing investment by 1% achieved a 0.46% growth in engagement, suggesting that the strategy can indeed result in a positive ROI. In practice, using influencers to increase brand awareness, engaging with an audience within your area of interest and strengthening the connection with people, is not only feasible but highly recommended to stand out from competitors.
The way they are establishing space in the online environment, however, has been changing in recent years, shifting from the role of "focus" to one that more resembles a lifestyle presenter, and becoming a conduit for someone seeking connection with clients while also emphasizing presenting the product as the main point of partnerships. With the arrival of Generation Z in the market, this type of strategy has been gaining even more strength, attracting the attention of brands and entrepreneurs to the benefits that can be reaped through this movement.
For those interested in forming these partnerships, some precautions need to be taken to ensure a good promotion of their products or services. When launching a new product, for example, forming a partnership with a digital influencer to solely promote this novelty will work, at best, if the brand introduction is done gradually to build a connection and interest among followers. One tip that can help with this is to bet on the originality of these personalities – something that, according to the same Harvard Business Review research, is responsible for an increase of about 15% in influencer marketing ROI.
Given this data, there is no denying that investing in partnerships with influencers can be the right answer for many brands. The decision to follow this path or not may vary depending on the size of the business or company for which a marketing plan is being developed. Furthermore, it is of utmost importance not to overlook even the most basic strategies and actions, such as a paid media campaign on social media, which can sometimes yield a higher ROAS that is much more interesting than a partnership action would bring.
Each business has the answer or the ability to analyze and define whether investing in influencers at the current moment is interesting or not, so that, from there, they can look for the personality that best suits their target audience so that they can build an assertive communication and promotion strategy for their products and services.
