By Jude 
Most brands still think of influencer marketing as a fancy billboard. It is certainly cheaper than TV ads, trendier than banner ads, and is perceived to be a more effective way of getting reach.
However, if you think of influencer marketing like that as well, you are missing the point!
Influencer marketing is not intended to amplify your voice only- it is more about speaking smartly and more effectively. But more importantly, it is about speaking truthfully- to the right audience and through the right voices. It is time to rewrite the influencer playbook!
Shifting Focus From Reach to Building Trust
The real power of influencer marketing lies in trust. Not reach or follower count! However, trust is built slowly. It is built when the audience feels like the person talking to them actually uses the product they are promoting or genuinely believes in the cause they are endorsing.
You may have seen campaigns where the influencer/celebrity clearly has no real connection to what they are promoting. It is quite awkward, and audiences can see the disconnect easily.
On the other hand, think about the brands that did not throw money at celebrities. They grew by partnering with people who felt like friends and not spokespersons for the respective companies.
So, instead of focusing on more reach, the motto in present times should be to connect better!
Micro-Influencers for Major Impact
Here is something many brands do not realize- the most effective influencers for your brand may not be the ones with the most followers!
There are many micro-influencers- people with following between 10k and 100k- who have highly engaged communities. They may not dominate the charts on social media, but their words carry weight.
There are also niche creators in different categories. Their followings are quite small, but they all listen to them. This is the kind of influence that brings conversions.
If you are a brand trying to build loyalty and not just awareness, this is where you should be directing your budget. Not into the loudest voices, but the voices that are deemed credible and trustworthy.
Focusing on the Right Fit Over Popularity
Influencer marketing gives you an opportunity that conventional media never could- targeting the audience based on mindset and not just demographics. This can be highly beneficial for your brand as you can grow your presence for a targeted audience.
Here is an example. You are launching a functional food brand. You could make ads that promote to a million people, or you could collaborate with two or three niche health creators. One influencer focuses on gut health, another on plant-based diets, and someone who focuses on fitness and recovery. Each of these delivers assurance, education, and inspiration where it matters.
This kind of granular approach will help build confidence in your brand and will also pave the path for conversions and sales.
This is you not aiming for reach, but vying for establishing relevance. And in today’s world, where audiences have a myriad of choices, relevance sells more.
Influencers are Not Ads- They Are Your Allies
One aspect that separates great influencer campaigns from the forgettable ones is mindset! Are you treating influencers as billboards or as collaborators?
The best brands build relationships, not transactions. Successful brands do it by building a community and not just a customer base. If you, too, want to use influencer marketing strategically, choose influencers who live by the values they promote and not just wear the gear.
If your campaign ends when the post goes live, you are doing it wrong. Influencers need to feel like partners. They need space to bring their voice into your messages, and that is how authenticity is established.
Influencer Marketing Strategies to Follow
Influencer marketing is not dying- it is evolving and maturing. And the brands that are succeeding today are the ones that understand these aspects:
- Bigger does not always mean better
- Metrics are useful, but context makes them better
- Long-term partnerships will always work better than one-time promotions.’
- Real influence depends on the right alignment
The next time you are planning an influencer campaign, assess if this feels like a conversation or just another ad.
Today, people are not just consuming content. They are filtering it as well. This means they scroll past the fake and irrelevant content. If your influencer partnership does not feel real, it will not work, regardless of how much money you spend on the campaign.
This is the shift brands need to realize. From likes to loyalty and from impressions to impact!
You do not necessarily need the loudest voice- you just need to find the right voice.
Sources
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/from-metrics-meaning-rethinking-influencer-marketing-alok-bhute-dgyrc?trk=public_post_main-feed-card_feed-article-content
https://sproutsocial.com/insights/influencer-marketing/