INFLUENCER MARKETING AND PR.
An influencer is typically an individual who has a vast number of followers on social media and is seen as an expert in that niche. Influencing basically applies the theory of the power of the word of mouth as a marketing tool for brands, in that, a client will probably buy a referral by someone they trust than when they see the company advertise the product themselves. Influencer marketing is a type of social media marketing strategy that uses endorsements and product mentions from influencers to increase brand awareness and sales.
Influencers have become trendsetters, whose suggestions and testimonials for products are significant and attract brands and collaborations, driving engagements and sales. The trustworthiness for influencers derives from the strong relationship they have built with their audiences and the feeling that they are relatable and credible personalties.PR has slowly but surely started embracing this undeniable influencer marketing force as a third party endorsement method.
In Public relations, the adoption of digital media has gradually but effectively gained prevalence and social media is slowly being embraced in the field. Digital and social media are constantly revolutionizing providing more prudent opportunities to marketers and public relations professionals. As we continue to move forward in the world of PR and adapt along with the changing overall landscape, a number of trends like the use of influencers in PR strategies are sure to have a significant impact on our industry.
When considering choosing an influencer for your PR campaign, the first thing to take into account is the number of followers they have. Ideally, organic influencer marketing is when influencers of any size mention or promote a brand without a paid campaign contract.
Organic influencer marketing, if it works for your brand, is cost –effective and authentic as the only cost incurred is the product and shipping whilst what you get in return is free PR and increased sales, meanwhile the creator has all the freedom to create content in whichever way they see fit guaranteeing authenticity.
Macro and micro influencers for your PR campaign.
A micro influencer is one with genuine 500-10,000 followers on Social media, meaning that their posts get reactions half or more compared to the number of followers they have.
A macro influencer is an individual with more than 100k followers to a million plus and are mostly famous or celebrities in different fields who are used sometimes as long term brand ambassadors for high end brands.
For small enterprises who want to grow their clientele, a micro influencer best suits your PR strategy because they are affordable and have a higher engagement due to their consistent and deep engagement with their ‘fan base’. A micro-influencer’s success is built on community and connection instead of pure fame which makes them the to-go people for a PR campaign.
As much as it is advantageous to work with someone who has a big following, macro influencers have the disadvantage of very low engagement with followers which can be draining for a business that seeks to gain root quickly. That being said, macro influencers have the advantage of having an amplified reach due to their big following.
FUTURE OF PR AND INFLUENCER MARKETING.
The subsequent PR campaigns will be heavily invested in influencer generated content which will be used to influence a brands’ credibility. Since customer service heavily impacts a brand’s reputation, it will be actively managed by the public relations team in the future period.
The shift to fully embrace social media let alone influencers in PR has yet to take a full swing as social media can be a liability if not properly managed and monitored meaning that it is now the responsibility of PR professionals to track the online presence of their brands to prevent crisis or missed opportunities at best.
The possibility however of it thriving in PR is very promising as more and more campaigns now include people who can capture the audience attention with just a post, tag and mention!