With the pandemic now hitting global economies and businesses hard – influencers are likely to be affected with marketers deciding what they are willing to pay for sponsored posts, with a likely 15-25% drop in rates for sponsored posts from brands.
Brands need to act now, at a time where 4% of consumers trust what influencers say online – the need for transparent storytelling and authentic brand experiences is now more than ever. Over 66% of people partaking in a research piece by influencer marketing platform IZEA said that they would spend more time on social media during confinement at home lockdowns due to covid-19 – this cements the need for brands to find an effective way to connect with a captive audience seeking content, services and entertainment.
So, what should your brand be doing with your existing influencer strategy?
Focus your strategy on building contra relationships with influencers
Re-evaluating your brand focus on sponsored content with influencers at a time where budgets are cut in some cases by 50% and focusing on contra relationships with influencers is important in embracing the changing landscape with the pandemic at large. Story telling, brand awareness, reach and positive thumb stopping video content using video streaming platforms like Instagram, YouTube and Tik Tok are where brands and influencers alike are focusing their efforts. Thinking outside of the box, brands and influencers alike are providing consumers with positive, engaging content helps people adjust to life at home and showing how products can be integrated into their everyday lifestyle. Mega influencers all the way down to influencers with a nano following will be very effective in marketing your brand to an avid new online consumer seeking new alternative content.
Embrace the shift in influencer content towards videos, streaming and how-to’s
Remember that influencers have also been affected by the pandemic, and it is important for businesses to understand that an influencers own content strategy has already shifted to provide content that provides the avid consumer with the thumb stopping content that is not just an aspirational lifestyle.
"Joe Wicks is a perfect example of an influencer who has adapted with the times – creating PE classes on a daily basis for children now that schools have closed, so that they can be active on a daily basis and keep them learning."
Be it cooking, comedy or marketing in an authentic way influencer will be focusing in on building brand awareness and using their own platform to market alternative ways to consume your brand. So - think smart and adapt to this shift in behaviour from influencers and brands alike. If you are a brand that can gift (and your business warehouses are not affected) encouraging influencers to integrate your products into their daily routines, Tik Tok videos and covid-19 (loosely themed) content - this is all important to be a part of the conversation and target new audiences. Using MEGA talent to promote your brand to new audiences and integrate it into their own everyday routine, e.g. a podcast live recording session, a Q and A, a live stream workout is a brilliant way to REACH existing and new audiences. Working with MEGA talent additionally ensures you are relevant, enhances traffic to your social channels and site, increases engagement and creates content that is adapted to needs of consumers during the pandemic.
Embrace the stay at home economy
With the stay at home campaign well and truly on for the UK and many other global communities, more people are shopping online, and increasing their time digitally to feed their families, educate and entertain their children / and or themselves. Keeping brand affinity with consumers and their changing habits will be important moving forward for influencer campaigns. For brands - with retailers, restaurants and gyms closing their doors to the public, the shift to online is real for brands. Now is the time to adapt your messaging to the needs of consumers – all that can be achieved in the comfort and safety of their own homes.
Think how can your brand use influencers to positively talk about your product; if you are a restaurant for example, asking influencers to promote vouchers to spend when companies re-open, if you need to shift stock that is now sat un-used, influencers can assist in promoting meals to be delivered to doors.
Or..
If you are a private members club – have you thought of delivering a personalised link to all members and select influencers to do a bespoke workout / cooking class that talent can then promote on their channels as a way of delivering brand awareness, to target a certain demographic to sign up?
The Influence Room is here to help – our team has adapted each existing brand strategy to lend itself to perform the best and think outside of the box during the pandemic. We are here to help, and show your brand how contra marketing can really shift and make a positive impact on brand affinity, and boosting consumer interaction with your product and service.
Think smarter during this time, and drop us a note today.
The Influence Room
