Social media influencers are among the most popular methods of getting products out to consumers. In an article for Talking Influence, Alexander Frolov, CEO of Hype Auditor, notes that influencer marketing spend is slated to grow globally by as much as 15% in 2021. Influencers are how big brands get their products out to more customers. With the right type of marketing, an influencer can be far more effective in connecting with a demographic. These individuals have thousands (or millions) of followers on social media, sometimes scores more than the brands they advertise for. Why don't these brands do the same and start collecting more followers? It's because influencers offer something unique: a face of authenticity.
Authentic Marketing Through Individuals
Authenticity is a critical part of marketing in the 21st century. Deloitte's 2020 study on global marketing trends found that realism will continue to be one of the most vital aspects of marketing campaigns throughout 2021. But why has marketing started focusing on this particular style of creating interest?
In the past, social media has been dominated by brands, both big and small, that operate like faceless entities. With time, those brands that could "humanize" themselves managed to get more eyes on them. Today, instead of trying to humanize what's essentially a corporation, they rely on the humanity within social media influencers.
The Domino Effect and Anil the Jeweler
Anil Dobani (@anilthejeweler) is a fast-rising star in the Instagram marketing scene. Starting as an employee of another jewelry brand, Anil quickly realized the potential social media could bring him. Before too long, he was growing the company's brand alongside his own. Eventually, he noticed other jewelers who wanted to get in on the social media craze. Little by little, he started reaching out and establishing links with others to grow the business. Now, with over 28,000 followers, he's an influencer to be reckoned with. Yet his real power comes from leveraging the follower counts of his best customers. Through the followers they have, he can generate business for his own brand.
Anil notes that those who follow the niche he aims for (hip-hop jewelry and accessories) also have some massive follower counts. By using social media to increase the reach of his network, he landed a few high-profile clients. With his jewelry featuring centrally in these social media posts, he garnered even more views on his posts —the domino effect. What's more, by keeping up with his posting schedule and staying dedicated to the spirit of the social media account, he maintains his business image. The future looks bright for this budding social media entrepreneur.
A Lesson Learned
Social media can have immense reach with the right people in your corner. Anil's success shows that if an entrepreneur has the right idea about reaching out to the correct people, their views become as vital to the brand's success as the entrepreneur's own followers. Getting one's product in front of buyers doesn't have to depend on your own followers; using one's network to grow one's business is what modern-day business people succeed at.
