Market influencing, what is it?
Market influencing is a set of techniques that use the recommendation of influencers. It’s about creating prescriptors or ambassadors for your brand.
Why does it work?
For many businesses image and notoriety are precursors for big sales.
If the number one aim of adverting is to announce your existence, the number two aim is to then not be ignored! Visibility and credibility – even though everyone knows they are being paid to promote the product – are an essential base for every communication strategy.
It is one of the quickest ways to build a brand.
Who does it work for ?
To an extent there are market influencers for every type of product and service, but some companies are better suited than others. For a start, your product or service has to be available to the influencer’s catchment area – if they big you up internationally and you deal locally then it’s not good for you – or good for the influencer’s reputation.
Marketing influence comes in several flavours :
The Buzzkit
The company promotes its new product by sending it to an influencer, who will then test it to share his opinion with his community. This principle can also be linked to ‘unboxing’ if the influencer makes the unpacking of the product a live experience.
Content sponsorship
This technique consists of sponsoring a blog article or a publication on social networks, in order to reach a maximum of people to gain visibility.
Product placement
This technique involves the services of a person specialized in a theme related to the brand. The person will then place the product in question in one of their videos or posts.
The unboxing
Unboxing is a growing phenomenon, and is usually done by an influencer on camera.
The experience is to receive and unpack a product live to the influencer’s community.
This is often an emotional/exciting moment and can work very well. Just make sure that your product/packaging is idiot-proof.
Travel blog
Travel bloggers are very popular and some are able to federate very active communities. To gain notoriety, some tour operators use this type of influencer to promote their products.
They usually offer gifts (travel, travel accessories…) in exchange for several photos taken daily, and shared via a blog and/or social networks such as Instagram.
New influencers are born every minute. They are not always (rarely) world-renown experts in the field with years of experience. Influencers that work best have enthusiasm, a silver-tongue, just-enough information to be credible and very often are not lacking in the looks department. Youth excels on social networks. We also discover that they are getting younger and the fresher they are the better – according to a recent study, 47% of influencers are solicited by brands between 6 months and one year of activity.
To stand out though in this rapidly evolving world, the big influencers of tomorrow will be those who offer original, relevant or exceptional content to their audience.
Branding Consultant at Pont Bleu Communication
Daren Birchall’s career spans more than 30 years. He is a graphic designer, writer, analyst and communications strategist, marketing consultant, media buyer, production manager, and for quite some time was an advertising agent. He loves photography but his glasses bother him.
