Recently, I was happy to participate in Ashley Walsh’s presentation and have a chance to talk about Influencer Marketing in-depth and it’s potential in today’s world.
Ashley Walsh is the Account Director of North Strategic, she has been working in social and digital media for over a decade. She has been with North Strategic/Publicis Groupe since 2018, working as a social media and influencer
lead for clients such as American Express, Sobeys, and Samsung.
Covid has changed everything, but it is not a bad thing for influencers. Influencer marketing is expected to grow to be worth $13.8 billion in 2021, it will be a great chance to influencers to expend their market. Influencer marketing has changed in several ways during the outbreak. Firstly, influencers have had to shift gears in terms of their content creation and focus on the stay at home economy — so what do influencers see around their homes, from activities to hobbies, that their followers can relate to at this very moment. Secondly, the pricing of influencers has dropped from 30% to 40% even though there has been a surge in online viewership. Viewership has doubled for Instagram Live and Facebook Live. Hence, it is a perfect time to take advantage of the surge in online activity and online shopping.
Choosing right influencers is very important for success. In marketing, having a plan equals more success. Define and track the goal of influencer marketing and how an influencer can help the brand reach said goal. Whether it’s to generate sales, grow brand awareness or something else, clearly define the brand’s goal before searching for and hiring influencers.
Authenticity and trust are two terms best used to describe influencers, and these people can be the game-changer for brands to step up their marketing plans and develop long-term relationships with customers.
1. Influencers will step up as content creators
Production and creative agencies are the saviors for brands when it comes to creative marketing. But with their doors shut, brands now have to reach out to Instagram micro-influencers for high quality editorial content at a low cost. Brands are now interacting with influencers to create content that powers the brand’s whole marketing mix.
2. Social media boom-growth of live content
Live content is becoming a COVID-19 boom. Instagram Live, in particular, is thriving in the social distancing space, with views and mentions of IG Live on Instagram, and Twitter skyrocketing by 526%. Instagram Live is a feature that influencers use to reach out to young people who are hungry for new content. 31% of young consumers say they’re watching more live content on social media. In view of this, brands are making live influencer content a marketing priority, a trend that’ll last after COVID-19, too.
According to this presentation hosted by Ashley Walsh, I got to know influencer marketing is a game changer for brands marketing during pandemic. She showed and explained influencer marketing in several aspects. She showed how influencer marketing thrived during pandemic, helped us to differentiate between influencers and content creators, influencers and advocates, and how to ensure success in this market. I learned a lot from this presentation and I really thank George Brown College for giving me this chance to talk wigh Ashley.