Audiences are constantly bombarded with advertisements every day. But, what if you could reach your audience with a message that connects at a higher rate than traditional digital advertising? Consumers trust their peers’ recommendations more than online ads, so if you are looking for an effective way to connect with your audience and get them to buy your products, you should definitely try influencer marketing.
What is influencer marketing, and why do you need it?
Influencer marketing is a form of marketing that uses product and brand endorsements from influencers. Influencers are individuals with a dedicated following on social media, and they are viewed as experts in their niche. Influencers have the power to affect others’ purchase decisions because of their authority and the relationship they have with their followers.
Brands that work with influencers to promote their products can reach a passionate and dedicated audience, increasing the chances that the followers will buy the product in their time of need. Social influencer marketing has proved to be a great marketing strategy, generating an average of $6.5 for every $1 spent.
Figure 1: The effectiveness of Influencer Marketing. Source: Mediakix
The success of the industry has seen the industry grow steadily over the years. A 2019 study by Mediakix found that 65 percent of marketers were planning to increase their influencer marketing budget to enjoy the lucrative ROI the industry guarantees.
Influencer marketing works because consumers are more likely to engage with marketing content that comes from an individual they’ve chosen to connect with. Social media users choose to follow an influencer because they like what the influencer has to say. So, when the influencer shares something about a product or brand, the followers are primed to listen.
What is a micro-influencer?
Influencers on social media are diverse when it comes to their popularity and the size of their audience. Most companies tend to hire big-name celebrities for their marketing; after all, they are well-known and could have millions of followers on social media.
But what if you can get better results with micro-influencers?
Micro-influencer definition: These are social influencers with anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 followers, as mentioned here in our blog on Atisfyreach. Their following may be smaller, but it doesn’t limit the influence they hold. In fact, micro-influencers can connect with their followers at a deeper level because of their smaller following and generate more engagement.
This hands-on, personal interaction is marketing gold in the B2B industry. B2B brands have a narrow target market than B2C companies. What’s important to them is the quality of followers and not the number of followers an influencer has. An influencer with 10,000 followers all in a brand’s target market is much more valuable than a celebrity with 2 million followers outside the brand’s target market.
This makes leveraging micro-influencers a great B2B marketing strategy to put your brand before the right people and earn social proof. Next, we’ll take a look at the benefits of working with a B2B marketing agency to find the right micro-influencers to promote your products.
Why do B2B businesses need micro-influencers for their marketing strategies?
Micro-influencer marketing has immense potential for B2B brands. Here are some of the benefits of using micro-influencers to market your products.
First, you get a wider pool to pick from
Research by Mention shows that 15.7 percent of Instagram users have between 1,000 – 10,000 followers. This follower range is within the niche of micro-influencers, meaning brands have many influencers to choose from for their marketing needs.
These influencers are spread across different categories, and no matter what you sell, you’ll find dozens of capable influencers to promote your brand. With their expertise and individual interactions with followers, these influencers will help you connect with your target audience on a personal level.
Reach vs. engagement – engagement is more important
While the number of followers is important when running a campaign, you should be concerned about the amount of engagement they generate. Compared to celebrity influencers with millions of followers, micro-influencers can interact with their followers by responding to their questions and comments quickly.
Figure 2: Micro-influencers have a higher engagement rate than macro-influencers. Source: Ad Week
A study by Adweek show that micro-influencers generate 60 percent more engagement than highly popular social media accounts. The higher interaction means that the influencer and audience quickly establish a connection, making the influencer more relatable.
The micro-influencer is more likely to walk their audience through your product, thus acting like your brand’s advocates. This kind of exposure will ultimately boost the sale of your products.
Better at generating results
Micro-influencers are ordinary people who are passionate about one specialist topic. Because of their knowledge and passion for a certain topic, people have a high level of trust in them. They notice and appreciate their reviews and recommendations.
Buyers in the B2B sector will first check a company’s website to see what products are available, then head to review sites to see what experts have to say about those products. This means that influencers affect people’s buying decisions, and positive reviews from the right micro-influencer will boost your sales.
Authenticity is key
Celebrities are great at selling products to the public, but your target audience is much more specialized than the general population. You operate in a niche market that requires some expertise when selling to your users.
Because of your products’ nature, your audience will trust the recommendations of an industry specialist over a celebrity. They want the opinion of someone who has extensively used a product and not a paid celebrity spokesman. Micro-influencers who are experts in a particular niche are perfect for this role.
Cost effective
Celebrity influencers are very expensive. It will cost you hundreds of thousands for just one post, so unless you’re a big brand, macro influencers are just not worthwhile.
Micro-influencers are much more affordable, meaning it’s easy for you to settle on a reasonable price for marketing services. On average, micro-influencers charge a couple of hundred dollars per post, which is cost-effective for most brands. A lower budget improves ROI significantly and allows brands to work with several influencers at a go. This increases a brand’s reach and enables them to connect with more of their target audience.
Audience insights like no other
The high engagement rate generated by micro-influencers is one of their biggest draws. Micro-influencers actively engage their followers, and this provides brands with incredible insights to improve their products. Through these interactions, brands get to know the customer pain points and their preferences regarding product features.
Popular celebrity accounts lack this sort of engagement, thus it’s difficult for brands to gather valuable insights to improve their products.
Great for product reviews and showcases
B2B customers want to know how a product works before they make a purchase. They want to be sure that a certain product solves their problems, and they’ll not make a purchase simply because a popular celebrity is promoting a product.
Micro-influencers who are experts in a particular industry will talk about your product in detail, reviewing its features and how it can solve your customer’s problems. They will even demonstrate how the product works to simplify the onboarding process for your customers.
Great for product reviews and showcases
When celebrity influencers endorse products, it’s highly likely they aren’t using the product they are promoting. They’re just paid huge sums to tell consumers a product is great and suffer no repercussions if they don’t like it.
Micro-influencers have something to lose when they promote a product they don’t believe in. They stand to lose their followers’ trust, and as such, they are careful when choosing products to promote. When you get them to join your campaign, it means they believe in your products, and they’ll actively advocate your brand to their followers.
Influencer marketing has never been more accessible or more used. Traditional marketing methods aren’t as effective, and working with influencers is a great way to connect with your audience online.
B2B consumers are savvy. They are less swayed by clever marketing copy, instead choosing to do their own research to find the best product or services for their companies. They trust the opinions of industry experts, and that’s why the established credibility and personal connections of micro-influencers are effective when selling to B2B clients.
Want to learn more? Our team at Atisfyreach can help you create incredible micro-influencer marketing campaigns. We will connect you to the best influencers who will connect you to a targeted audience that’s actively looking for your products/services.
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