Muslims around the world have welcomed the holy month of Ramadan, a month of blessings. Just like other aspects of our lives, spending Ramadan in lockdown, owing to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, is not only proving to be tough but it is also a very different experience. It is safe to say that neither we nor our parents have gone through such a situation before in our lives. Not to mention, it is now that we have actually understood the meaning of life coming to a standstill. Influencer Marketing Ramadan
But work, as they say, has to go on to run households and fuel the economy. The influencer industry also faced a blow due to the restrictions in traveling and daily interactions. Brands, on the other hand, are also in bad shape being worried about their planned campaigns that would have been running normally if a global pandemic had not shown its teeth.
Marketing during coronavirus
73 percent of small businesses fear a drop in domestic demands during the lockdown. Practically speaking, no one wants to engage with material that came in contact with multiple people before ending up on their doorstep. Small businesses also looked towards influencers in Ramadan to promote their products, before the lockdown was enforced by the governments.
However, in the same survey, 1 in 4 companies also said that they aim to increase marketing activities during this lockdown. When everyone is in their house, their mode of entertainment is either a TV screen or a phone screen. Thus, driving influencer marketing campaigns in Ramadan is actually an ideal time; but being confined at home, it also requires a whole lot of creativity.
Actionable influencer marketing tips during Ramadan
Team Bradri has come up with some actionable influencer marketing tips for brands during Ramadan while keeping all safety concerns in mind.
Holding online events
Influencers are usually seen hopping from one launch event to the other. It is quite sad to see the spring/summer collections being launched without lavish launch parties with lots of influencers gracing them. Hence, the need of the hour is to cancel each and every public gathering and just go online.
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You can still invite your favorite influencers to your brand launch, but on a live stream. There are many video calling software available to do this task, like Zoom and Skype. Some companies have already tested this new strategy with influencers and it does not make much of a difference.
The benefit of holding an online event is that many of your target audience will be online and present.
Let influencers create content
The lockdown has put a number of marketing activities on hold, like Ramadan brand photo and video shoots. The marketing calendar of many companies is affected and many small to mediums sized brands do not have photo content to push campaigns.
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Influencer marketing can save you from this disaster by doing content creation for your brand. If you partner with an influencer who has access to good quality production equipment, they can do the shoots for you. Moreover, it will require minimal human contact and all communication can happen online or through phone calls.
Beauty items, clothing, shoes, and food brands can pitch these projects to influencers for Ramadan and the upcoming Eid season.
Invest in fitness content
Being in your house all day means you may snack more often. Ramadan comes as an excuse for many people who love devouring fried foods and lots of sugary drinks. Influencer marketing can help you tap into this segment and reach out to your audience.
You can partner with fitness influencers to hold online classes on your social media platforms or website. People can unlock these sessions for a fee or by providing their email ID and phone number. What’s more, collaboration with fitness influencers will establish your brand as one that cares for its people.
Corporates are also reaching out to fitness influencers to hold sessions for their employees working from home. Fitness influencers vary in the type of content they create, ranging from nutrition, yoga, health guides to aerobics, and those who make meal plans for their clients.
Sponsor posts on influencer’s platforms
Influencers are noticing a rise in the engagement levels of their social media posts. Creators using this lockdown period for content creation and self-reflection are coming up with innovative ideas to engage with their followers. Your brand can revel in the glory of this engagement by sponsoring a post on an influencer’s social media platform.
Before you proceed with the arrangement, make sure that you receive a breakdown of promised stats by the influencer. Set realistic expectations about engagement so that both parties can enjoy creative liberty.
Leverage live streams
Everyone is doing an Instagram live session nowadays, even the most prominent Hollywood celebrities. Influencers are not far behind in using this real-time engagement feature to meet and greet their fans around the world. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitch are some platforms that enable live streams.
Brands are now looking to collaborate with influencers to hold live streaming sessions. It can be an account takeover, an interview with a celebrity, or a simple question and answer session. In fact, musicians are even holding Instagram concerts for their fans. Based on your niche, you can also partner with a creative social media influencer for these live sessions.
Feel-good advertising through influencers
Corporations and NGOs around the world are looking towards influencers to carry the baton. Influencers hold immense authority within their community and this is why these individuals can become great information provider regarding the coronavirus frenzy.
Global organizations like the UN and WHO are partnering with celebrities to promote healthy routines, handwashing techniques, and self-isolation measures. Your brand can also participate in the trend through feel-good advertising messages that market your brand as well as teach a good lesson to the audience.
Send PR packages
PR packages are being frowned upon by people, because of their health risks. However, many influencers continue to receive PR packages which they handle with a lot of care. Influencers make sure to disinfect and leave the package aside overnight before opening it.
Brands are building trust by communicating that their packages are handles with sanitized hands and in disinfected spaces. Therefore, small businesses can continue sending PR packages while keeping all health and security measures at hand.
Featured Image Credits – Hirableeh
