Are you a marketer who thinks that picking a prominent celeb for your clever new campaign is an ancient strategy? Do you think celebrity endorsements are not effective anymore? You may be partially right. Micro-Influencers
In a country where the public loves celebrity figures from all fields of life, it is revolutionary to think of a strategy that suggests otherwise. However, it turns out that these celebs are not able to create a buzz where it matters the most. Yes, you can put their beautiful faces on a billboard and newspaper, but where are they engaging in a one-on-one conversation? Micro-Influencers
For example, 34.4 percent men and 15.4 percent of women are influenced to purchase electronics after reading reviews from a trusted blogger, and not from celebrity endorsement. We Pakistanis know too well that the flashy phone in an actress’s Instagram post is not the phone she uses in real life. In fact, recently an Indian actress created a media frenzy when she used her iPhone to tweet about a Google Pixel!
Keep in mind that today’s customer is too clever for your strategies, and you must come up with concrete plans to market your product effectively. So why not look for people who have used a product and want to post honest reviews about it?
Marketing is moving towards an era where the customer chooses what they want to see, and blocks what annoys them. People mute advertisements on the TV, and run Ad block on a pop up that keeps disrupting internet browsing sessions. How do you reach people who have shut down the mainstream marketing channels? Micro-Influencers
Through micro-influencers. Here’s how:
Who are Micro-Influencers and how to identify them?
Micro-influencers can be extremely beneficial for your business. They can help you build brand awareness and reach out to your target audience. This lot has taken over the internet by storm. Savvy marketers know that micro-influencers are better than other influencers, and a better investment for any running campaign. They engage with your audience better than a huge influencer, and more engagement means more conversions and a better ROI.
Businesses using the micro-influencer power reported getting $7.65 in earned media value per dollar spent. Moreover, 57 percent of companies now have a dedicated budget for micro influencer campaigns.
Atiqa Odho Cosmetics
Pakistani digital marketing agencies have caught up with the trend, and many brands hesitantly agree to invest in a campaign that does not star expensive faces. Recently, Atiqa Odho brand caused a stir on social media by introducing their new cosmetic line through popular Pakistani beauty bloggers on Instagram.
This is not a celebrity figure endorsing a makeup line, just an influencer, but with an even better effect on the customers. It puts a human touch to your campaign and achieves something no Pakistani brand dared to do before.
This model is already popular and thriving around the world, and it is about time our brands catch up. Microinfluencers are individuals who can affect your target audience’s buying decisions. They are not top-level influencers, but they do know their niche. The loyal fanbase of these accounts has seen them grow from scratch and trusts them with their endorsements.
So, while Mahira Khan is a darling and favorite female actress of everyone, will you trust her recommendation over a close friend who tried a product in front of you? This is the effect of micro-influencers on the target audience.
Micro Influencers are Cost Effective
The cost of working with micro-influencers is like a breath of fresh air, compared to hefty mega-influence budgets. Mega influencers will not put their foot down on your low budget campaigns, because they charge around 30K for one post. If you talk about top-tier celebrities, the cost goes way up to touch at least 100,000 per post!
For micro-influencers, you can pay a couple of individuals way less than this amount and reach a highly relevant audience that matches the nature of your brand.
Coca-Cola #CokeFest
Coca-Cola Pakistan always works with micro influencers for their events and campaigns. In the recent Coke Festival, the brand collaborated with micro influencers to deliver the most authentic food stories to the target audience.
Coca-Cola can easily pay a celebrity to promote their festival, but they choose to keep it relevant by working with people amongst us on social media. It brings real stories and genuine reviews to the target customer who is keen to know the human angle behind the #CokeFest.
With their budget, Coca-Cola hires 15-20 micro influencers to create a buzz on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, earning more engagement on their campaign.
Peshawar Zalmi # ZalmiUpliftsTurkishCricket
Peshawar Zalmi was the winner of the second season of Pakistan Super League. Since then, the team has developed itself into a robust brand. After their massive success and popularity, the team has set up a charity and invested in cricket ventures across the globe.
Peshawar Zalmi is one franchise that frequently works with micro influencers on social media. They hire influencers on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to promote new initiatives like their new collaboration with the Turkish Government to promote Turkish cricketers.
Peshawar Zalmi brought onboard Turkish players who will take part in the next season of PSL. Sports influencers promoted the initiative under the hashtag #ZalmiUpliftsTurkishCricket.
https://twitter.com/mubashirmahmood/status/1064459036001796097
As the conversation caused a buzz on social media, the news was picked by popular publications and common social media users, amplifying the message. You can use this strategy to spark a conversation about your business and use influencer voices to communicate your message to the masses.
How to pick micro-influencers?
This brings us to the most important question: how do you find micro-influencers that resonate with your brand? A campaign involves many steps, and each business requires a customized strategy, but some guiding principles remain the same for every business:
- You must look for relevant people who have authority in the niche of your choice
- Don’t go for influencers with a greater reach, go for influencers who have more engagement with their follower base
- Look for individuals who carry the same values as your brand. You can’t make false promises about your brand, because these people have reached an influencer status after practicing that principle and must not be forced by a brand
When you find a micro influencers, ask them for authentic reviews. It can’t be staged, because if the truth unravels, people may be hugely disappointed. Don’t send random emails to everyone you spot on Instagram or Twitter! The best way to work with micro-influencers is to develop a personal connection with them.
You can initiate a conversation by commenting on their posts and admiring their work. Don’t just get into the details without introducing yourself first. If you are shooting your email, educate the person about your brand values and ask their consent before rolling out a PR package their way.
Don’t go for accounts that send you a direct message, begging for a PR package. A brand’s reach on social media is much more than freebies. If you spot the ideal influencer, spend a day or two to study their account’s nature and decide if it clicks.
Let’s take a look at one brand that gets it all right:
Foodpanda x Girl Gotta Eat
Foodpanda is a food delivery service in Pakistan. The brand is popular for using micro influencers in their digital marketing campaigns. Continuing their tradition, they recently collaborated with the people behind ‘Girl Gotta Eat’ to promote various eateries around K-town. Girl Gotta Eat is a food blog with authentic reviews and a 38K+ following on Facebook.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bnq4fz5H_ZQ/
Foodpanda took Girl Gotta Eat and other food bloggers on a food tour around Karachi. Mouth-watering photos from their #goodfoodtour were enough to make people order a Chimney Cone from Praguery or a Chicken Feta Wrap at Barcelos!
If you are a food business based in Pakistan, you might want to send a message to Girl Gotta Eat right now!
Last word
There is no denying the fact that influencer marketing has reshaped the way we do business. With this growing popularity, your brand will face the biggest challenge: find the right influencer. Choose individuals who are most relevant to your brand and good with communicating the message.
10,000 followers are better than 100K followers because a micro influencer can create a deeper bond with the followers. 44 percent of micro-influencers believe that follower count is the most important metric, while others considered likes, comments, and shares to be more important. You should also look for accounts that have more engagement in their posts.
Finding the right influencer makes all the difference for your campaign. You can reach more Millenials and Gen Z customers who like to spend most of their time online. Got something to share with our community? Tell us in the comments section!
