Brands Need A New Breed of Influencers

It is a really exciting time to be living in the world. There is so much happening and the amount of information that we are being exposed to on the daily basis is quite overwhelming. If you are reading this and you’re a millennial or a Gen Z (born after 1994) you would know what I am taking about. As the Gen Ys and Zs begin to garner the purchasing power all the attention has been shifted to them (including me) in terms of the numbers of brand messages that are being directed at them. But to lure them with traditional marketing strategies is frivolous because they are different, “paradoxical” and unlike previous generations they are the most unpredictable of all. So, brands are willing to do anything and everything to predict their behavior and win them over.

source: tagedstudio.com

The only sure thing to say for Gen Ys and Zs is that they love their social media platforms (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram etc). They tend to fill their time with such platforms and thus spending long hours there. Recently, a new breed of people has emerged who exert considerable influence over a section of people who follow them- extensively referred to as social media influencers. Why they are called influencers and what do they do have varied interpretations and definitions however the most relevant one I found is by mediakix.com which says, “influencers are social media personalities with loyal audiences that they earned by sharing content that inspires, entertains, informs, and connects them with their followers.” Therefore, most brands these days are tapping in the goldmine of influencers or micro influencers as their direct line of communication empowers them “to generate social conversations, drive engagement, and ultimately, set trends amongst a receptive and socially savvy audience”.

From the business point of view this seems lucrative as now-a-days it has become imperative to create seamless, unobtrusive brand messages for the generation which simply cannot tolerate brand interruptions. But the real question that arises time and again is how effective these strategies are. Surveys that boasted the significance of the influencers are now painting a different picture. Most recent surveys now claim that people especially from Gen Z are moving away from the orchestrated influences and aren’t easily swayed by their opinions. Surveys even claim that influencers with mega popularity are downright unappealing to many now.

source: Adweek.com

What made these influencers different from celebrities is the fact that unlike celebrity endorsers, they are supposed to be authentic and present their genuine opinions of the services or the products they use. This promise of authenticity made so many people to trust them. Fake followers, dwindling credibility, no innovation or experimentation with the content, people who are there for the fame’s sake are the possible reasons that have led to the distrust among many.

If brands really want to create an honest engagement among its consumer base they first need to question the effectiveness of the whole shenanigan of hurling buzzwords at audiences and ask themselves- Are the influencers really influencing? Brands need to understand that their message should be connected to something that people find valuable. Gen Zs are really seeking people who are actually taking actions not selfies.

Brands need to think smaller in order to penetrate the minds of its potential consumers. A much better strategy to do so could be finding talent that can complement the brand. Yes, this will require a lot of efforts from their end but will be beneficial ultimately.

Source: Firebrandtalent.com

Identifying creators who are truly passionate about making an impact (Thought Leaders) from the pool of so-called influencers is not going to be easy and just wouldn’t be enough. Brands also need to find ways to weave the messages into their world which will appear genuine yet effortless. This is the key to maintain and sustain not only the brand’s value but the brand of the person itself. This endeavor is surely going foster a healthy relationship among the brand, influencer and the target audience in the long run.