Influencer marketing isn’t like a typical advertising campaign. A traditional advertising campaign presents a message that has clearly been drafted and shared by a brand, but in the case of influencer marketing that message is shared a little differently. Despite originating from a brand, the message itself comes straight from the mouth of an influencer. This makes influencer marketing more similar to a word of mouth recommendation – and that’s why it rates so highly in terms of trustworthiness, and therefore effectiveness.

 

The power of word of mouth 

According to Ogilvy, Google and TNS, a whopping 74% of consumers cite word-of-mouth as a key influence in their decision-making processes. Further research undertaken by Nielsen backs up this impressive stat. The company found that “83% of consumers say they either completely or somewhat trust recommendations from family, colleagues, and friends about products and services.” So in terms of trustworthiness, word of mouth recommendations come out on top. 

Whilst the Nielsen research talks of family and friend connections, the effect when we look at influencers is remarkably similar. Consumers that avidly follow influencers and build connections with them look upon their opinions in the same way that we see word of mouth recommendations from those we know personally. Influencers are trusted members of their social networks, and the reviews and opinions that they share are treated as such.  

 

Reaching Generation Z  

Generation Z (consumers aged 14-23) are the new group that brands are starting to target. Like Millennials, this group of digital natives depends on social media for much of its information, and tends not to take much notice of traditional advertising campaigns. Importantly, this is also a consumer group that spends a great deal of time reading online reviews before making any purchases.

A study into “The State of Gen Z 2018” found that 86% of consumers in this age bracket uses reviews to determine purchasing decisions. For this reason, influencer marketing can be highly effective when targeting this group. Influencers share reviews via platforms that Generation Z already uses. So, this group of young consumers is far more likely to respond to brands that incorporate influencers into their marketing strategies.

  

Shared values 

Environmental, political and social concerns are becoming increasingly significant in impacting purchasing decisions. This trend is set to grow over the coming years, as the next generation of consumers is far more aware of climate change and the carbon footprint of various products. Influencer marketing enables brands to express their values, highlighting environmental policies, carbon offsetting and recycling processes via influencers who share their consumers’ concerns. 

According to a recent YouGov study, 66% of consumers are more perceptible to companies that are actively demonstrating efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. By working with influencers, brands can express their intentions in a more authentic way, getting growing groups of consumers on board with their environmental messages. 

 

A two-way conversation 

The trust that followers put in their favourite influencers is usually the result of a longstanding relationship. If a consumer has been following an influencer for some time they may well have been watching their stories and listening to their news regularly. As a result, they soon begin to feel as though they really know the influencer in question.

The influencer-follower relationship becomes more powerful still when influencers interact with their audience. Many influencers are happy to respond to followers questions and comments, particularly when posting a paid review or advert on behalf of a brand. This two-way conversation is immensely helpful in building trust, engagement and therefore effectiveness.

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The effectiveness of influencer marketing is intrinsically linked to trust. Followers trust their favourite influencers, and they value their opinions. So, when an influencer shares a review of a product they have enjoyed, or suggests their audience tries out a new brand, the message is far more effective than it would have been if it came directly from the brand in question. Find out more about how you can build trust and share your message with the help of prominent influencers in your industry. Get in touch to learn about influencer marketing campaigns. 

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