Suddenly we all work from home, parents have become part-time teachers and social distancing is the norm. We realize that this could go on for a long time. Nobody saw it coming. Even brands were surprised by this new reality. But we have to act. This also applies to brands: stagnation means decline. Brands are moving towards digital and realize influencers are essential to keep in touch with their target group.
The digital movement
In this article I look at the changed media consumption, the movement towards digital and how influencers are essential to keep in touch with your target group.
And not only brands, in this time of social distancing we all experience a huge shift to digital in our lives as it is the only way to communicate with family, friends and colleagues. We communicate en masse via tools such as Google Hangouts, Houseparty, Zoom and WhatsApp.
The internet is so heavily burdened that Netflix streams in lower image quality, something we’re not used to. Social media use has increased tremendously. People seek out to online communities and YouTube sees a significant growth, just like Instagram TV.
More than ever, people are looking for information and inspiration to make the best of the situation, as well as influencers with whom they have already built a relationship and not just a relationship but a relationship of trust.
Interesting fact: studies show that almost half of social media users say they want to become influencers themselves to generate income during an economic recession.
Online buying sees huge growth
In itself it is no surprise that in a period when people stay at home and the catering industry is closed, online purchases get a huge boost. Amazon will hire 100,000 new people to meet rising demand. Same goes for various delivery services. Research indicates that in a period of “confinement” people start ordering online en masse. In summary: the consumer is at home, spends more time on social media, consumes more content and buys online …
Influencer marketing in times of crisis
Back to influencer marketing. Although campaigns they participate in are currently being postponed or canceled, influencers are also experiencing huge increases in viewed content, engagement and followers. Influencer marketing proves to be extremely powerful in times of crisis if properly managed with enough expertise. Influencers create compelling content and help brands maintain consumer confidence, loyalty and purchases. In this new home-stay economy, they are uniquely equipped to draw consumer attention to what and where to order online. They can answer questions such as: what are the best delivery meals, how to entertain children at home and how to educate them, how to dress in times of economic austerity, how to save money and many other things that are now in the minds of the consumer.
Related article: Who is an influencer?
