Marketing That Doesn’t Feel Like Marketing
The most impactful marketing today often doesn’t feel like marketing at all, it feels like part of the story the person (or influencer) is trying to tell. Because of this, the role of the brand influencer in today’s digital marketing landscape has grown (and changed) significantly.
Take the rise of the “micro-influencer”, people who have followers in the hundreds/thousands vs millions. The everyday micro-influencer can range from athletes and sorority members to friends and everyday people. Because more and more social platforms are shifting to a content based algorithm (ie: TikTok – serves you content based on what you watch/spend time on vs who you are following) brands need to use “influencers” in a different way. Brands need to pick people who have a strong voice within their own community so the marketing of a certain brand is woven into their life and everyday. It comes across as real/authentic and not forced. This allows the brand to gain a new consumer through the power of the influencer.
Building Brand Trust Through Community Voices
As an Alani Nutrition Ambassador, I’ve witnessed firsthand the power of being a “micro-influencer” in marketing. Alani Nutrition has a College Ambassador Program of about 1,600 people across the US. The people who are part of this program are those that are in college, affiliated with their school in some capacity (sorority, sports, clubs, etc)., and are able to post on a consistent basis.
At UNH alone there are 3 Alani Nutrition Ambassadors. These girls, including myself, are part of a sport and/or sorority and have a decent amount of followers on Instagram and TikTok (but not in the millions). The size of my follower count was not necessarily a “qualifier” for being part of their program. Alani picked us because we have a specific pov to share with our community and we are able to tell our stories (with their brand) in a real and authentic way. Alani knows, as college students, we are utilizing two of their (and our) most important social platforms to reach the younger consumer – Instagram and TikTok. Knowing that everyday products are being pushed to us on every platform, we, as consumers, are often questioning if a product is worth our time, money, and energy.
Influencer Marketing as the Future of Modern Advertising
Which is why Alani’s Ambassador Program is a great example of how Influencer Marketing is revolutionizing Modern Advertising. They are leaning into the everyday, young, micro-influencer in college to push their brand messaging through the everyday stories of that influencer/creator. Building content that Alani can support and repost at any time! When recommendations come from someone the audience already trusts, their endorsements don’t feel like a commercial or a “paid for” ad, it feels real.
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