Assume you’re a customer looking for a new wrist watch. You didn’t have time to really visit the traditional stores and you decide to make a purchase online. Thousands of brands in one search and you are confused, which watch to buy? You visited websites that landed you on their product listing page. The reviews from an XYZ brand made you trust them. You headed to buy the watch from that brand.
Customer reviews and recommendations add credibility to e-commerce brands. Consumers’ purchasing psychology works in a way that they trust reviews or recommendations from their relatives or friends before deciding to even pay the bill.
By collaborating with influencers who have built loyal followings and engaged viewers, these brands are able to reach their target audiences very quickly. Generally Influencers with their genuine and relatable content advocate for e-commerce products and services, providing valuable social proof and credibility to potential buyers.
The growth of influencer marketing is nothing short of remarkable in recent years. And you will not be surprised by this statistical report. The report titled ‘The State Of Influencer Marketing in India’, states that influencer marketing in India is expected to surge by 25% in 2024, reaching INR2,344 crore, and further expand to INR3,375 crore by 2026.
Influencer Marketing for Ecommerce Communication Strategy
Influencer marketing connects with your target audience in a more authentic and engaging way. By partnering with influencers who have a trusted fanbase, ecommerce brands can reach their pre-built audience who trust and value their recommendations. This can lead to increased brand awareness, engagement, and ultimately, sales for your e-commerce business. In short, influencer marketing is a valuable addition to your communication strategy that can help you achieve your business goals more effectively.
Role of Influencer Marketing in Ecommerce
The idea behind using influencers to scale-up ecommerce brands is to benefit from their engaging audience to drive awareness and sales. Influencers create content featuring the brand’s products, share their experiences, and recommend them to their audience, thereby influencing purchasing decisions and driving traffic to the e-commerce website.
The Need of Influencer Marketing for Ecommerce Brands
Today, many brands are running countless ads and promotional messages on different social media platforms making it difficult to gain the attention of their target audience. Consumers who feel disconnected with the brand either lose sight of that ad or skip it right away.
In the times of decreased levels of trust, customer testimonials and recommendations are gaining traction day by day. According to a recent study, it was found that almost 70 percent of Indians trust influencers and purchase products endorsed by them. This statistic underscores the influence that influencers have over consumer decisions, particularly in a market like India, where social media is highly consumed.
Social proof, the psychological phenomenon where people look to the actions and behaviors of others to guide their own decisions, holds sway in today’s internet age. Influencer Marketing has proven to be very effective specially for those e-commerce brands who are aiming to skyrocket their brand visibility and awareness. Once ecommerce brands kick start their campaign with influencer marketing agencies, these platforms screen top trusted influencers within the brand’s niche and ask them to talk about the brand’s product or services. The fun, engaging content goes viral, leading to an increased web traffic and product sales.
Influencer Marketing Strategy for Ecommerce Brands
Set campaign goals and define target audience
Thinking about goals and objectives is the first step before you head on to kick start your campaign. Open your notes and pen down the audience you want to target for your brand. Identify what your audience loves to watch, prefers to purchase and the social media platform they are most active on.
Think about what you want to achieve because after all you are spending your cash on that campaign. Your goal could either be increasing brand awareness or product sales. It could also be both. Ever heard? Setting goals is the first-step in turning the invisible into visible insights. Outlining goals is essential to track your key performance indicators or metrics at the end of the campaign.
Research and Identify Relevant Influencers
Only the right influencers will help you achieve your outlined objectives and get people talking about your brand. While shortlisting influencers for your brand campaign, keep in mind to look beyond their follower count and focus on engagement rates, content quality and their audience insights.
Remember the shortlisted influencers should be experts in making content for your brand in the most engaging way. Evaluate the influencer’s audience by reviewing comments, shares, and overall engagement to learn their authenticity and relevance. If you can’t do it all on your own, hire an influencer marketing platform which would provide you top trusted influencers in your niche.
Develop a Collaboration Strategy
Pick up a relevant social media channel to execute your brand campaign. The social media channel you pick would depend on your audience.
Determine the most effective collaboration format, such as sponsored posts, product reviews, giveaways, brand ambassador programs, or influencer-generated content.
Outline the campaign duration, content requirements, and deliverables expected from the influencer.
Decide a fair compensation structure based on the influencer’s reach, engagement rates, and the level of collaboration required.
Build a professional relationship with your influencers. Remember, the relationship with your influencer can either make or break your e-commerce brand. Keep it supportive, understanding and most importantly transparent.
Looking to hire an influencer marketing platform to scale-up your e-commerce brand in terms of increasing awareness and sales? Visit Marqeting to learn more.
