In this third part of our mini-series of the impact of COVID-19 on Influencer Marketing, Medianews4u continues to bring you views that matter.
Influencer Marketing during a Lockdown
Prashant Sharma, Chief Marketing Officer NOFILTR Social feels that due to the lockdown, people are forced to stay home with limited sources of entertainment. Sharma said, “People are glued to their phones and are constantly consuming content and how to keep the audience engaged, content creators need to be consistent with their content uploads and explore out of the box ideas as they too are confined in their homes.”
Continuing Sharma said, “With all platforms now providing live features, creators would stay in touch with their followers and connect with them on a personal level. By being themselves, content creators can build a stronger connection with their audience which will be beneficial to them post lockdown as well.”
Young entrepreneur and Founder & CEO Mad Influence, Gautam Madhavan, shared how influencers are making their living by creating content on social media. Earlier they had to go out to shoot content now they have to brainstorm how to do the same staying indoors. Using. Good background and good lighting equipment, the quality of content gets better.
Madhavan said, “The latest trend that our Mad Influencers are doing is by collaborating with other creators/influencers while sitting at home. Here you’ll see 5 influencers collaborating in one video and their combined followers being over 40 million users on TikTok.”
Managing Director of Media Moments Sandeep Sreekumar feels that amidst the global crisis situation, brand conversations are required to be more authentic than ever.
Sreekumar further added that “We are leveraging meaningful conversations with audiences, conversations that are less toward brand propositions and more on how consumer lives can be impacted. While the lockdown has triggered an increase in digital content consumption, it has categorically increased the amount of UGC content generated as well. By leveraging influencers and content creators, brands can churn out a significant volume of content laced with key brand messages. During this period, it is important to be understanding and compassionate and not be intrusive with content.”
Influencers proving to be better than brand ambassadors
NOFILTR Social’s Chief Marketing Officer, Prashant Sharma believes that one of the reasons why social media influencers’ followers are growing every day is because of audiences see them as one of their own.
Sharma further added “During this lockdown, we have seen not just brands but also government bodies turning towards social media marketing to increase awareness about the pandemic. Their word will surely reach thousands of people which makes them a great channel of communication.”
On their relevancy to social media, Gautam Madhavan, Founder & CEO Mad Influence said, “Influencers have a very different reach and engagement than a celebrity. They are more relevant to social media and this is not only during the lockdown –it’s before that.”
Influencer marketing the new big thing for brands
“Yes!” said, Gautam Madhavan, Founder & CEO Mad Influence
Continuing Madhavan said, “Every brand had budgeted to spend on offline sets like Hoarding, Newspapers etc which is now being unused – all those funds are being diverted to digital. Hence brands are willing to use Influencers to create content for them and promote.”
Prashant Sharma, Chief Marketing Officer, NOFILTR Social believes the recent boom in internet reach, social media, and social media is the reason why influencers are gaining popularity.
Continuing Sharma said, “The lockdown has shut down everything including new episodes on television, the release of films, malls, parks, everything that was a source of entertainment to the people. Fortunately for content creators, they are self-sufficient when it comes to their content production. They conceptualize and produce their content with limited external help. This makes them a great marketing tool for brands who should not and cannot afford to withhold communication till the lockdown has been lifted.
“With each passing day, brands are becoming more aware of their social responsibility. During these trying times, brands like Dettol and Lifebouy have engaged in influencer marketing to spread a word about do’s and don’ts during Coronavirus pandemic.” Concluded Sharma.
