Hardwood Floors December 2018/January 2019

Understanding Influencer Marketing (Continued)

4 “WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING?”

podcasts, every piece of content posted by an influencer is an endorsement or recommendation by a trusted source. Social media influencers can drive engagement and word-of-mouth communication at higher rates than standard, organic methods. (That content you post on the company website or social media platforms that people just happen to find through searches or visiting your pages.) On a local or regional scale, a wood flooring company in a metropolitan area might work with an interior design blogger with a large group of loyal subscribers, or well-established contractor with a popular YouTube channel. A company that reclaims old barn wood for new flooring projects may enlist the support of a sustainability expert with a large Instagram following. These will most likely be micro-influencers. On a larger scale, a manufacturer of flooring products may enlist the support of a macro-influencer who may or may not have anything to do with the flooring industry, wood, or sustainability. The best choice might be somewhere in- between – maybe a specialist in green building practices, home construction, or remodeling with a following of 5,000 or more. 3 “WHY SHOULD I CONSIDER IT?” Commercials have become background noise. We ignore them or fast-forward through them; and when we do see them, we don’t trust or believe them. A 2014 study of 1,300 millennials conducted by Elite Daily found that only 1 percent of respondents trusted advertising. Less than 3 percent of them ranked TV news, magazines, and books as influencing their purchases. They’re immune to spin and inauthentic messages, so both traditional advertising and PR are out for this demographic. Similarly, Generation Xers value sincerity, authenticity, and truthfulness. This demographic is very digitally astute, active on social media, and many are open to personalized brand experiences and targeted, unique messages. Together, these two groups represented 68 percent of the U.S. labor force in 2017 according to Pew Center Research and the U.S. Department of Labor statistics. Here’s the bad news. The old ways of marketing that worked with Baby Boomers – flyers, TV ads, radio spots, billboards, and direct mail – aren’t going to work with Millennials and Gen Xers. The good news? Influencer marketing overcomes this barrier because the message is part of the content, and it comes from someone they already trust.

According to a study conducted by Linquia, a company that manages influencer marketing programs, those who use the channel cited the following benefits: 89% Create authentic content about my brand 77% Drive engagement around my product/brand 56% Drive traffic to my website/ landing page 43% Generate content cost-effectively 43% Reach younger generations who don’t trust traditional advertising Survey respondents were marketers from a variety of industries including consumer packaged goods, food and beverage, media, retail, and agencies.

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