End of the road for influencers?

Social media influencers continue to be used by charities to help promote good causes. Often such influencers have a personal connection to a cause. Sometimes they are just keen to share messages around fundraising and changing government policy to support charities.

 

This is a relationship that has steadily built up as the influence of social media has grown over the last decade especially. But latest research to emerge from the US suggests that charities should rethink whether influencers are now best placed to share their key messages.

 

This reveals that influencers are no longer seen as authentic or relatable, compared to user generated content such as from firm’s customers or charities’ beneficiaries. While these users may not have thousands of followers, they do have powerful stories to tell, says the research.

 

Here we detail the latest findings on the future of influencers and how this may impact on charities’ future promotion and marketing.

 

 

‘Inauthentic and unrelatable’

 

The survey has been carried out by community branding platform EnTribe and shows how the public are increasingly put off messaging from influencers. This found that:

• The vast majority (85%) of those surveyed found influencers inauthentic and/or unrelatable
• Around a fifth (21%) say influencers’ content positively impacts their perception of a brand
• One in three (29%) go even further and say influencer involvement in marketing or promotion “negatively impacts their perception”

Why is the public turning away from influencers in their droves? A key factor is the overuse of branding on sponsored content by influencers. Just under two thirds (64%) report seeing sponsored content every time they connect to social media.

 

 

User generated content ready made replacement

 

The survey also revealed how much support there is from the public for content involving the real-life stories of those impacted by a brand, such as customers and beneficiaries.

• Most (85%) back marketing that is focused on user generated content
• If brands deployed more user-generated content into marketing initiatives, 84% of those surveyed said they would more be more likely to trust the brand and 77% of respondents would be more inclined to engage with them, such as use their services or buy their products
• Nearly two-in-three (65%) of respondents between the ages of 18-44 would be more loyal to a brand if it asked for and used content from them, such as videos or social media posts, in their marketing

 

User generated loyalty

 

Entribe urges brands to offer incentives to users to generate content. For charities this could include offering exclusive news and communication from the charity. It could also include offering discounts on services. 

 

“All respondents are in agreement that brands who promote content from real customers are more trustworthy and more likely to receive their business,” said Entribe.

 

“To go beyond just requesting content, brands can increase loyalty and repeated purchases by offering incentives to submit content,” it added.

 

While three quarters (76%) of those surveyed favoured discounts and reward points from brands there are a raft of other incentives charities can offer.

 

A focus on loyalty schemes for users generating content, in the same way as charities run donor loyalty schemes, is something the sector needs to consider.

 

Research published earlier this year found that even a small increase in a sense of loyalty among supporters can see a 15% uplift in donors continuing to give to a charity after three years. This underlines the power of focusing on loyalty.

 

Ways charities can foster loyalty among supporters generating content include adding them to customer relationship management (CRM) systems. This will help better manage their involvement in the charity, including when they generate content and escalate their involvement to donating or volunteering too.

 

 

Shift to meaningful content

 

Entribe Chief Executive Adam Dornbusch says that the survey findings represent “a shift of consumer preference towards content that is authentic and meaningful”.

 

He says that the public is “now seeing through traditional influencer content and want to know that the recommendation for a product or service they’re considering is coming from somebody who actually has experience with it”.

 

He added: “User-generated content allows brands to provide new and existing customers with trust and confidence in their purchasing decision, knowing that a relatable, every day person is benefiting from this brand and that the experience being shared is genuine.

 

“The effect is similar to receiving a product recommendation from a friend or family member.”

 

He urges organisations to cement the role of users in promotion by creating a user generated marketing strategy.

 

“Not only is it more cost effective, but user-generated content offers all the benefits of using micro-influencers with one large advantage -- brands are not only engaging directly with consumers through UGC programs, but they are also building their own army of creators from their actual customers.”