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Some of us might still remember obtaining most of our information about a product or brand from advertising or promotional campaigns. But not anymore. Today, a proliferation of content, multiple social media channels and mobile communications have changed the way consumers receive information, the speed at which it is obtained, and who it is received from.
According to a report by Experticity, consumers want the best information quickly and rely on conversations driven by friends, family and trusted experts, in addition to information absorbed through social media, to learn about products and make purchasing decisions.
In fact, the report states that brands “are now in the hands of community influencers and customers.” And, no matter how much a brand invests in advertising or sponsorships, it won’t cultivate the right relationships until it views influence in a new way. It notes that new rules now govern a brand’s influence. They include the following:
The bottom line, says Experticity, is that brand messaging makes consumers skeptical, nervous and on their guard. Connecting with the right people, not big advertising and marketing budgets, builds trust.
To support this claim, in one data set of a billion social mentions, 91 percent originated from people with fewer than 500 followers, according to social monitoring site, Mention. Experticity recommends that, to reach key audiences and develop lasting, long-term relationships with industry catalysts and leaders considered experts in their communities, brands must be ubiquitous. They suggest developing deeper relationships with people from everyday contexts (e.g. the retail store associate, category professionals and passionate recommenders.)
Something that has worked well for the public relations profession over the years is trust. According to Nielson, a whopping 92 percent of consumers worldwide say they trust earned media, including word-of-mouth recommendations from friends and family over all other forms of advertising. And, 83 percent of word-of-mouth recommendations are tied to personal experiences with a brand or product. The bottom line: trusted influencers are a brand’s best marketing strategy.
So, what does all of this mean? Experticity says:
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© 2023 KNB Communication. All rights reserved.
© 2023 KNB Communication. All rights reserved.