The Importance of Influencer Marketing During The Coronavirus
Over the past few months, we have seen things in the industry slow down and get put on pause. Ad budgets have been cut and sponsored content deals have decreased. According to Launchmetrics, sponsored Instagram posts fell from representing 35% of influencer content in mid-February to 4% of creator content in mid-April.
But the coronavirus hasn’t killed influencer marketing. On the contrary, now could be a great time for some brands to continue their already established partnerships since it is more difficult for brands to create content with studio closures and abiding by social distancing guidelines. If you have previously worked with a brand, leverage those relationships to show them that your audience looks to you as a voice of authority. Influence on social media hasn’t disappeared. It is still present. “The role of influencers has only grown during COVID-19,” says Ryan Detert, CEO of Influential. Smaller influencers in the micro and nano range have been able to increase their profiles, relating to their audience and addressing circumstances through a lens more accessible than bigger influencers.
With people spending their time at home, most have increased the amount of time spent on social media. CreatorIQ reported that overall engagements on influencer posts about the coronavirus exceeded 2.9 billion.
Will the industry get back to where it was before the pandemic? No one knows that answer. But, we have asked a few of our Tribe members to share their thoughts and opinions.
Have you experienced a decrease in the amount of sponsored brand partnerships compared to normal?
@revciancio: Yes
@majorfood_addiction: I have seen a slight decrease in sponsored partnerships during this time due to uncertainty. A lot of brands ask for you to follow up with them in a month when things hopefully get back to normal.
@taystytravels: Slightly, but thankfully not by much as I had anticipated. For me personally, I found that brands were still willing to ship products directly to me. Then it was just a matter of making the partnerships fit into the current situation. For instance, a shopping network approached me about a collaboration for an air fryer. With everyone at home cooking, and especially with recipe videos blowing up online, I found it to be perfect timing.
If you have still been getting partnerships, have brands had to negotiate you to a lower rate, so they can work with you within their budget?
@revciancio: No, but I have been getting lower offers.
@majorfood_addiction: I have still been getting partnerships but surprisingly the brands have not been negotiating on rates. The brands that want to work with you and that have a budget will continue in a usual manner regardless of the current situation.
@taystytravels: Yes and no. It has been a mix. Yet, during this crazy time, I have had no issue negotiating. It has all been situational, but for me, as important as it is to have a business mindset, it has also been just as important to help spread the word about small businesses, create longer-term relationships, etc. I will say I did work on one of my largest campaigns to date during the quarantine. It really has been give and take.
If you are an influencer who normally visits restaurants and other places, when do you think you will be comfortable resuming those kinds of partnerships? And when do you think places will begin reaching out to you again?
@revciancio: Immediately, if I am the only influencer and if I have a private area. If it is a group visit, 2 weeks after the restaurant reopens it’s dining room.
@majorfood_addiction: I have recently started to visit restaurants again but very local to my house. These are restaurants that I am super familiar with and I know are doing everything in their power to keep their patrons safe.
@taystytravels: I already have had restaurants start to reach out. This weekend will actually be my first time visiting a restaurant, as I am assisting a new spot in Fort Lauderdale with a media dine. Yet, I definitely am taking baby steps and am continuing to take precautions. As much as I miss being in the kitchen filming, I am not fully comfortable jumping back into my normal routine. After my visit this weekend I am not sure when I will visit another restaurant but I do want to space it out. Just taking it one day at a time.
What are your predictions for the future of the industry?
@revciancio: Influencer marketing will continue to be an incredible way to create word of mouth awareness. Restaurants that include influencer marketing as part of their marketing mix will continue to succeed. Influencers with real content, real followers and real engagement will continue to have success. Restaurants who work with those influencers over a period time, rather than a one off, will experience growth. People choose to follow people on social media, not advertisements and therefore a strong recommendation from a trusted source, like an influencer, will have deeper and more immediate impact.
@majorfood_addiction: As far as predictions, it’s hard to say... I do HOPE that once this is all over, our industry will regain its strength sooner rather than later and get back to what will be the norm then.
@taystytravels: I am a bit torn on my predictions for the future. A part of me believes that over time everything will resume to normal. Another part of me believes not even our industry but the world as a whole is forever changed. I have decided to continue to stay hopeful but am definitely curious to see what the future holds.