With the rise of social media came the rise of influencers. Readers and viewers trust their input. Every influencer has a niche audience which fits their unique personality and content. The marketing power of local influencers also extends well into print advertising.
USA Today reports that 75% of brands surveyed utilize influencers in their campaigns. Find the right influencer, and you increase your odds of converting customers to loyal buyers more efficiently and quickly, especially in a local market.
Influencers Reach Beyond Digital
Many brands make the mistake of thinking about influencers as solely digital. An influencer with a large following across the world is going to be more relevant digitally than in a local newspaper. It’s a different story for an influencer interviewed in Rolling Stone.
A local influencer can increase your reach both digitally and in print. Consumers trust the word of local influencers. How can a brand leverage the authenticity and trustworthiness of local influencers?
Local Influencers Perceived as More Trustworthy
Local influencers fall into the category of micro-influencers with followings of 1,000 to 10,000, even up to a few hundred thousand. It depends on the area and niche. Even a local influencer with 1,000 followers can still boost your brand.
Micro-influencers are regular folks who post about everyday life and their interests. Their smaller circle and authenticity makes them more trustworthy to audiences than celebrities. They are often seen out and about in town. They may spearhead their own groups that tie in well with your services and products.
Besides, consumers are more likely to buy when a product is recommended by someone they trust. A Stackla survey reported that 86% of consumers believe authenticity is important when it comes to selecting brands that they admire and support.
Local Influencers in Print
Imagine a restaurant owner who runs its own local chain restaurant. Many people now focus on healthier, greener, and cleaner living and avoid chain restaurants. Digital campaigns haven’t gone well for the owner.
The restaurant owner can reach out to a local influencer for both digital and print. There is a tangibility to print that social media can’t replicate. Customers are slammed by ads so much digitally that they become numb to them.
Local influencers have been known to write for weekly papers on occasion or can afford a name drop during an interview. Interviews with local influencers can be arranged if a local magazine or newspaper is covering a benefit that your organization and the influencer are both taking part in.
Imagine seeing your local favorite food podcaster’s face on a billboard showing a favorite restaurant. You’d show up. You know you would.
Imagine receiving a special print invite in the mail with that local influencer leading an exclusive dine-in experience. That’s an attention-grabber.
Customers Trust Print More
Influencers have changed digital advertising. But they’re also changing journalism, too. Print isn’t dead, and it isn’t dying.
One survey found that 82 percent of customers in the US trust print ads more than other kinds of media. Most people will give a full print ad or newspaper article their full attention. That’s truer than ever, in a day and age where everybody’s on the go.
Print still leads digital. Even Google still uses direct mail to reach AdWords users. Shoppers are more likely to conduct an online search after they see a print ad.
Plan a solid print postcard campaign optimized for your digital content strategy, and you’re golden. Chances are the customer will take the name drop of your business seriously and task Siri with looking your business up. Plan your keywords accordingly.
People know their local influencers and highly regard their opinion. Combine that power with print. You’ll increase your odds of connecting with new customers and securing their loyalty from the get-go.