Did you know that 67 percent of consumers are influenced by online reviews? Or that 69 percent of shoppers read recommendations from trusted experts before making a purchase? In an ever-cynical world, consumers are looking for sources to trust, and they crave authenticity. Now, as president of Carusele, the ultimate social media content platform, I’ve seen trust drive results in many campaigns. If you're having a hard time breaking through and inspiring customers to use your products and services, influencer marketing may revolutionize the way you do business online.
Trust has a huge impact on a sales cycles. Well-respected brands — Kellogg's, McDonalds, Toyota, and Ford are among the most trusted companies in the United States, according to a Reader's Digest poll — generate high-quality leads, increase click-throughs and conversions and boost revenue.
Free Guide: 6 Ways to Measure Influencer Marketing. Click here!
I know what you're thinking: these brands are household names, with reputations built over decades. But whether you’re launching a new product line or an entirely new brand, one way to foster trust is to allow third-parties to use your product and share inspiration.
Want to come across as authentic? Be authentic. Entrust the right content producers to create captivating content that includes your product. Building trust with prospects is the ultimate cure for "ad fatigue," a phenomenon where consumers have become disillusioned with online marketing, resulting in a drop in click-through rates.
It’s one thing for a brand to say, “Look at my great product,” in an ad. It’s quite another for a blogger, YouTuber, Snapchatter, Viner or other influencer to say, “Look at the interesting ways I’ve used this great product.”
In fact, this is critical - consumers interact with content, in lieu of engaging with ads. Customers are now wary of ads: 47 percent of consumers use ad block technology — clever software and browser plugins that prevent page elements, like ads, from loading — and a third of smartphone users say they plan to install an ad blocker on their mobile device soon.
Influencer marketing combats the growing resistance to marketing material on the Internet in a post-ad-block world. But you need to do it right, in a way that marries the content influencers already produce with the products your brand sells. Getting that right is why we built Carusele. And it works even better than I expected.
