The marketing landscape has shifted, showing that influence now goes beyond just celebrities and social media content creators. Everyday people are now playing a significant role through genuine connections and personal recommendations.
Statista has revealed that 89% of consumers prioritize recommendations from individuals they “know” and trust over traditional advertising channels. This shows the fundamental change in consumer behaviour, where authenticity and personal connection are key factors when it comes to purchasing decisions.
The era of the influencer has evolved to the point where everyday people play a pivotal role in brand influence. Through creating communities of loyal customers, brands can harness the power of peer-to-peer recommendations to foster deeper connections and build long-term brand loyalty.
A great example of this is It Cosmetics X Hello Sunshine campaign. It teamed up with City Girls Who Walk to sponsor an exciting stroll through the Upper East Side and Central Park to promote the launch of its new SPF. It has become clear that genuine customer advocacy now holds the power over extensive brand promotion efforts, as customer advocates have a 50% higher likelihood of influencing purchases (fullview, 2023).
(When it comes to trusted advertising channels, recommendations (89%) are a clear front runner, beating out other popular channels such as brand sponsorships, TV advertisements and influencer placements.
“Consumers today are not just looking for products; they seek genuine connections and experiences that resonate with their values and engage their community,” said Pauline Oudin, CEO at Gradient. “The super power of experiential marketing, is that it can bring a brand story to life and invite consumers to be the main character. This immersive moment is a natural conduit to content creation and sharing and, often, brand product advocacy. For the audience, seeing a friend’s real content and genuine perspective can be more compelling than posts from influencers, who may have been paid.’
The rise of social media and digital platforms has given us all the power to influence, allowing individuals from diverse backgrounds to amplify their voices and impact. By nurturing these micro-communities of advocates, brands can not only enhance their reach but also solidify their reputation as trusted authorities within their industries.
You no longer need to be an influencer to influence but through fostering community and creating memorable experiences, you can build a network that truly cares about your brand, and turn your most loyal customers into ambassadors of trust and credibility.
The everyday influencer strategy does not diminish the value of influencer marketing. As Oudin outlines: “We see the best results when the experiential content comes from multiple sources; the brand, the influencers and the consumers. It becomes less about simply extrapolating content from an event and more about evolving a physical happening into an ecosystem of experience throught technology.”
