Branding Through Influencers

Even though 90% of the brands vouch for influencer marketing because of its effectiveness, most still struggle with the same issue. For them finding the right influencer is never easy but one of the toughest decisions to make. Just because an influencer worked wonders for one brand doesn't mean they're the ideal match for yours. 5 key factors that will tell you when to invest your time in an influencer: 1/ Influencers may set their rates based on the size of their audience, but it's not just about numbers. Ensure their audience comprises real, engaged individuals who resonate with their content. 2/ Look for influencers whose content aligns with your brand's offerings. A narrower focus, like yoga instead of general exercise, can lead to higher engagement from their dedicated followers. 3/ Specific sub-niche influencers tend to build strong credibility with their audience. Their authenticity and trustworthiness can drive significant results for your brand. 4/ Beyond content, assess an influencer's personal and professional image. Does it align with your brand's values? An influencer's persona should resonate with your target audience and complement your brand's identity. 5/ Look for influencers whose followers actively like, comment, share and click on their posts. Understand platform-specific benchmarks and ensure your influencers meet these standards. Effective influencer marketing is about finding the right partner, not just a popular one. By selecting influencers who tick these boxes, you can maximise the potential of your campaigns and ensure that your marketing budget is wisely invested. Your influencer partnerships should tell your brand's story with authenticity, credibility, and engagement. If you’re a brand struggling to find the right creators for your campaign, reach out to us at SocialTAG Or write to me at anushree@socialtagindia.com #influencermarketing

I want to share a perspective that might be unexpected: Influencer marketing may not always directly contribute to your sales. Here’s why Brands are treating the influencers like a human billboard. They hand over a script to creators to recite in front of the camera and expect the customers to love it. But it leads to the audience feeling disconnected not just from the influencer but also from the brand. A report stated that 72% of consumers unfollow influencers promoting products in an inauthentic way. I recently unfollowed an influencer whose sponsored content felt like a blatant advertisement, completely disconnected from their usual style and personality. A classic example is when Tata Tea launched “Fruski” in 2017 and did influencer marketing on Twitter(X) with different creators, one of which was comedian Biswa Kalyan Nath. He tweeted about the product but it was so plain and boring that it seemed to be scripted and didn’t sound like a comedian’s tweet at all. This led to a failure. The audience wants authenticity and value from the creators. But some brands forget this and force their product into the creator’s life and content. The right approach to influencer marketing is to identify creators where your product naturally fits into their content and lifestyle. An excellent example is how Noise leveraged Virat Kohli's love for Chhole Bhature and fitness to promote their brand in the #SunoDilKaShor campaign. At Vavo Digital | Influencer Marketing, our approach is to prioritize authenticity and value alignment. We integrate strategies that ensure the messaging resonates with the creator's audience and drives real impact. This includes: - promoting genuine conversations around the product or service. - conducting thorough research to match brands with suitable influencers - encouraging influencers to incorporate products seamlessly into their content By focusing on authentic collaborations, we aim to create a win-win situation for both brands and influencers, building trust and long-lasting relationships with their respective audiences. What’s a recent influencer’s branded content that you loved or hated? #influencermarketing #marketingcampaign #marketing

Nik Sharma might be the 🐐 of influencer marketing. Here are 18 of my favorite lessons from Nik on the power of influencer marketing + the right way to approach it as a brand: 1. By partnering with influencers, brands are able to integrate their products into a relevant community with a high conversion rate at a relatively low cost. 2. Fans expect influencers to promote products they care about. 3. Most influencers only want to work with brands that they believe in and promote products on their social channels that they would use. 4. More than 41% of consumers get more interested in a brand when they partner with a celebrity or influencer they love. 5. Traditional brands follow this template: Select the influencers. Give them free products + discount code. Pay them for a sponsored post. This approach is purely transactional and sets up the influencer marketing campaign for failure. 6. The goal of influencer marketing shouldn't be to pay them for sponsored content. Instead, you should develop a meaningful relationship that is beneficial for both parties. 7. Successful influencer partnerships are based on trust—not reach. 8. If brands are so focused on their return on investment, they can overlook the value social media influencers provide. 9. The best influencer marketing campaigns are multi-faceted. 10. Successful influencer marketing campaigns build brand loyalty, decrease customer acquisition costs, and enable marketers to track influencer-driven impact on a performance level. 11. By forging a relationship with the influencers you’re working with, they’re more likely to post about your brand without you even having to ask. This content is more native than the old-fashioned branded content with #ad front-in-center in the copy. 12. You need to find influencers with audiences that is closely aligned with your target market. 13. Find influencers who believe in your product. If they don’t, the content they create won’t resonate. 14. Offer to provide your product to the influencer to test before they have to commit. 15. When you work with an influencer that truly believes in your brand and appreciates your product, the content that they create is gold. 16. Don’t solely focus on the number of followers they have or their content, but rather, pick influencers that have a high engagement rate and have values, goals, and ethics that align with your brand. 17. Brands that treat influencers as partners as opposed to paid marketing channels will see the value in their campaigns. To take this approach, brands need to work collaboratively and focus on long-term gains rather than short-term revenue. 18. By selecting the right influencers, crafting your pitch, and maximizing your success, you’ll get more out of the partnership than a one-time increase in sales. You’ll get an entirely new audience to work with and an ambassador that’s sharing your product in effective, engaging ways. #influencermarketing #niksharma #marketing

Authenticity cuts through the noise and fosters trust - no matter if you're running a corporate or an individual #SocialMedia account. When colleagues and World Health Organization leaders ask me about building authentic digital presence, these are the tips I suggest them to consider: 1. Be Yourself: Embrace your individuality and let your authentic personality shine through. Don't try to be someone you're not. 2. Embrace Real-Life Moments: Share behind-the-scenes glimpses, candid moments, and personal stories. Let your audience see the human side of you and your brand. 3. Celebrate Your Team: Showcase your team members, their accomplishments, and their unique contributions. Highlight the human element that makes your brand special. 4. Collaborate with Others: Partner with other brands, influencers, or industry experts to expand your reach and tap into new audiences. 5. Use Social Media for Good: Share causes you care about, support social initiatives, and give back to the community. Demonstrate your brand's commitment to making a positive impact. 6. Be Patient and Consistent: Authenticity takes time to develop. Stay true to your values. 7. Be honest and transparent: Share your successes and failures openly, and be accountable for your actions.

You think authenticity means doing everything yourself. But in reality, it starts with being clear on your message and values. Not “I must personally handle every prospect conversation.” More like: “Does this interaction reflect who I am and how I serve?” 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟏: 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲. You think personal touch comes first. Then scaling. But it’s the other way around. Authenticity grows from defining your approach so clearly that others can embody it. Every time you document your coaching philosophy. Every time you capture how you actually speak to clients. Every time you create templates that sound like YOU. You give yourself proof: See? You can grow without losing your soul. 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟐: 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 “𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜” 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭. “I need to stay authentic” is your excuse for staying overwhelmed. “If I don’t write every message myself, it won’t be real.” But the truth is… You’re spending 4+ hours daily on tasks that aren’t coaching. So start documenting your actual voice, your real approach, your genuine philosophy. Because authenticity isn’t “I did this personally.” It’s “This sounds and feels like me, regardless of who executed it.” 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟑: 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭. You ignore your real wins because you didn’t do everything yourself. Now, track what actually matters. Your client got a breakthrough? Win. Your message resonated and led to a discovery call? Win. Your prospect felt understood and valued? Huge win. Because authenticity isn’t a work method. It’s a commitment to showing up as yourself, even when you have help. You don’t need to feel like you’re doing everything to be authentic. You just need your values and voice reflected in everything that gets done. 👀 What does “staying authentic while scaling” mean to you?

Why the surge in interest around LinkedIn influencer marketing? Here's an in-depth look... According to emarketer, US Influencer marketing spend by platform this year is expected to be: • Instagram - $2.2 billion • TikTok - $1.3 billion • YouTube - $1.1 billion • Facebook - $1.0 billion • Snapchat - $41.9 million    Notably, LinkedIn doesn't even make the cut? So, why are we, at Creator Authority, so bullish? And, why the recent hype and interest in this space? We're reaching a tipping point. Here's why... 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵: LinkedIn's strategic investments in the creator ecosystem have paid off. Content creation has surged: • 41% increase in public posts (2021-23) • 24% YOY increase in public posts (2022-23) • 150K newsletters have been launched 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: LinkedIn recently hit 1 billion users, with over 200 million in the US. They're highly affluent AND have big impact within B2B: • 80% of B2B marketers use LinkedIn ads • 4 out of 5 people on LinkedIn “drive business decisions” • 1.36 times more affluent than those on Facebook    𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 Last year LinkedIn launched a number of tools to support creator-brand partnerships, including the brand disclosure tool. This year they expanded the capabilities of Thought Leader Ads (their version of a promoted post tool) so that advertisers "can sponsor content from any member—not just employees". Notably, these are wildly effective performing much better than traditional ads (1.7x lower CPM's and 1.6X higher engagement rates). 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁: LinkedIn has been the #1 most trusted platform by brands for years. Unlike other social media platforms, LinkedIn has avoided major brand safety issues like adpocalypse, boycotts, and controversies. In an era of brand safety concerns this is a huge advantage for the platform. 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗰𝘆: LinkedIn places a greater emphasis on deeper/narrower connections. In an era where platforms are chasing the interest based graph (a la TikTok's FYP), LinkedIn is doubling down on the professional graph. It means depth vs breadth. Over the last year, users have seen a 10% increase in people viewing posts from their followers. This is because LinkedIn prioritizes meaningful connections and professional relevance. This plays out in the impact of campaigns - much higher CTR's, engagement, and lead acquisition than other platforms where follower counts, and connections to creators mean far less. With a booming audience, robust community growth, and a powerful new tool set, LinkedIn isn't just joining the influencer game. It's the untapped goldmine of influencer marketing. --- Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network & follow Brendan Gahan for more. Interested in LinkedIn Influencer Marketing? Reach out to us Creator Authority .

A recent conversation reminded me that what we often call "influencer marketing" in B2B is just a label for something we’ve always done: building trust through respected industry voices. The playbook, however, is maturing. A few best practices stood out: 🔥 Credibility over reach The most effective influencers are have walked the same path as your customers - current and former executives or practitioners who’ve walked in the buyer’s shoes. Their contextual expertise matters more than follower counts. 🔥 Blend models Successful programs use a deep channel, source and program mix: contracted experts, authentic customers, and internal SMEs amplified through podcasts, PR, research, communities and more. 🔥 Content as currency Pair influencer voices with research, benchmarks, and unique POVs. Index transcripts, publish thought leadership, and feed it into AI-enabled search. Influence grows when your content is discoverable. 🔥 Community > celebrity User groups, advisory boards, and customer advocacy programs (like MVPs or “Raving Fans”) build influence at scale. Done right, they create authentic champions—without slipping into sales pitches. Ultimately, influence in B2B comes down to trust, context, and consistency. Whether you call them ambassadors, evangelists, or thought leaders, the goal is the same: equip credible voices to help peers navigate change.

sebamed's podcast experiment taught me why authentic content beats ads every time. When brands move away from traditional advertising and embrace authentic storytelling, magic happens. Our recent podcast collaboration with Sebamed proves this point perfectly. Instead of creating another product commercial, Social Beat & Influencer.in built genuine conversations around parenting. We understood that new parents don't need more product pitches. They need real advice from people who understand their struggles. 📍 First-time parents panic about everything while second-time parents trust their instincts. This insight became our storytelling foundation. Having Nakuul Mehta brought authenticity that no scripted advertisement could match. His genuine parenting experiences resonated with thousands of parents who felt heard and understood. Traditional marketing interrupts people with sales messages, but content marketing invites them into meaningful discussions. Sebamed chose the latter and built stronger relationships with their audience. Which approach builds stronger customer relationships: direct advertising or valuable storytelling?

LinkedIn 𝐢𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦. For a long time, many professionals treated LinkedIn like an attention system. Post more. Get more reactions. Trigger more comments. Repeat what seems to work. That model is getting weaker. LinkedIn’s recent Feed update signals a deeper shift. The platform is moving toward 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜, 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬, while reducing the impact of engagement bait, recycled thought leadership, and automated interactions. What stood out to me is not just the technology behind the update. It is what this means for professionals trying to build authority. The Feed is no longer just rewarding activity. It is becoming better at recognizing relevance, expertise, and perspective. That changes the game. Because in this environment, visibility alone is not enough. Clear positioning, real experience, and useful thinking become much more important. In my latest newsletter article, I shared my full perspective on what this 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧. If you are serious about building a presence the market can actually trust, this is a shift worth understanding. 𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝𝐈𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲? LinkedIn News LinkedIn News India #LinkedIn #PersonalBranding #ThoughtLeadership #LinkedInNewsIndia