The Value of Influencer Marketing in PR Campaigns

The significance of having a robust social media presence in today’s digital world is undeniable. If we go by the Statista report, approximately 64.4% of the global population has internet access as of January 2023. Thus, in order to gain traction in the competitive world, businesses need to continuously employ a diverse and unified promotional mix that incorporates traditional offline strategies like advertising and PR with popular social platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Moreover, to stay in line with the evolving online environment, they need to keep up with new digital trends and integrate them into their marketing strategy.

One such approach that, in recent years, has carved a niche for itself is influencer marketing. Considered a powerful form of marketing suitable for businesses across sectors, this entails collaborating with an influencer or an expert in a specialised industry with a significant social following to reach a wider audience and a new customer base. This method of promotion, when combined with public relations, or PR, can lead to a valuable outcome. So, let’s look at the value of influencer marketing in PR campaigns-

• Reaches a wider audience

In the world of public relations, teaming up with social media influencers is a powerful tool for reaching a wider audience. The collaboration allows brands to tap into the established and engaged communities of experts that are beyond their existing customers. To ensure the best outcomes, it is crucial to carefully choose influencers that are compatible with your brand’s values and your target market. Thus, to nurture brand affinity with an influencer, it is always recommended to send them a sample of your product or provide an overview of the company so that you can gauge their interest and understanding.

Additionally, influencer marketing works efficiently in the case of PR campaigns of a start-up or small business with limited resources and where consumers may be hesitant to try an unfamiliar product or service. However, with influencers, a brand can help alleviate some of those concerns and gain a broader customer reach. But, always measure the effectiveness of your influencer marketing campaigns by using tools like Google Analytics for website traffic and engagement metrics.

• Content Creation and Engagement

In today’s fast-paced media landscape, it has become increasingly crucial for brands to tell their story authentically by using credible user-generated or third-party content. Hence, marketers may improve their PR campaigns by teaming up with influencers who are already skilled at producing content that is both engaging and shareable. This increases the chances of greater brand visibility and generating organic engagement across multiple social media platforms, which is limited compared to traditional marketing. In addition, influencers can further help amplify the PR campaign by encouraging their followers to create and share content related to the brand-product review, sharing an experience of the service, or participating in a campaign or challenge. This develops a sense of community and engagement around the brand while devising valuable user-generated content that can be used across various marketing channels.

• Adds authenticity and credibility

A PR campaign can benefit from influencer marketing, as social experts are seen as trustworthy sources by their followers, who value their opinions and recommendations. Moreover, they also serve as social proof because they are perceived as neutral sources, which builds a higher level of trust among existing and new customers. Additionally, by partnering with influencers who are well-respected within a particular industry or niche, a PR campaign can benefit from their expertise and authority. For example, an influencer in the fitness industry could provide tips and advice on healthy living that align with a brand’s messaging and values. To substantiate, as per statistics, 62% of consumers stated they value influencer recommendations more than those of celebrities.

To recapitulate, the value of influencer marketing is immense, as by integrating it with traditional PR strategies, a PR professional can effectively advocate on behalf of the brand’s vision, values, and interests. It also enables companies to benefit from positive branding, which enhances brand awareness, generates buzz, drives engagement, and builds credibility through authentic endorsements. Thus, it is essential to carefully select the influencer and ensure that the influencer’s audience is a good fit for their target audience and can aid in business growth.

The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the author’s organisation or the publisher.

Geetika Bangia

Geetika Bangia is a story teller and true believer in story living professional with 18+ years of experience in the industries such as consumer durables, auto motives and healthcare. Geetika is a performance driven Communications leader offering rich & prolific exposure in the realm of PR, Corporate Communications, CRM and mitigation of Crisis Management, who has strengthened the core of business that I have been associated with and delivered the objective of connecting the brand to its target audience.