Agencies Need to Take a Localized Approach to Influencer Marketing

When Kylie Jenner or Bella Hadid creates a sponsored Instagram post with an Hermès Birkin bag, most of their followers won’t do more than like or maybe share the post, as the majority of their audience doesn’t have the disposable income to afford designer accessories—especially ones that cost over $10,000. But when a smaller influencer posts from their local Buffalo Wild Wings with a plate full of spicy chicken and a cold Corona with lime, consumers start moving down the marketing funnel. “I might be a follower of an influencer because one day I would love to be able to buy the same Prada bag or Mercedes-Benz,” said Patrick Pharris, president and CEO of influencer marketing company Pharris Media, which specializes in working with smaller creators on regional campaigns. “With celebrity influencers, there’s usually a lot of sharing and not a lot of meaningful comments and click-throughs.” https://www.tiktok.com/@dragekamerman/video/7104818828055465259?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en Working with influencers on regional projects shifts marketing from aspirational to affirmational. Consumers are getting smarter about whose recommendations they trust, and when a local creator offers feedback on a product or service, it feels more like they’re being advised by a family member or friend. 70% of Pharris Media campaigns are localized, and the company offers clients an average engagement rate of 7%. According to performance marketing agency Tinuiti, the average engagement rate on influencer content is around 4%. And when brands and agencies neglect to use creators that have both heightened relatability and a regional pull, they aren't making their marketing dollars work hard enough. “The definition of influencer marketing is changing,” said Hallie Harris, CEO of influencer marketing agency Village Marketing. “We’re starting to develop new strategies for clients by leveraging people of various degrees of influence to champion their brand message.” Facilitating consumer trust When Robby Sostman was tasked with promoting food and drink Happy Hour for the 47 Buffalo Wild Wings locations across Los Angeles, he could have easily thrown a Canva graphic on Instagram that brandished the deals in some flashy font. But Sostman, the senior vice president and group director at media planning and buying agency USIM, instead decided to invite local influencers into the restaurants for some wings and beer. He figured that if creators in the L.A. area were endorsing a local experience, that relatability would make consumers more interested in stopping by. “I want to show them people who would actually go into that B-Dubs,” said Sostman. “I don’t want to show them Kim Kardashian. I don’t need an airbrushed model who is just going to take five grand from us. It has to be authentic.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by ???? YOUR DAILY DOSE OF FOODS! ???? (@instafood_lover) The campaign, which was driven by four L.A.-based influencers, drove an engagement rate five percentage points higher than Pharris expected when accounting for follower count. Instead of conducting mindless recruitment, Pharris looks to find a genuine interest from the creator in a product or service by asking, “Why do you feel you’d be a good fit for the campaign?” This interest can be gauged and facilitated by driving a local hook, which requires more work and higher-quality data but breeds worthwhile results, he said. “The numbers tell one story, but the answer to that question shows us how emotionally connected they're likely to be to the brand or the campaign,” he said. “The more emotionally connected they are, the more their followers will be and the more their engagements will go up. We think about these things strategically and don’t just try to bang numbers out.” Selling specific stories When Julianne Fraser, president and CEO of influencer marketing company Dialogue, works with women’s grooming brand Flamingo, she thinks about how to “leverage influencers to deepen the brand’s story.” Because the DTC company is well-known, brand recognition is no longer a priority—the team now thinks about how to build consumer trust, which is when tapping smaller influencers in local markets comes into play. According to Fraser, leaning into consumer demographics and developing a deep understanding of the region is key. She added that when it comes to fashion and beauty, preferences differ greatly across the nation—one skincare routine or jean style could be on trend in one area but out of style in another. This is where recruiting local folks is crucial. https://www.tiktok.com/@luziamililnena/video/6987168079587314949?_t=8UTbWZg2sRS&_r=1 “We need to tell a relatable and specific story, so we guide our clients to focus on quality over quantity,” said Fraser, stressing that while brands should allocate a budget to working with top influencers, it’s “only a piece of the puzzle.” “There is also a lot of dishonesty, as it’s easy to purchase followers and engagements," she said. "Just because you have two million followers doesn’t mean there’s two million eyeballs on the campaign.” Inviting the underdogs Micro-influencers are often overlooked, said Fraser, and if brands start recognizing their “new wave of impact” by developing thoughtful relationships, they will benefit in the long run. That's why Alison Bringé, chief marketing officer at software company Launch Metrics, takes a “glocal” approach to influencer marketing, tapping into local markets to field national results. This was especially relevant when creating content for luxury watch brand Longines. LaunchMetrics discovered through data that working with relatable people like pilots and chefs would be a more meaningful approach in the London sector than hiring the classic fashion influencer. According to Bringé, this case study reflects the need for brands to increase their relatability by working with local talent. “We’re seeing this peer-to-peer, one-to-one relationship between the creator and the brand,” she said. “Brands need to make sure they’re having this varied approach when they set out their marketing strategy. You have to think about what type of attraction you’re trying to have.” The Creator Economy Can Thrive With Audiences That Are Over Traditional Advertising

Influencers & Creators

Agencies Need to Take a Localized Approach to Influencer Marketing

Regional campaigns foster consumer trust

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Emmy Liederman

Agencies

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