Some brands don’t know about this category of consumers called new-age consumers. They may have intuited this category, but have not defined and categorized it. Consumers who know what they want well and are more cautious than the average consumer when buying, are known as new-age consumers. Another defining characteristic is that they are more aware of trends and possible inauthenticity on social media.
Brands need special strategies to tap the market of these new-age digital consumers, and influencer marketing agencies have some knowledge and tips to share.
The right content is most important for new-age consumers
For the new-age digital consumers, the single most crucial thing to crack is the right content. Because new-age digital consumers are so aware, sometimes perhaps cynical, they are easily lost by unsubstantial content and falsity. They seek substantial, meaningful content, and ideally, honesty and connection. They tend to deeply engage with the content, and will even independently research the product or service to test the brand’s story and message more than the average consumer. So, influencer marketing agencies suggest that brands keep the importance of content quality in mind.
This means that the brand must collaborate with an influencer who has built a good community around them. By a good community, we mean an audience that sees the creator as authentic and connects with them and their content emotionally. Here, influencer tier and engagement rates are not the most important factor, but the influencer’s persona and content are. Influencer marketing agencies must match the brand with the right influencer.
Automatic credibility, reputation and loyalty
In the case of new-age consumers, when the influencer marketing agency matches the brand with the right influencers, that is just the start. Given the nature of the influencer type, the collaboration will not only drive sales but also establish easy credibility, reputation and loyalty. This is because the influencer’s audience will associate the brand positively with the good qualities they associate with the influencer. The influencer is themselves a personal brand. For this reason, this type of influencer tends to be picky when it comes to the brands they will collaborate with, as new-age consumers are sensitive to a lack of genuineness.
Long-term relationships in influencer marketing
The relationship between a brand and an influencer is symbiotic. Nowadays, most influencers generally, let alone new-age digital influencers, are looking for long-term, mutually beneficial relationships with brands; new-age influencers especially so. That is why influencer marketing agencies suggest that brands do their research well before making the final decision to commit to a collaboration with an influencer.
This is also where influencer marketing agencies come in with their expertise. Their expertise is not only in the influencer space but also in understanding the brand. They know, for example, that when evaluating an influencer, one must differentiate between engagement rates of branded versus non-branded content. Based on this kind of extensive knowledge, influencer marketing agencies help brands arrive at a final decision as to which influencers to collaborate with. This partnership, given the long-term nature of the relationship, often turns the influencers into “brand advocates,” which is an invaluable bonus.
