Let's go more in-depth into the reasons why influencer marketing is such an important aspect of modern marketing. Here are 4 problems with traditional marketing that are solved through influencer marketing strategies.

Problem 1: Rise of Adblock software

A recent study found that a growing number of consumers are using adblocking software. Translation: more and more people are not seeing traditional advertisements online. The development of adblock software applications for smartphones means that this is no longer an issue associated with desktop and laptop browsing. Millennials, age 18-34, are even more likely to be using such software, indicating that adblock is here to stay.

The solution: Content not affected by Adblock

Influencers have a direct pipeline to the eyes and ears of audiences which is not restricted by adblock software. Working to find influencers that fit your brand's profile gives you a much higher chance of having your material viewed by the right audience, and more importantly, an audience that isn't likely to tune out (more on this later). 

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Problem 2: Decreasing confidence in traditional advertising

One reason why adblock software usage is on the rise is due to consumers no longer believing in advertising. Up to 84% of millennials distrust traditional advertising. This presents a major problem for brands and agencies that rely heavily on these ways of reaching out to customers. You can spend as much money as you like on marketing, but if your potential customers don't trust what they are seeing, you may as well shred your money. Ads don't matter if customers don't trust the messages behind them.

The solution: Use already trusted sources

Influencers have an advantage over brands that can be summarized in the all-important word, trust. We talked about this in our introduction to influencer marketing, but it is worth repeating again. Influencers have spent a significant amount of time building their audience by producing engaging content. This means that influencers have a real connection to their fans, a connection that is useful to brands looking to build a strong fanbase for themselves. Working with influencers allows you to build on their credibility with audiences, in order to create brand integrity with your customers.

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Problem 3: No customer engagement

This problem is linked to the lack of trust we just mentioned. If an audience doesn't trust the source of information, then engagement goes down. Traditional marketing acts as a one-way street, with brands often speaking to their customers without any communication flowing in the other direction. This approach to communication results in customers feeling disconnected from the brand and the brand's message: A nightmare scenario for any brand. Add to this a shift in power away from brands and toward the customers and engagement has never been more important.

The solution: Ready-to-go engagement

One of the best things about influencers is that they already have a committed and engaged fanbase that has an interest in what they have to say, as we mentioned earlier. For a brand looking for an engaged audience, there's no better way forward. Influencer marketing is a great response to the shift in power, by placing the customer at the center of marketing strategy. More importantly, influencers give the brand authenticity. Consumers are increasingly conscious of false advertising and respond better to advertising that seems genuine. Influencers are able to do this because they are already skilled in presenting their messages to their particular audience.

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Problem 4: Missing your target audience

Often with traditional marketing, a brand has no choice but to create content to appeal to as wide an audience as possible in order to reach their actual targets. The problem with this however, is if you are trying to reach a certain kind of customer, too much effort is put into casting the net wide without any certain way of knowing that the message is being received by the right customers. A lot of time and money is then wasted on advertising to the wrong people.

The solution: Established target audiences

Again it's all about the audience appeal. Influencers have spent time and energy building their personal brands online. That means that they already have the audiences in place for marketers to engage with. All you have to do is find the right ones.  Using a tool like MySocial Pro is a great way to make sure the influencers you collaborate with have the right audience for your brand. Once you have the right influencers in place, the risk of spending too much time and money on the wrong audiences is instantly lower. Your main job is to make sure you have the right influencers in place to maximize the appeal of your brand to your core audiences.