Recent studies indicate that when consumers need to purchase specific products, they are more inclined to trust recommendations from reputable internet celebrities rather than just focusing on brand advertisements in mainstream media. In the past, advertising often relied on celebrities for endorsements, but nowadays, the influence of internet celebrities is on the rise.
Internet celebrity marketing is not an entirely new concept, as brands have collaborated with celebrities in the past, but this approach has its limitations. Celebrities' images are curated by management agencies and are constrained by traditional media, making it difficult to establish deep interactions with fans.
Comparatively, internet celebrities are more like friends; they actively engage with their fans on social media. This interaction builds trust, making fans more willing to accept their product recommendations and make corresponding purchases. The scope of internet celebrity marketing includes bloggers, YouTubers, live streamers, entrepreneurs, and self-media operators with specialized knowledge in specific fields.
In recent years, brands have discovered the advantages of collaborating with micro internet celebrities (those with less than 10,000 followers). Unlike single superstars, micro internet celebrities have a higher number of collaborations, which allows for more comprehensive brand exposure and fosters deeper interactions with fans. According to statistics from the internet celebrity marketing platform Influenxio, nearly 70% of brands choose to collaborate with internet celebrities who have followers ranging from 1,000 to 10,000.
Why has internet celebrity marketing become so popular in recent years? A report from the UK's Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism states that 52% of Instagram users obtain information from influential users, rather than relying solely on mainstream media. This shows that internet celebrities have influence and can capture the attention of consumers.
In response to changes in consumer media consumption habits and rising advertising costs, over 80% of companies have decided to allocate budgets for internet celebrity marketing. With the rapid development of social media platforms, brands must adapt their strategies to establish a positive image on these platforms. However, brands have found that collaborating with internet celebrities with high engagement rates can lower promotional costs and yield better results.
Internet celebrity marketing is not a new concept, but it provides brands with a more precise marketing approach. Through data such as internet celebrity interactions and the number of ad exposures, companies can better evaluate their marketing performance and conduct precise marketing for different types of consumers. This enables brands to create deeper interactions, better understand consumer needs, and offer products and services that cater to their preferences.
In general, the rise of internet celebrity marketing is attributed to consumer trust and the ability of brands to achieve precise marketing goals. This trend not only increases brand exposure but also contributes to building long-term relationships between consumers and brands. It also reminds businesses that, in the face of the ever-changing social media landscape, experimenting with different strategies is crucial to maintaining competitiveness.
