Influencer Marketing In Singapore: What, Why, Who, How & Where

Looking to grow your business? Influencer marketing is the way to go! Marketing your product or service might be tough all on your own but with influencer marketing, you’re not alone.

A great way to help you reach new audiences, increase brand awareness and boast your returns, influencer marketing is the trend that all savvy entrepreneurs need to tap onto to bring your business to the next level.

The meteoric rise of and use of digital media have greatly influenced the media landscape in Singapore and the power of influencer marketing in Singapore has also grown exponentially in recent years.

With more than 4.2 million smart phone users in Singapore, our country has one of the highest smartphone penetration rates in the world and over 63% of those who are connected to the internet in Singapore use Instagram on a regular basis. More than 74% of Singaporeans frequent social media platforms and approximately 73% of Singaporean consumers depend on social media networks for information on which they base their purchasing decisions on.

In this article, we will be sharing with you the ins and outs on influencer marketing to loop you in!

WHAT

What exactly is influencer marketing? In this day and age where social media channels are the preferred methods of mass communication, influencers are essential to help your product stand out from the proliferation of a jumble of multiple cookie cutter products and services.

Known as public figures with a strong and loyal community of followers, influencers harness the power of social media by endorsing and providing product placement services to build brand loyalty, generate sales and increase brand awareness.

A hybrid of old and new marketing tools, many businesses have realised the importance of influencer marketing and jumped on the bandwagon.

The Covid-19 pandemic has swept the world by storm and shaken up what we previously categorised and defined as social media, digital and influencer marketing. With the lines blurred and boundaries widened, let us first take a look at how Covid-19 has changed the social media game before we dive into the nuances of influencer marketing.

Fret not, it’s not all bad news!

In fact, the sore lack of face-to-face interaction has left many seeking connection and this has driven them to turn to online webpages and social media channels to reconnect.

On the hunt for meaning connections during the pandemic, social media users have been forming deeper connections and actively engaging with influencers’ content. Many creative ideas and videos have also been birthed with the parameters imposed by the virus.

In sharing all these exciting contents, followers have been better able to identify with influencers shared experiences. All in all, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought the online community closer than ever before.

Here are some reasons to get started on leveraging on influencer marketing in Singapore, but before we get into the details, here is a breakdown of the different Influencer tiers and how do they compare with each other:

(Click on the image to download & embed on to your site!)

Firstly, micro influencers are a popular option among big and small brands alike due to their reliable results at affordable prices. Forging long-term relationships with selected influencers can be very beneficial to your company’s image and sales.

Long-term partnerships can bring better results for your brand rather than one-off promotions. Information about your product can constantly reach new audiences each time the influencer’s fan base widens.

Secondly, to inspire you to get started, I would like to share with you that:

• 70% of teenage YouTube subscribers trust influencer opinions over traditional celebrities
• 49% of consumers depend on influencer recommendations
• 89% of marketers claim that return of investment (ROI) from influencer marketing is comparable to or better than other marketing channels

WHY

Hearing from a third person point of view lends authenticity and, in this case, the influencer acts as a credible source when advocating for your brand!

People love seeking second opinions and the more influencers you have that are promoting your brand, the higher the chances people will be willing to give it a try!

Influencer marketing works exactly the same way as referrals do. If you are looking for a nice restaurant for brunch, a recommendation from your friend probably be a good bet. The same goes for the influencer’s fans and followers.

In a study, roughly 40 percent of respondents said they made a purchase after seeing a social media influencer use the product or service. Another study found that over 85 percent of millennials use social media to learn about new products.

Typically, tracking mechanics such as discount codes are given to access the success of the entire marketing campaign.

Often the driving cause behind new trends and movement, influencers content showcases a plethora of ideas, brands and products to their audience on a daily basis. Therefore, a brilliant way to be in the limelight and to be seen is to have an influencer talk about your product. This effectively sets the stage for your product or service to be seen as the hot new topic.

Wildly popular these days, influencer marketing is all the rage among both young and new social media users. As a digital agency looking for viable marketing solutions to adapt to today’s technologically advanced channels, influencer marketing for the Singapore market is a quintessential puzzle piece that should be implemented as part of a cohesive marketing strategy.

What’s more! The possibilities are endless with social media. Your hired influencer’s post might just go viral. With such unlimited sharing potential, your product or service can stand to attract attention over and over again.

WHO

Akin to the whirlwind of different products and services eager to penetrate the market, there is an increasingly viable pool of influencers on our little red dot that can help you achieve you reach you aspire.

Firstly, influencers are categorised into many different genres, each with their own unique expertise in the various aspects of life. Common categories include lifestyle, food, beauty, parenting and more.  It is essential that you identify the right pool of influencers to work with in order to reach your target audience.

With Instagram and Facebook, stunning visuals are the key to attracting social media users. Therefore, quality checking through the selected influencers’ social channels is also essential to ensure maximum engagement and effectiveness.

Many brands that have worked with Plexxie have used influencer marketing and we’ve seen successful results from all the campaigns conducted. For example, giveaways can also be a form of collaboration with influencers. These are some of the best ways to draw new customers to your brand because Singaporeans always love freebies and great prizes.

However, instructions given on how to participate in the giveaway and the way the content should be portrayed is should be accurately conducted. See below to form an idea of how to conduct an influencer giveaway marketing campaign:

With google, these days, the world is your oyster! A quick search on the internet will promptly reveal the top ten influencers that would best suit your needs. From there on, it’s up to you to decide who you think best represents your brand.

Of course, there are also specialized influencer marketing agencies and websites that will make finding your ideal influencer that much easier.

Factors that you would need to take into consideration include number of followers, type of followers, engagement level, Instagram feed outlook and the influencer’s personality.

The importance of relevance is also not to be overlooked! High quality content coupled with relevant products and services is still critical in influencer marketing.

As someone wise on Twitter once said, “It’s not enough to just find influencers with high follower counts – these numbers can be artificially inflated. The really important metric is follower loyalty. A loyal community made up of organic followers is likely to receive more likes, comments, engagement and attention per post.

That’s right. Sometimes, bigger is not always better. Although an Instagram influencer with 2000 followers can seemingly reach a smaller group of audience, an influencer with 20,000 fans might not be able to generate an equally effective pick-up rate.

This all boils down to the authenticity of the follower base. The more genuine the content shared by the influencer, the closer the bond formed between influencer and community.

So, when you’re trying to figure out which influencers to recruit, be sure to take all these factors into consideration in order to make the right choice!

The easiest way to do this is to create a database by compiling all the relevant information of the various influencers onto a single document. With the creation of your own database, tracking and hunting down influencers will now be a piece of cake.

HOW

Now that you’ve found your ideal list of influencers, how do you go about working with them?

The simplest way to reach out to the influencers would be via Instagram direct message or through their email.

Here’s a tip – as most influencers’ Instagram accounts are business accounts, their contact information can be easily retrieved from their social media pages. Swipe by their Instagram page to find out everything you need!  

Strike up a conversation with the influencer by dropping them a short but sweet message highlighting your campaign objectives, target audience and deliverables needed on their end.

Most importantly, let them know the wonderful benefits of collaborating with you!

Influencers are constantly swamped with messages from multiple products and brands requesting for their expertise. Craft a message that can help you stand out from the crowd in order to grab their attention.

Last but not least, preparation is key! Be clear about the goals you are setting out to achieve and communicate these to the influencers. Some of them might give tips and tweak the campaign’s voice and look in a way that suits that style. Trust and respect their recommendations as they usually know what their community likes best.

As long as the objectives and overall message are aligned with your campaign goals, it’s worth a shot.

Try it for yourself – it’s easier than it looks!

Psst, you can get on the latest influencer marketing trends here for starters.

WHERE

Althoughinfluencer marketing was once a new concept to Singapore’s digital marketing scene but has since grown to become an integral part in most marketing campaigns rolled out in recent years. 

In a publication written by SocialMedia Today, it was reported that about 81% of marketers agreed using social media influencers to bolster their marketing efforts have been one of the most effective strategies to date. 

With that said, it is clear that Singapore’s market and need for influencer marketing is on the rise. The word of an influencer could mean a world of difference in terms of sales, popularity and pick-up rate. 

Spreading quicker than wildfire, news in Singapore today reaches consumers twice as fast and thrice as far. As role models that inspire both locally and internationally, Singaporean influencers have the ability to influence far beyond Singapore to the international community at large. Examples include ladyironchef, yoyokulala, Xiaxue. 

Let’s not forget how they have also created blogs and websites dedicated as full-fledged online destinations for trending topics about fashion, beauty and food!

What will influencer marketing evolve to look like in 2021?

Influencer marketing has proven its worth and this year, it’s slated to be bigger than ever. 

Confined by the coronavirus, many have turned to online channels as a way to dispel boredom and connect with the rest of the world to stay safe and stay strong together to overcome the pandemic together. We believe that this focus on inclusivity will create deeper connections and value driven content across the various social media platforms. 

While forecasting what the future holds is no mean feat, here are some influencer marketing trends that will definitely help you kickstart any campaign:

1. Generating exceptional content with guaranteed results, short form videos will continue to win the hearts and minds of Generation Z.
2. Authenticity will also continue to be key when reaching out to consumers.
3. More on-going partnerships rather than one-off collaborations.
4. Rise of macro and nano influencers.
5. Increase of new social platforms and creator tools such as TikTok.

Now that you have heard all about influencer marketing, it’s time to put our Singaporean influencers to the test. Find out firsthand the benefits of influencer marketing when you hop onto the bandwagon today!

The exciting world of influencer marketing awaits. Since its founding, Plexxie’s digital marketing journey has helped the company in accumulating a wealth of experience on influencer marketing. Drop us an email at hello@plexxie.com to find out more.