The Expansion of Businesses pt. 2

Originally published November 2, 2018

As mentioned in Business Growth Through Local Influences Part 1, the growth of social media created a new type of marketing for businesses. This type of marketing, influencer marketing, is the use of local digital influencers to promote a business’s brand and build its reputation in a foreign market. There are multiple questions that may arise from the use of influencer marketers.

How do businesses fit into the concept of influencer marketing? Businesses use influencer marketing as a strategy to expand their market. Local digital influencers already have an established reputation within a specific area, so making connections with them to promote the business is an excellent way to reach out to potential customers. Though thi

s type of marketing strategy is not establishing a direct relationship with customers, it is establishing a relationship with an individual whom is widely respected and known. With the reputation of the local influencer, businesses can prosper and expand their market by associating their company with someone that has a huge and loyal fan-base.

How do consumers fit into this concept of influencer marketing? Of course, how can a business prosper without having consumers? Most customers learn about companies through advertising. As social media is a big component of this generation, many individuals look up to local digital influencers on the latest trends. With various platforms, influencers can reach out to multiple markets and promote the business to prospective customers. If a local digital influencer is promoting a certain business, customers may look into the brand and become a new customer. Customers may be curious about brands that influencers talk about or promote, prompting them to look more into the business and what goods or services they may offer.

What are some problems that could arise? There are multiple cultures and norms that vary across the different places that businesses may want to expand their market too. With the differences among places, some concerns may arise with the use of influencer marketing. For example, not every place is into social media. Each place may have a different platform that majority of the consumers use (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Kakao Talk, etc). Businesses may find trouble in reaching local digital influencers that can reach out to customers of different social media platforms. Additionally, the brand's possibility of expanding its market depends on the influencer. A possible problem with this context could be that the influencer may accidentally gain a bad reputation that could damage the company.

How can the problems be addressed? Just as there are many problems that could occur with influencer marketing, there are multiple solutions. The article How to Find Local Social Media Influencers to Promote Your Business provides suggestions that businesses may use when using the strategy of influencer marketing. The article suggests that businesses complete their social media profiles. By completing their profiles and ensuring that there is consistency in their profiles, they reduce the number of issues that may arise when influencers promotes their brand. Completing their profiles in all platforms of social media can aid customers in finding the company easier. Referring to the problem of the influencer's reputation and the connection to the brand, it's the business' responsibility to research the influencer before establishing a relationship with them. Not every problem can be prevented with influencer marketing, but there are ways to address the problems.

All in all, influencer marketing is an excellent strategy for expanding a business' market. This growing concept of using local digital influencers can be beneficial for both businesses and customers. In a business perspective, they are expanding their market and building their reputation. In a customer perspective, they are being introduced to a business that provides goods or services they may really like. Establishing a positive relationship with a local digital influencer means establishing a relationship with customers within a prospective market. With the aid of local digital influencers, business' can build and expand their reputation in multiple markets.

Quoc, Michael. (7 December 2017). How to Find Local Social Media Influencers to Promote Your Business. Retrieved from https://socialnomics.net/2017/12/07/how-to-find-local-social-media-influencers-to-promote-your-busi