Virtual influencers are the newest futuristic trend that is affecting marketing and the way brands promote their products or services. Many businesses and affiliate marketers are already starting to see the benefits that virtual influencers offer, while consumers are increasingly engaging with them over their human counterparts, with virtual influencers boasting triple the average engagement rates.
Fundamentally, virtual influencers aren’t too different from real influencers in the way they function and interact with businesses. They are computer-generated and are typically created to closely resemble humans to remain relatable to their audiences. However, they allow for more creative and often simpler collaborations.
Already, 58% of social media users follow at least one virtual influencer, while 35% have purchased a product as a result. This demonstrates the power of virtual influencers in the marketing world, and how they can be utilised to target various audiences and increase brand awareness. By not considering this new strategy, brands risk losing their audience’s attention and falling behind in the social media landscape, all while missing out on potential leads or sales.
How to Collaborate with Virtual Influencers
Collaborating with virtual influencers will be similar to navigating human partnerships. Brands or affiliate marketers should choose virtual influencers that resonate with their audience and are already well-established in their specific space. How will a specific virtual influencer drive leads or click-throughs? It’s important to keep in mind that creators carefully craft personalities and ‘lives’ for their virtual influencers, so brands should only approach those that fit their image and values.
It is also crucial to maintain authenticity when working with virtual influencers. While they may look and act a lot like humans, they are still computer-generated and may feel less relatable to an audience. To remain authentic, brands should openly disclose when they work with virtual influencers, only choosing those that are credible and already well-established online. This involves having formed strong relationships, opinions and values that are showcased and shared with their audience to build that human-like connection.
Ultimately, the approach will be the same. However, virtual influencers allow for certain perks that you won’t receive with a human influencer.
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What are the Benefits of Virtual Influencers?
Virtual influencers aren’t limited by geographical or physical locations, meaning brands and affiliate marketers can collaborate with them without travel costs at whichever location they desire. This often translates to growing an online presence much faster and attracting more attention, as they can more easily target a global audience rather than being restricted to their specific regions.
More importantly, companies or marketers get full creative control over their projects, from conception to completion, instead of having to give this over when working with human influencers. In addition, if anything were to go wrong with the campaign with a human influencer, there would usually be a delay in launching the material due to the need for re-shooting and re-editing. With a virtual influencer, creators can rectify any problems almost instantly, avoiding disruptions or delays.
Finally, a virtual influencer can create content around the clock. With today’s obsession for consuming content, this in particular helps brands grow their audience and online presence.
Virtual influencers vs. Traditional Marketing Techniques
The flexibility that virtual influencers offer brands, often initially makes them the more appealing marketing tactic. That being said, brands should assess the benefits they would receive from working with a virtual, as opposed to a human influencer. What audience are they trying to target and what are their views on this futuristic marketing trend?
Gen Z, for instance, has been incredibly receptive to virtual influencers, as they tend to keep up with new trends and technologies. Having grown up with technology, they are used to the idea of avatars. A recent survey has also shown that 42% of digital world users feel they can express themselves better in the digital realm than in real life, showcasing the influence that technology has had on them. In addition, they are currently most interested in the fashion, beauty and technology industries, which, in response, are increasingly utilising new marketing techniques. Brands can use this knowledge in crafting campaigns targeted specifically at the younger generations with virtual influencers.
On the other hand, industries like healthcare or finance typically value human connection, and are more popular among the older generations; as such, they may not be as keen on seeing these newer marketing tactics, and have been known to prefer traditional approaches to communication. The silent generation, for example, prefers simple, straightforward imagery, while boomers are most receptive to traditional advertising, such as print. Consequently, when targeting the older generations, brands must understand that virtual influencers may not have the same effect.
Virtual influencers, ultimately, reflect the contemporary culture and trends, and are proving to be an asset within marketing techniques. That being said, it’s vital for brands to assess how they would best benefit from working with one and how this will resonate amongst their audiences. It’s important to keep in mind how the virtual influencer will add to their campaign and increase click-throughs or sales, based on what their audience is most interested in and receptive to.
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