Like many Saturdays, recently I was kicking back at Ladybird Grove and Mess Hall in Atlanta enjoying a mimosa and a sunny day OOO. A big group walked in, clearly celebrating the young woman flashing a diamond ring on her left hand. Perfectly manicured, hair coiffed and a white two-piece outfit to boot, I knew this was a brand spankin’ new bride-to-be.
We watched them set up a bonafide photoshoot- person after person lined up with the happy couple to take photos in the very aesthetically pleasing outdoor venue, perfect for an Instagram photo and the inevitable first use of the wedding hashtag.
As an advertising #YoPro (not to mention millennial through and through), my mind instantly went to social media. I took to the photo-sharing app as a challenge to myself- how good is my Instagram sleuthing?
All it took was one search of “Ladybird Grove” in the Instagram location “search” tool. The first few posts were of this very group celebrating this engagement- I’d struck social gold. I clicked the first image- as luck would have it, an influencer weighing in at 8k followers boasted the location’s most-liked post. Even better? She had linked each of their outfits through the LikeToKnowIt app, sending me directly to the brand’s site and straight to the top and bottom set.
Literally two clicks later, that very same outfit was on its way to me. It was almost too easy- I looked at someone at brunch, searched the location’s geotag and was able to make a purchase.
The power of suggestion is strong, and coupled with savvy influencers means endless possibilities for brands. According to Inc. Marketing, 71 percent of marketers feel that influencer marketing helps raise brand awareness on social media; 67 percent noted it helps them reach a more targeted audience.
Nielsen noted that the number one trusted source of information for consumers is recommendations from friends or family, and an influencer fits the bill. They’re people that are likeable enough to loyally follow on social media, and trustworthy enough to listen when they recommend a product- regardless of the #ad in every caption. They’re not going anywhere- “influencer marketing” as a Google search term on Google Trends continues its upward movement. With the number of sponsored posts on Instagram nearly doubling in 2017 alone, there’s no question that influencers are here to stay- well dressed, in shape and always on brand.
