Meet the Influencers Serving up a Change in Digital PR

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Has less become more? We’re taking a look at the rising popularity of micro-influencers and what they could do for your business 

Food and Drink PR agency asks is bigger always better when it comes to an influencers following?

INFLUENCER [in-floo-uh n-ser] noun a person or thing that influences.

The concept is nothing new to most people; it’s those accounts who’ve built up an online following, established their credibility and use their platform to promote (or ‘influence’) brands/products/events to their following.

It’s an industry that’s has grown quick and fast. Back in 2010, vloggers filmed their Boots hauls on MacBook webcams in their teenage bedrooms. Fast-forward to now and the same influencers are lining up million-pound brand partnerships and flying to the Maldives. Arguably; what they’ve gained in following, some might’ve lost in relatability.

But there’s something going on behind the pink walls and avocado macchiatos that we can’t ignore; influencers have something to say, and people are still listening.

a graphic of Instagram images to be used in a blog post on influencer marketing. Digital PR

That’s where the micro-influencer comes in. With a smaller following, micro-influencers usually focus on a particular niche. Using the same premise that influencer marketing was built on, micro-influencing works because of the trust between content creator and consumer – they’ve still got that magic relatability.

Typically, their blog is a passion project and they still have ‘normal’ lives just like us – you might share an office with one, you might have gone to uni with one, you might have even been sitting next to one scrolling through Instagram on the bus to work this morning.

With this relatability comes another winner – locality.

I definitely appreciate a flay-lay of a perfectly shaped macaroon perched on a marble table as much as the next person, but I’m 400 miles north of that Soho brunch spot. I mean, I might add a note in my phone to pop in next time I’m down south, but it’s even more unlikely that I’ll ever remember to make the reservation once the train tickets are booked.

Contrast that to the number of times I’ve screenshotted, saved or forwarded the posts of Edinburgh food bloggers – and genuinely followed through and made a reservation – and there really is no comparison.

The cobbled streets of our city see new restaurants and bars popping up weekly and trying to keep up can be exhausting. Instead, I’ve opted to re-gig my own  Instagram feed into a mini What’s On guide, with photos and reviews of the latest restaurant openings and bar launches delivered straight to my phone. Suddenly, the choice for Thursday’s date night becomes a lot simpler.


We caught up with Ailsa, owner of Edinburgh food blog, Edineats, to get her take on the capital’s Instagram food scene:

“Checking Instagram and Instagram pages of local bloggers that I follow is really my first port of call if I’m going out to eat somewhere in Edinburgh – as opposed to checking a review site such as Trip Advisor or something.

“I get quite a lot of messages from tourists coming into the city and Edinburgh locals looking for recommendations on where to eat so I do think it’s becoming increasingly popular that people are finding recommendations from social media sites and bloggers.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmwBZLRBcJj/


Scott, the face behind popular Edinburgh lifestyle blog, BluBlazerGuy, shared his thoughts on the industry: 
“Last year Forbes Magazine stated that micro-influencers were the marketing force of the future. I would have to agree, as I have definitely seen a rise in the requests for collaborations from brands, PR agencies and businesses across the world.
In my opinion, marketing and PR agencies are starting to notice the real benefits of using micro-influencers like myself. By having a smaller audience I feel I am able to interact and engage with them at a more personal level. This is very important to me as engaging with my audience helps me to build my brand and cement a better connection with my audience. Some larger influencers have managed to strike that balance very well and it’s something that I’m working towards.
Personally, I only work with brands that are relatable to my lifestyle blog and that have had a genuinely positive effect on my life and the lives of my followers. Due to this, I will only promote something that I truly believe in. This type of honesty and interaction is very relatable to my audience and I believe these qualities are what brands are looking for nowadays, hence giving a true representation of their products.”

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Influencer marketing may be changing, but it certainly isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. With more and more of us logging on to check out restaurant reviews and the best new openings, there’s never been a better time to dive into the growing influencer market on your very own doorstep.

Why not get in touch with our digital PR agency to see what results we can serve up for your business?

Getting in touch couldn’t be easier. Simply give us a call on 0131 561 2244 or take a few minutes to fill in the contact form below and one of the team will get straight back to you:

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