January 22, 2024
By leveraging generative Artificial Intelligence (gen AI), brands can elevate influencer marketing to the next level by creating compelling content that connects more deeply with consumers. In this blog, discover how AI influencers are changing the influencer marketing market and key factors brands should consider.
In an increasingly digital world, consumers seek personalized connections and are drawn to influencers who embody relatable lifestyles and offer trustworthy recommendations. Brands recognize the potential of influencer marketing to enhance visibility, credibility, and engagement. Influencer marketing fosters genuine connections that resonate with today’s consumers and provides brands with a powerful platform to amplify their message in the crowded digital marketplace.
Let’s take a look at how consumers and brands perceive influencer marketing.
Adding gen AI to the mix
Quick cut to the gen AI disruption – where cutting-edge technology meets influencer creativity. With its capability to produce creative text formats, images, and videos, gen AI brings a new opportunity to this market. It has the potential to empower influencers to craft compelling content at scale that uniquely resonates with followers.
Influencers now find themselves equipped with innovative means to captivate audiences, experiment with storytelling formats, and consistently produce engaging content that reflects the pulse of their followers.
Callout: “A survey of consumers across the UK and the US found a majority (60 percent) prefer creator content designed using gen AI. An additional poll of content creators found most (81 percent) reported more favorable audience engagement with content designed using AI technology.”
Let’s look deeper at how gen AI is being used in influencer marketing.
- Influencers are crafting more personalized and authentic content, easier and quicker using gen AI
- Gen AI is assisting influencers with audience engagement, based on data and insights from sentiment analysis
- Influencers are using AI-generated prompts and ideas to spark creativity, ranging from unique storytelling angles to creative challenges
- Gen AI-powered influencers are gaining popularity on social media platforms enabling conversations and human-like responses in comments and messages
Rise of AI influencers
The use of AI influencers in marketing is a relatively recent development that has gained significant traction. High-profile brands such as Prada, Versace, Red Bull, and Tinder have all activated AI influencers for social media promotions. Although the results driven by AI influencers are similar to those of human creators, the key difference lies in creating a relatable brand presence in consumers’ minds.
In the graphic below, we compare the skill levels of human and AI influencers in important areas:
With their complementing skills, virtual and human influencers can create engaging content at different ends of the same spectrum. As gen AI becomes more prevalent in the influencer industry, balancing authenticity and AI-generated content will be crucial to maintaining genuine connections.
Key considerations for brands
While the intersection of gen AI and influencer marketing presents a transformative landscape for brands to connect with their target audience, a few areas of concern still need to be addressed, including:
- Identifying the right influencers from a crowd of “experts” with genuine followers
- Managing controversial content or affiliations that conflict with the brand message
- Safeguarding against the potential risk of copyright infringement due to inspired content from gen AI
- Measuring the actual impact and return on investment (ROI) of influencer marketing
As influencer marketing evolves, the future is oriented toward adopting an omnichannel and full-funnel strategy. This entails brands leveraging influencer content across diverse marketing channels, from connected television (CTV) ads to opportunity-to-hear (OTH) display ads. By taking this approach, brands can establish influencer-led paid media and integrate it with commerce, removing steps in the customer journey and ultimately driving faster conversions.
To discuss the growing role of AI influencers in the influencer marketing market, contact [email protected] and [email protected].
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