The coronavirus crisis has put the influencers on the sidelines. The sector, like the rest of the economy in the world, has entered a waiting period. Until our lives come back to “normal”. Influencers During COVID-19
Although in these days of confinement, data and internet consumption are at an all-time high, this has not necessarily meant greater visibility and effectiveness for those who are dedicated to recommending products, positioning brands and serving as transmitters of the values of certain companies to their millions of followers on social networks.
In some cases, it has even meant the opposite. Sensitivity and stress has increased within the isolation in which the Internet has become our great window to the world.
Could the coronavirus be the tip of the iceberg for the influencers?
Experts say that the crisis has made us now look for profiles of people we can identify with.
Don’t feel like a loser looking at the mansions of celebrities while they are in quarantine, ideally dressed and you in your sweatpants in your 200-foot apartment.
In fact, with the increase of time for diving through the networks, we have opened our range to new profiles of closer people.
Now it works very well for people who tell the truth and generate quality content.
Regarding professional influencers, we know that many contracts have stopped because it doesn’t make sense for them to advertise now.
It would be detrimental to the brand and to them. They can help, for example, to spread health messages, for younger people.
It is precisely this influence to get the messages across about health or containment measures that some agencies and administrations are making the most of.
Influencer marketing is on the rise. Because social networks are one of the few channels where they can now have a positive return on their campaigns.
Some governments have even tried to reach more people with the “stay home” message. Through influencers aimed at a younger audience.
Micro Influencers During COVID-19
However, the competition has grown with the thousands of network users. Users that began to generate content and videos these days, the microinfluencers.
The increase in the use of social networks has improved the engagement of influencers. Even though more people are now encouraged to generate their own content.
It has been noted that followers comment more and generally interact more with influencers. So, that influencers are encouraged to create more stories and live for their followers.
The focus is on video platforms such as YouTube or Twitch. In which the time spent on consumption has increased exponentially. Well-known YouTubers have seen their followers grow by more than 100% these days, due to the hours that users can devote to these tasks.
In fact, it is worth noting that platforms such as twitch.tv, a direct competition for YouTube and initially focused on e-sports and online games, have become a focus of mass attention these days. Such as the challenge Liga Santander organized by Ibai Llanos. With the participation of professional football players from each team in the league. With audiences equivalent to prime time on digital TV.
This event alone raised more than 140,000 euros for UNICEF during the 4-day championship.
Influencers During COVID-19 who have grown the most
By fileds. The influencers who have grown the most these days are the experts in economics and technology. Because people are looking for direct information outside the official channels, to know other opinions, to diversify options.
In addition, due to the policy of YouTube, the big influencers are suffering directly from the confinement. Because the platform is demonetizing all the videos in which the words COVID, COVID-19 or coronavirus appears. Even if a little reference to the pandemic is made.
These are all words that are difficult to avoid if the videos deal with the current events around us. So, their monthly income, which they were used to, has been reduced “in a spectacular way”.
Influencers have tried to jump on the bandwagon of the coronavirus and talk about the topic of the moment. Because many cannot carry out activities that they use for their usual content.
From fashion and gastronomy influencers to lifestyle influencers used to broadcast events and parties.
It’s a way to empathize with your audience, which is also in confinement. In this way they get even closer to their followers and show them their daily life at home.
However, he puts the focus on the importance of identifying reliable information sources when informing us about the coronavirus.
What kind of Influencers During COVID-19 are you?
The great influencers can work or not depending on the marketing campaign that you want to do. But it is true that for quite some time the concept of microinfluencers has been used. Because people like to feel the closeness and trust more easily in someone with whom we feel identified.
In many small communities, such as specific professions or hobbies, there are already people who influence others. Even people who can have much more power than great personalities.
In this time of confinement that we are living there are people who out of boredom or simply because they have the time that they did not have before have been encouraged to launch their message to the world.
Surely thanks to this situation we know in depth people who have something to say to their audience.
And you? What kind of influencer are you during the COVID-19 pandemic?