People are weary of branded content.

92% of consumers trust recommendations from others, even from those they don’t personally know, over branded content. On top of that, 70-80% of online users completely ignore paid ads in search of organic content and only 1% of Millennials say ads make them trust brands more.

So how can brands create content that people seek and trust? Many turn to influencer marketing programs to help build a relationship with their audiences and alleviate content creation bottlenecks. Quality influencer programs deliver treasure troves of content that is proven to engage.

At the end of the day, people trust people. This seemingly simple notion is why influencer marketing programs are a staple in 75% of marketers’ strategic plans. Influencer-generated content is more effective than branded content for three reasons:

• Develops Deep Connections. The success of influencer marketing depends on the ability of influencers to form deep connections by creating compelling content through powerful, addicting stories. Influencer content is appealing because it comes from real people – people who resemble and have things in common with the target audience. Content mimics user-generated content because in many sponsorship instances, influencers are users of the product or service they talk about. This is especially valuable because nearly 70% of consumers list online reviews as their second-most-trusted source (behind personal recommendations) and 47% of U.S. readers consult blogs to keep tabs on trends and ideas.

• Audience Tested. Influencer-generated content is valuable because it’s guaranteed to engage target audiences. Because the content has already been tested in an influencer marketing program, brands can anticipate how an audience will react and strategically repurpose the content in other initiatives. While branded content tells consumers why they should buy things, influencer-generated content shows people how they can benefit from these things, which invites more interest and engagement. Tracking the success of influencer-generated content is crucial to identifying the best performing content within a real audience.

• Affordable Price Tag. Quality content takes time to create, and time is money. For example, according to a recent survey of professional photographers, the average rate for a product shoot is around $70 per photo. Contracted writers charge between $500 – $2000 on average per article. Conversely, influencer programs deliver a large volume of original, high-quality content created from one media buy, shaving thousands off of content creation spend. At the end of a program, brands have a library of content to repurpose for other marketing initiatives, including: social media posts, newsletters, website testimonials, blog entries, and other pieces of marketing and sales collateral. Influencer-generated content not only saves brands money, but it also saves the time of finding new, engaging, and relevant content.

Influencer marketing programs are one of the most economical methods for creating targeted content that is proven to engage audiences. The initial savings and potential to upcycle the content into original and fresh content means your returns continue long beyond the original program results. Reach out to our team today to learn how Linqia can help you develop an influencer marketing content strategy that keeps on giving.