The Power of Micro Influencers: How They are Revolutionizing Fashion Marketing in the Philippines

21 March 2023 — Merr Fe Painagan Influencers have become an integral component of fashion firms’ marketing efforts in the age of social media. Yet, as more people want to be influencers, the sector is getting crowded and cutthroat. This has made it more difficult for companies to locate influencers with actual authenticity and trust, which may be difficult when developing successful marketing campaigns. To address this problem, fashion firms in the Philippines are turning to micro influencers to promote their products. Micro influencers are influencers who have a smaller following compared to macro-influencers. However, their audience is more engaged and loyal, making them more authentic and trustworthy. This trend is helping fashion brands in the Philippines add a touch of authenticity to their marketing campaigns and changing the influencer marketing landscape in the country. In this article, we will explore how this trend is helping fashion brands add a touch of authenticity to their campaigns and how it is changing the influencer marketing landscape in the Philippines. The Rise of Micro Influencers: Influencer marketing is a rapidly growing industry, with brands spending millions of pesos on influencer campaigns each year. However, as the number of influencers increases, the quality of their engagement with their followers tends to decrease. This is where micro influencers come in. Micro influencers have a smaller following than macro influencers, but they are considered more genuine and authentic. Their followers trust them and consider them more relatable and approachable. This makes it easier for fashion brands to connect with their target audience and generate a more significant impact. Fashion companies in the Philippines are beginning to recognize the advantages of collaborating with micro influencers to enhance their marketing efforts. Firstly, micro influencers are more affordable than macro-influencers, making them more accessible to smaller brands with limited marketing budgets. Secondly, micro influencers have a more focused and targeted audience, which can lead to higher engagement rates and better conversion rates for brands.  Finally, micro influencers possess an authentic and genuine voice that deeply connects with their followers and aids brands in establishing a more intimate and meaningful relationship with their target audience. This aspect of micro influencers is highly valued by fashion brands in the Philippines as it allows them to establish a more personal connection with their consumers. By partnering with micro influencers, fashion brands can deliver their message in a relatable and approachable manner that engages their audience and fosters long-term loyalty. Fashion brands tapping micro influencers In the Philippines, fashion brands such as Aldo are leveraging micro influencers to add a more personal touch to their marketing campaigns. According to Vijay GT, head of information technology and e-commerce at Singapore’s Jay Gee Group, which carries brands like Aldo and Converse Kids, they hire influencers to provide real-life examples. Jay Gee Group collaborates with agencies to engage micro influencers like college students and blog writers for their product launches and related campaigns. Mr. GT believes that marketing is all about different touchpoints in the customer journey, and influencers are a crucial touchpoint. During a recent webinar on content creation organized by Adobe, he said that even though followers may not immediately purchase a product endorsed by an influencer, the image remains embedded in their minds, and they may eventually decide to buy the product when they encounter it again. HubSpot, a marketing software provider in the Philippines, describes micro influencers as people with 1,000 to 10,000 social media followers who are well-known in their field and have strong audience engagement rates.  According to Maryel B. Price, Adobe’s manager for digital customer experience and commercial marketing in the Asia Pacific, micro influencers tend to be more relatable as people follow those who match their profile. In contrast, other influencers’ content may feel overly curated. The influencer marketing industry in Southeast Asia was worth $638 million in 2019 and is projected to quadruple within five years to $2.59 billion by 2024.  Influencer rates are based on factors such as follower count, engagement rate, star power, and access to a niche audience. Hootsuite, a social media management platform, suggests that engagement rates are a more appropriate metric for brands looking to achieve conversions, which refer to when a visitor completes a desired goal, such as making a purchase on a website. In the Philippines, Arthur Altounian, Asia Pacific client development director at INCA, a content production and media strategy firm, emphasized the importance of vetting an influencer’s credentials to ensure brand safety and combat influencer fraud. Brands pay for access to an influencer’s audience, making relevance a critical factor when launching campaigns. According to HubSpot’s October 2019 post, micro influencers work best on Instagram with visually-driven products like sparkling water or fashion. However, this strategy may not be the most effective for promoting complex software or other technologies.  During a webinar, Maryel B. Price highlighted that creating a compelling customer experience requires selecting the right content and maintaining consistency across all channels. Trust can be established by delivering a seamless experience that resonates with the audience. Final PopStar Tip: Fashion firms in the Philippines are changing their influencer marketing strategies by turning to micro influencers. With a smaller following but higher engagement rates, micro influencers are more authentic and trustworthy, making them effective in building a personal connection with the audience. Working with micro influencers is also more affordable and accessible for smaller brands with limited budgets. Brands must vet influencers’ credentials to ensure brand safety and combat influencer fraud. With the right content and consistency across all channels, fashion brands can build trust and deliver a compelling customer experience that resonates with their audience. The use of micro influencers is likely to become more common as the influencer marketing sector in Southeast Asia expands. Send us a message or contact our Team at contact@pop-star.me for more information on how PopStar can help you in your fashion micro influencer marketing to drive more sales.