Entering new markets is never easy for brands. The reasons are myriad, sons, but the crux is that every brand is formed and honed in the home market.
UNCTAD says online retail sales jumped by 3%, with the global value of e-commerce reaching $26.7 trillion. For brands, it paints a clear picture. You now have the opportunity to tap global audiences.
This puts forth a conundrum.
There has never been a more fertile time to reach unexplored markets, but breaking into one is, as we said, not easy. You have to learn the rules of engagement from scratch, or in some cases, unlearn them.
Why are creators a great way to reach audiences in new markets?
Branching into new territory means language differences, and that’s the least of it. You must adapt your brand’s story to a new culture. A culture where communication preferences may be very different from what you follow. In addition, strategies that worked wonders in your home market can fall flat or, worse yet, backfire.
It’s why creators and influencer marketing campaigns are the most effective way to branch out to a new market. When you rely on creators to introduce your brand to the market, particularly regional content creators, these issues don’t occur.
Creators lower your barriers to entry because:
- The audience knows and trusts them, creating a brand connection. This is vital, as 76% of people say they would buy from a brand they feel connected to over a competitor.
- They already speak in a voice, tone and manner that resonates with the market.
- They generate culturally appropriate content, avoiding any social taboos.
2 ways to utilise creators to break into new markets
It’s evident that creators are a brand’s ‘in’ to a new market. Collaborate with influencers in different locations, and you position yourself successfully in that market.
So, the question now is how do you capitalise on them? One, use regional creators. Two, jump on viral trends.
Regional creators, local campaigns
For brands who want to target a particular territory or a very specific target audience, the best bet is to work with nano-or micro-regional creators. These creators have a hyper-focused following, often limited to a city, town or area. The content they produce is relevant only to that demographic.
Collaborate with them for local campaigns. Make sure the messaging is in the vernacular. It’ll build a better brand rapport, swaying potential customers to move through the purchase funnel. A good practise here is to work with plenty of creators who can activate content quickly. It’ll allow you to scale.
Global creators, viral trends
61% of users say they like a brand’s content better when they create or participate in an online trend. Use it as a lever. Find creators with a global demographic and ask them to produce content around trends that are popular in the marketing you’re targeting. Think viral memes or moments.
Piggybacking on trends that are making the rounds on socials increases brand reach and gives an opening to an audience that is completely new to the brand.
The hinge: partnering with the right creators
We say it ad nauseam. Discovering the right creators is pivotal to any influencer campaign. But it is more so when a brand is venturing into a new market.
The reason influencer marketing works is twofold – creators resonate with audiences, and they offer relevant information. When you partner with content creators who don’t align with the brand, the content is neither relevant nor impactful.
It makes finding ace content partners crucial. A data-driven platform, like ours, goes a long way in doing so. We use AI to search creators. Besides keyword-based discovery, we look for a personality-based match, past campaign performances, and previous content.
With accurate and transparent data in your hand, a brand can fully understand the creators they choose to work with. It takes the guesswork out of the picture, building a relationship that can help you effectively crack a new market.
