What is Influence-Content?
Some New Jargon: Superlative Search
In recent years, there's been a noticeable shift in how we use search engines like Google. Rather than seeking things we can choose now, we’re increasingly searching for advice now about what to buy later. Our searches begin with what linguists call superlatives: words such as "best," "top," "most," and "latest." This trend reflects our desire for curated advice and informed decision-making.
Wonks: Check out the Bonus Insights section below to dig into why this is happening.
A new path to purchase?
A new step in the path to purchase has emerged, the advice step, and it’s reshaping the way we buy, how brands connect with buyers and how content creators mediate between the two. At HotSpace we call this influence-content. Read on to find out where Influence-Content came from, how’s it’s connected but different to “influencers” and where it’s headed as we enter the age of A.I.
The Genesis of Influence-Content
The origins of influence-content are deeply rooted in the rise of e-commerce, omni-channel and, post-Covid the rise online-only buying behaviours in both B2C and B2B markets. As traditional brick-and-mortar retail experiences decline and remote work and shopping become more prevalent, the personalized, in-person advice once provided by store assistants and sales reps is increasingly being replaced by influence-content. Consumers and business buyers alike seek guidance through online resources, frequently using search engines to find product reviews, comparisons, advice and recommendations. This shift has given rise to influence-content, which encompasses a wide range of materials designed to inform and persuade potential consumers critically - from a distance.
Distinguishing Influencers from Influence-Content
While the terms "influencers" and "influence-content" are often used interchangeably, they represent distinct concepts:
Influencers: Individuals who have established credibility and a substantial following within a specific niche. They leverage their personal brand and social media presence to sway their audience's opinions, behaviors, and purchasing decisions. They are typically paid to promote solutions. Their success hinges on staying very close to their audiences and revenue sources.
Influence-Content: This includes but is not limited to Influencers. Influence-Content is content that shapes buyers’ perceptions and decisions, regardless of its source. This content can originate from various platforms and creators, including influencers, brands, media outlets, professional journalists and peer-to-peer communities like Reddit
Key Point: They do different jobs
A key difference between Influencers and Influence-Content in general is that Influencers are highly effective at influencing their engaged followers. However, HotSpace data shows they are not as effective as established media brands and even sellers and vendors if potential customer are NOT already within their sphere of influence. This is a critical distinction. It means that although one creator might be the biggest influencer in a category they might not be effective at converting the bulk of potential customers in that category if there is only a small cross-over between the total number of category considerers and the Influencer’s followership.
The Evolving Landscape: Micro-Influencers and Social Platforms as places to buy things
The digital age has witnessed the rise of "shop influencers," individuals who specialise in promoting products through engaging content on platforms like Meta, Instagram and TikTok. These influencers have become pivotal in shaping consumer behaviour, particularly among younger demographics. For instance, smaller content creators, known as nano and micro-influencers, are increasingly outperforming larger influencers in terms of engagement, with their authentic and less polished content resonating strongly with audiences.
Brands are recognizing the effectiveness of these influencers in driving engagement and return on investment, leading to increased investment in nano and micro-influencers, further fragmenting the marketing landscape and toolkit. Remember when there were just a few channels and media titles to buy ads from? That’s long gone. Platforms like Sprout Social offer a vast platform for marketers to browse and book micro influencers globally in 000’s of niches.
The Future: AI Assistants as Shop Assistants 2.0
Artificial Intelligence (AI) chat platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini are poised to revolutionize the way consumers interact with brands and make purchasing decisions. ChatGPT Operator enables users to converse with an intelligent agent and then have it buy things for them. I myself asked Operator to buy me a steak dinner from Tesco.com. You can watch that here if you really have nothing better to do.
These emerging solutions, soon to be embedded in phones and laptops, will offer personalized, real-time advice, interactions. They will deliver influence-content within deeply reasoned chat results. For instance, AI-powered tools are automating significant aspects of digital advertising, enabling marketers to achieve efficient campaigns by simply defining key parameters like budget and goals. However, the lack of transparency and control over the AI's decisions leaves many marketers apprehensive, as it hampers their ability to target specific audiences or platforms and assess campaign effectiveness in detail as well as lacking kay controls for bias, safety and fraud.
As AI continues to evolve, marketers must adapt by integrating these technologies into their strategies, ensuring they remain at the forefront of customer engagement in order to generate sales and growth.
Predictions: Beyond SEO to Influence-Content
The future of marketing necessitates a shift beyond traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) towards a more holistic approach that encompasses influence-content. This includes:
Public Relations (PR): Crafting compelling narratives that resonate with target audiences across the Influence-Content tool-kit.
Influencer Strategies: Collaborating with influencers who align with brand values and target audiences.
AI Integration: Working with AI platforms to achieve mentions and placements in chat responses, ensuring brands are part of the conversation.
Pioneering marketers will recognize the importance of these elements in creating a comprehensive marketing strategy that leverages the power of influence-content.
HotSpace is built with the future in mind
At HotSpace, we understand and embrace the complexities of the evolving marketing ecosystem. HotSpace offers key features designed to help marketers navigate this evolving landscape:
Real-Time Insights: Access to up-to-date data on customer and market behaviours, trends and opportunities
Complexity simplified: Complex data and phenomena are translated into relatable learnings, key takeways, things to do and real world examples.
Real People: HotSpace gives marketers the jump on which influencers to use and how to use them, making their mysterious world accessible to any marketer.
Affordable: HotSpace is made for everyone and is designed to protect as much of your budget as possible, so you can invest in actions that create results not over spend on advice.
By leveraging HotSpace, marketers can uncover hidden opportunities and invest wisely to drive growth in complex markets.
Ready?
If you’re ready to harness the power of influence-content and find new spaces to grow, then book a meeting with the HotSpace team today and let’s chat about how we can help you leverage these big shifts in how the world buys and sells everything.
Bonus Insights:
Why are people searching in new ways?
The shift in consumer search behavior towards seeking guidance and recommendations, rather than immediate transactional solutions, can be attributed to several nuanced factors:
Decision Paralysis in the Digital Age: The vast array of choices available online can lead to decision paralysis, causing stress and indecision among consumers. Excessive information from sales, promotions, and customer reviews adds to the uncertainty, especially since consumers cannot physically interact with products. This overwhelming abundance of options compels consumers to seek curated advice to simplify their decision-making process.
Influence of Social Media on Consumer Behavior: Social media platforms have become significant sources of product information and recommendations, particularly among younger demographics. For instance, 40% of Generation Z consumers reported being influenced by social media for health or beauty purchases. This reliance on social media for guidance indicates a shift from traditional search engines to platforms where consumers perceive content as more authentic and relatable.
Psychological Factors and the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM): The Elaboration Likelihood Model suggests that consumers process information through central and peripheral routes. When faced with complex decisions or information overload, consumers may rely on peripheral cues, such as recommendations and reviews, to make choices. This reliance on external guidance is a coping mechanism to manage the cognitive load associated with evaluating numerous options.
These factors collectively contribute to the evolving consumer behaviour of seeking guidance and recommendations in online searches, reflecting a desire for curated advice to navigate the complexities of the digital marketplace.
