How Small Businesses Can Tap into Local Influencer Networks

Influence report 65 % of companies are participating in influencer-based marketing, and using bloggers for influencer marketing is a common and effective tool used by many. According to the same study 86 % of influencer’s are bloggers (Technorati, 2013). The researcher will explain the concept of both earned and paid influencer marketing, but will focus on paid 

influencer marketing because that’s where the company becomes actively involved in the marketing process. The interview will give a qualitative and detailed insight in how to prosecute an Influencer marketing campaign in practice. The information that is gathered from the interviews can be generalized to some extent, and the secondary data can be applied to 

different cases.a purchase. By providing a clear CTA (Call to Action), micro influencers can help SMEs to convert their followersThe data illustrates that SMEs carry out digital marketing using the services of micro influencers. Interactions between IT and consumers become a key component of marketing. (Thomas and Fowler., 2020). Other branding methods were found 

such as print media and word of mouth

There are differences in the techniques used by micro influencers in product branding. First, relying on the ability to serve as the main capital in collaborating with brands as evidenced by the existence of a portfolio as an assessment of flying hours. Communication, will affect the presentation of content, negotiation, and coordination regarding the marketing process. 

Branding carried out by SMEs is inseparable from the role of micro influencers who become digital supports in the marketing process. The affective stage is the EHM emotional stage, where consumers develop feelings and attitudes towards a brand or product. The affective stage involves consumers' emotional responses to brands, which can be influenced by their 

values, beliefs and personal experiences. At this stage, consumers evaluate how the brand or product makes them feel, and whether it aligns with their personal values and beliefs. There are 3 components that are in this stage. First, liking, influencers can help SMEs increase likes by creating content that resonates with their followers. This can be achieved by aligning the 

influencer's values and personality 

with those of the brand. By presenting the brand in a positive light, influencers can create a favorable brand impression in the minds of potential customers, Second, Preference, Influencers can help SMEs increase preference by creating content that showcases the brand's products or services in a positive light. The role of an influencer in improving the 

performance of SMEs is very important for business continuity. For profitoriented organizations, emotion, is an important aspect of influencer marketing as it helps create a connection between the audience and the influencer. Influencers can use emotions such as joy, excitement or humor to make content more interesting and appealing to their audience. 

Fifth, differentiation, is the key to standing out in the crowded influencer marketing space. Influencers can use unique messaging or visual elements to differentiate themselves from others and create a more memorable brand voice. This can include using certain colors, fonts or other design elements that are consistent throughout the content. In strengthening the theory that has been explained by micro influencers in this study, micro influencers take a 

consistent communication approach 

to form loyalty to SMEs. Such as professionalism, humble, informative, to follow, as well as providing benefits for the project. Involvement in SMEs social media was expected to contribute to SMEs performance. Various efforts had been made to improve performance, including the use of services that were trending in social media, namely the services of social 

media influencers. (Ardyan et al., 2022) . From several brand voice practices in this element, micro influencers have a characteristic approach to support SMEs' loyalty to them. Such as increasing the quality and quantity of branding byUsing an influencer is very important, especially when manyparasocial ties in influencer marketing are confirmed by empirical 

findings from 409 online followers of two Instagram accounts. These effects are controlled by post features, with storytelling posts enhancing both effects. The influence of a parasocial relationship is increased through correspondent inference, but the impact of opinion leadership is unaffected. By underscoring the importance of the social element of influencer marketing, these studies advance knowledge of and practise of influencer marketing. (Farivar 

Conclusion

et. al., 2020). In another article, the authors used a study they carried out in Ho Chi Minh City to look into the potential of social media influencer marketing. They found that influencers enjoy an excellent degree of customer trust and that four characteristics—consumer involvement, product relevance, content quality, and influencer trust—significantly influenced consumers' purchase intentions. (Nam & Dân, 2018). consumers are in the online 

environment; thus examining relationships between the two main factors in thisarea (Quero & Ventura, 2015; Park, Lee & Han, 2007; Lindh & Lisichkova, 2017; Boateng,2019) yet without taking into consideration the whole process of online relationships. Even ifsome new studies focus on new actors in-depth, research with a more holistic perspective shouldtake into account established variables, such as the importance of already established brandsand 

commitment. The development of a structural model can contribute to such knowledge byincluding the traditional elements as well as new actors and study the effect on consumers’purchase intention.The gap this paper aims to fill considers not only the study of influencers on purchase intent; italso concerns a broader picture of factors affecting