MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The global health crisis brought by COVID-19 has definitely impacted the economy, causing businesses to pivot their strategies to cope and adapt to the new normal.
Companies are re-evaluating their marketing plans, pushing the boundaries of digital including that of influencer marketing to continuously reach out to and engage with their target audience.
Gushcloud International, a global digital talent and marketing group, has released a whitepaper detailing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on influencer marketing in Southeast Asia. Titled “The New Normal: How COVID-19 has Changed the Fundamentals of Influencer Marketing in Southeast Asia,” the whitepaper is available for public access on the Gushcloud website.
The report explores how COVID-19 has prompted businesses to immediately offer consumers various means for online purchase, pushing brands and influencers to get on board live commerce and social commerce as new revenue opportunities. In terms of content output, adoption of new formats and platforms such as TikTok, Twitch, and Instagram Live are expected to stay for the long term, so these must also be optimized for branded content releases.
The whitepaper features insights from industry professionals from around the region, and was written with the guidance of Dr. Crystal Abidin, an anthropologist and ethnographer who researches influencer cultures, especially young people’s relationships with internet celebrity, online visibility, and social media pop culture.
“With consumers slowly adapting to the new normal, brands must continue to offer greater value to them not just in terms of product benefit but also social content as more and more people look to digital creators as a source of information, entertainment, and social connection,” shared Isha Fermin, Country Director of Gushcloud Philippines.
For more information on Gushcloud’s COVID-19 whitepaper, “The New Normal: How COVID-19 has Changed the Fundamentals of Influencer Marketing in Southeast Asia”, visit the website at https://www.gushcloud.com/covid19whitepaper.
