Individual Influencers and Individual Producers

One more interesting development – not only do the phenomena of fragmentation and the trend towards customization together lead to almost individualized markets, but this new reality also invites other kinds of individualization. Namely, the emergence of highly effective social influencers given voice by new media and the resurgence of individual producers making highly unique items in a modern-day twist on artisanship.

Individual consumers can sometimes have impact on a brand simply by posting a scathing review in the right place at the right time, but singular reviews or rants tend to be ignored or discounted – unless the writer has established credibility in their online life.

Some pundits who noted the increasing importance of individual influencers over the past few years have dubbed it “micropersuasion.” Media consumers adopted a steady diet of blogs, social networks and discussion boards – leaving a lovely digital trail detailing likes/dislikes and interests in their wake. They also came to be influenced by the guides in these new media venues: moderators and administrators who acted as the guardians of groups, forums and message boards; bloggers elevated to demigod status within their own little tribes thanks to highly specialized search engines (think Technorati, for example); and the stars of social networks who garner more friends or followers than the rest of the crowd, who get more feed subscribers, or who exert more authority through more (or more powerful) interactions with the community.

In the new/social media world, it’s clear that individuals can become hugely influential, taking center stage either by the sheer volume of their actions or by building trust when they demonstrate their knowledge and expertise.

There are even specialized services to help you identify the individual influencers in specific niche communities – so you can start the delicate dance of engaging with them. These individuals have, in effect, created personal brands of such power that marketers feel the need to court them or at least, wish they could. In some tribes, the strongest influencers are notoriously independent. Those with an analytics orientation may even look for key metrics, such as who has the most incoming links or incoming traffic thanks to their feed subscribers.

Individual producers exert a special kind of influence. As mass-market goods become less attractive, niche products take on more cachet. The individuals who create those products become stars of a sort. They’re no longer anonymous designers or crafters because online audiences can connect with them directly.