MAM
GUEST COLUMN: AI-powered influencer marketing redefining the landscape in 2022
Mumbai: From Facebook recasting itself into a metaverse to marketers executing new lines of thought for sailing through yet another year amidst the pandemic, 2021 was indeed a roller coaster year for the digital marketing industry. However, one phenomenon which flourished all through was influencer marketing.
The thriving influencer marketing arena in India is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25 per cent till 2025 to reach a size of Rs 2,200 crore (Source: GroupM INCA’s India Influencer Marketing Report). Globally, the industry is set to increase by approximately $13.8 billion by 2022 end (Source: 2021 State of Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report). What’s more, the induction of AI into influencer marketing is going to completely change the dynamics of decisions & ROI from it.
With a plethora of types of influencer relationships and ongoing campaigns, supervising it the right way will be pertinent to a brand’s success.
Data and analytics are now at the centerstage with marketers focusing on when and where to run campaigns, what kind of influencers, and how many influencers to engage with. By measuring the impact and performance of influencer campaigns, Data-driven influencer marketing is not only helping marketers calculate the ROI, further optimise the campaigns but is also helping them identify new opportunities and shortlist key influencers for future collaborations- while keeping a close eye on consumer preferences.
As tools, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and natural language processing (NLP) are redefining the way brands conceptualise and execute influencer marketing by integrating quantitative and qualitative metrics in a relevant way. Such AI-driven influencer marketing campaigns will improve quality audience check and success measurements. Let’s deep dive into this…
The right Influencer: In the recent influencer campaign meetings ‘The right influencer’ term is being used by brands on a continuous basis and they need a more detailed understanding of the selection. This process is going to be governed by AI technology by the end of this year since it’s all based on the data & if we are able to process those calculations in microseconds instead of minutes then this hunt will certainly get more interesting.
With a few common filters we can easily narrow down the list but if we actually want to go in-depth for any decent-sized campaign, it consumes a lot of time and effort which can be easily tackled with AI-based tools. AI-based influencer marketing systems are steadily being leveraged to analyze the minutest of data from an influencer’s social media profile including every content piece posted by them.
Marketers are looking to partner with those influencers whose online persona and style resonates with their brand’s image- to ensure that those influencers’ audiences are more likely to engage with their brand. AI-powered influencer marketing is helping brands analyse the performance of multiple influencers across various social media platforms irrespective of the language being used. Such scalability will further expand this year as marketers analyse diverse metrics including the reach and engagement metrics of individual posts.
The Game of Fake Audience: While it can become really tricky to analyse the authenticity of the audience manually, AI is changing this game altogether. With the right algorithmic factors and by considering the step-by-step evolution of ML in this process, brands and agencies can make the right decision without too much time allocation.
Reporting: ML & AI can assist marketers by generating very insightful analysis. The industry stakeholders are seeking to understand the reach and impact of influencer campaigns on multiple levels, even when the campaign is not huge in scale. AI will definitely help in exploring the influencer marketing insights on a level that the market hasn’t explored before and hence add many layers to what brands and agencies are doing so far.
2022 will be a game-changing year when it comes to AI’s influence in the world of influencer marketing. It will play a crucial role in tracking sentiment to shortlisting influencers of all sizes and influencing brands in the way they define their goals and prioritise authenticity. The growing market of D2C brands in India is steadily increasing their budgets and now also want to control their data and creator relationships with the help of AI tools. 2022 will further raise the excitement with new influencer marketing trends unfolding for D2C brands, e-commerce companies, digital marketing, and advertising agencies.
This year will see an escalation of influencer marketing growth as digital marketers will combine innovative strategies with data-driven marketing.
(About the Authors: Shreyansh Bhandari is the Lyxel&Flamingo co-founder and COO; Veda Bashishtha is the LYRKL co-founder and CEO)
MAM
BLR Airport Launches ‘Connections’ Service to Ease Transit Travel
New initiative targets smoother transfers as Bengaluru hub traffic rises 30 per cent.
MUMBAI: Missed connections may be a traveller’s nightmare but Bengaluru is trying to make them a thing of the past. Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (BLR Airport) has rolled out ‘Connections by BLR’, a new transfer programme designed to take the friction out of connecting journeys. Built around three pillars ease, efficiency and experience,the initiative aims to simplify what is often the most stressful leg of air travel.
The move comes as transfer traffic at BLR Airport climbs sharply, up more than 30 per cent year-on-year. Transfers currently account for around 15 per cent of total passenger traffic and are projected to touch 20 per cent by 2026, signalling a clear shift in how the airport is positioning itself within airline networks.
At its core, the programme focuses on making navigation intuitive and downtime more comfortable. Dedicated transfer desks have been set up across terminals, supported by colour-coded wayfinding blue and yellow signage designed for quick recognition. Inter-terminal movement is being streamlined through complimentary shuttle services with predictable wait times, while designated transfer zones aim to reduce passenger confusion.
Beyond logistics, the airport is leaning into experience. Travellers in transit now have access to a wider choice of lounges, curated retail and food and beverage options, as well as sleeping pods for short stays. For longer layovers, transit hotels in both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 offer boutique in-terminal accommodation, an increasingly sought-after feature as global travel patterns evolve.
The timing is strategic. BLR Airport now connects to 114 passenger destinations 80 domestic and 34 international with key routes spanning Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Pune domestically, and Singapore, London Heathrow, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Kuala Lumpur internationally. Recent additions such as Hindon, Bidar and Silchar within India, alongside Dammam, Hanoi and Riyadh overseas, are further expanding its reach.
Infrastructure is also catching up with ambition. Developments including the West Cross Taxiway, Terminal 1 refurbishment and Terminal 2 expansion are laying the groundwork for higher capacity and smoother operations critical for any airport aiming to become a serious transfer hub.
Bangalore International Airport Limited chief operating officer Girish Nair framed the initiative as both a response to demand and a forward-looking play. He pointed to the growing depth of the airport’s network and the opportunity to build a more reliable transfer ecosystem that benefits both passengers and airline partners.
In an era where travel is as much about transitions as destinations, BLR Airport is betting that a seamless connection might just be the journey’s most important upgrade.
