Welcome to the second edition of the three-part series where we talk to the founders of Partipost.
Partipost is a crowd influencer marketing platform that specializes in Nano Influencers. This Singapore startup ignites the social voice of everyday people to give brands the authentic and genuine reviews they need to boost their business. Recently, the founders clinched a USD 5 Million investment with plans to accelerate the tech platform, the expansion across Asia, and to grow the Nano Influencer industry.
Benyamin Ramli, the co-founder and team lead in Indonesia, gives an insight into Partipost�??s operations and influencer scene in Indonesia. As a Masters of Architecture graduate from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Ben shares how his passion and skills for architecture were useful for starting Partipost. His undying love for technology, coding, design, and coordination helped plan for different projects at Partipost.
What was one of Partipost�??s most memorable milestones?
2019 was one of the most memorable milestones as we were on the brink of potentially closing down. Especially since the funding was a little delayed, the team had to go the extra mile to ensure Partipost was still sustainable. Thankfully by 2020, the whole team managed to pull through and perform. Hence, the investors were keen to continue working with us. That was the biggest challenge we had faced that allowed Partipost to reach where it is today.
How different is Partipost in Indonesia as compared to Singapore?
The market is definitely different here in Indonesia as compared to Singapore. We try to understand and adjust how we run campaigns and work with influencers based on our current social media scene.
In my personal opinion, I feel that our culture varies between both countries. Being too straightforward is considered offensive in Indonesia. Hence, being considerate is important as my employees are like my second family that I�??m working with in the long term. At the same time, it is equally essential to be objective, so both need to be equally played.
In terms of cost, operational cost is different as Singapore is more expensive than Indonesia. Hence, we adopt a different financial strategy as well.
What is your perception of Nano Influencers and their impact on everyday people?
Jon (Founder of Partipost) had asked me why I would try a certain product, and I told him that if he and Tony (Co-founder of Partipost) were to recommend it to me.
That�??s when it occurred to me that Nano Influencers are simply everyday people. They could be our friends and family that share about the products they love. That's going to get people around them talking and engaging with it. I believe that the Nano influencer effect will never end no matter how much the social media scene changes.
How have Nano Influencers changed the Influencer Marketing Landscape in Indonesia?
Here's what I think - The workforce industry is inevitably going to change. In our generation, everybody wants to be an entrepreneur. This is different from our parents' time where they were educated and taught to be office workers. However, we as a generation want to dictate how we want to live and work, and that�??s the whole idea of entrepreneurship. That�??s where I see the future headed - everyone is an entrepreneur whether it�??s small scale or large scale.
That�??s how I view Nano Influencers in Indonesia as well. These influencers want to earn by promoting products and services that they are passionate about or that's within their expertise. They take control of how they present themselves and it works for brands as they see results too. Therefore, the influencer scene in Indonesia will continue to grow.
The reality is that people are already doing what we would call influence. Partipost puts a label to it and activates that idea to grow the awareness of the Nano Influencer concept. I foresee the Nano influencer industry growing all across Indonesia as we get access to better technology. It�??s going to unlock what we call the *Gig Economy.
With Partipost�??s solutions, how do we bridge the gap between brands and influencers?
Firstly, we want to solve how a brand engages with consumers that are also influencers on a larger scale. Before this Nano Influencer boom, brands were already working with Macro and Micro Influencers. They call them brand ambassadors such as celebrities David Beckham or Beyonce. We ultimately want brands to engage with massive amounts of people who are also their consumers.
Secondly, we bridge the gap where brands can reach out to consumers at a scale rather than one by one. We want to simplify and standardise the time-consuming process such that both parties can forge a relationship and carry out their objectives.
Thirdly, we are creating opportunities. Brands have found specific Nano Influencers that they feel are suitable to represent their brand. Hence, they want to continuously engage them, which creates long-term job opportunities and allows brands to maximise their *ROI as well. That�??s ultimately what we hope for and feel satisfied when we see these collaborations.
Are there any future plans for Partipost?
We want to share the Partipost technology and service all across Asia and globally. There are also plans to upgrade our features and services to expand on what we currently provide. Our aim is to build a complex data-centred system by optimising artificial intelligence to improve personalisation for everyone. This way, brands find their desired group of influencers, and influencers receive campaigns that resonate with their lifestyle and interests. That�??s what we are working towards right now.
Do check out the first edition of this series, and drop us a message today for a FREE consultation to take your brand to the next level!
*Gig economy: independent contractors, online platform workers, contract firm workers, on-call workers and temporary workers.
*ROI: Return on Investments