TIRUCHY: As bright hoardings and flashy commercials from major brands dominate Tiruchy’s skyline this Deepavali, the city’s small businesses are crafting a quieter yet powerful digital story. From neighbourhood boutiques and bakeries to cracker stalls and jewellery shops, local entrepreneurs are turning to micro-influencers to reach festive shoppers scrolling through their phones instead of looking up at billboards.
Armed with smartphones and creative ideas, these city-based influencers- many with just a few thousand dedicated followers- are transforming Tiruchy’s festive marketing landscape. Their short, engaging reels and posts on Instagram and Facebook are helping small vendors attract customers without the high costs of traditional advertising.
For Amir Ali, who runs a garment shop in Palakkarai, the digital shift has been a game-changer. “I came into the business three years ago, and it was dull despite offering competitive prices. Traditional ads were too costly. When I started working with local influencers who made reels and posts at affordable rates, people began noticing our store.
Now, before every festival, we collaborate with them- and many youngsters say they came after seeing our reels,” he said. Cracker shop owner B Kathiresan said the switch has been both effective and economical.
“Every Deepavali, we used to spend a lot on hoardings and pamphlets. But now, these influencers charge less than half and bring us more reach. In 2023, there were only a few such pages. Now, there are over 100 micro-influencer accounts in Tiruchy alone- and some of them really drive sales,” he said.
Local content creators, too are witnessing a boom. Gokul Doss Ravi, who runs a popular Tiruchy-based social media page, said the trend gained momentum post-pandemic. “When we started in 2016, we got only a few ad requests. But after Covid, social media use shot up, and so did our client base.
Earlier, only small local shops approached us, but now even big brands want to reach hyperlocal audiences through us,” he said. For influencer Sivasakthi V, who manages a local lifestyle page, the focus is not just business but also community building. “We promote local shops at very low prices and also make awareness videos. Sometimes, we feature street vendors- they are part of the city’s culture too,” she said.
However, not everyone is entirely convinced. M Vasanthan, a resident of Thillai Nagar, said while digital ads are engaging, authenticity remains a concern. “Social media platforms show us location-based ads, which is useful. But sometimes, the products don’t match what’s promoted. A few influencers exaggerate offers or quality,” he said.
