In the series of interviews with market leaders, change-makers, and innovators, we bring our next interview with an entrepreneur and influencer, Pranav Panpalia, Founder, Opraahfx.
Pranav Panpalia is one of the youngest entrepreneurs who tasted success at a very early age. Born in Mumbai and raised in New Delhi, he is the founder of Opraahfx, an Influencer marketing, and talent management company. He completed his graduation in the field of management from Jai Hind College, Mumbai.
- Can you explain the terms ‘Influencers’ & ‘Influencer Marketing’?
An Influencer is a living entity that suggests you buy products or help you form an opinion via different platforms and Influencer Marketing is a type of marketing that focuses on using these influencers to market the brand to the larger market.
- How far has been the growth in Influencer Marketing Industry?
In the last 2 yrs. there has been tremendous growth in the influencer marketing industry. Quick fame has led to quick audience loyalty. Bhuvan Bam, Ashish Chanchlani, and Slayy Point are the perfect examples of influencer and influencer marketing. These individuals can sell a product, Influence buyers, and Influence opinions too. The influencing game is changing every moment and the audiences have been accepting every trend that starts in the market.
- What is the relation between a brand & an influencer and how does it work?
An influencer is the right medium for brands to reach their targeted audience. As the audience is loyal to these influencers, we can rightly say the conversion rate of selling the product is much higher than a product on shelf.
- Tell us about any of your favorite influencer campaigns.
My favorite campaign has to be “Binod” of Slayy Point. As soon as the audience picked it up, we knew there’s a spark in it. I and my team took it to another level with all brands going gaga over them, It’s not wrong to say that we knew how exactly put sensation to use.
- How much has the ban on TikTok affected the influencer market?
Every country has its policies and Marketing itself is a risk-bearing term, Tik-Tok is a platform where a new segment of Influencers was introduced to the market. With the ban, it surely has affected these sets of Influencers. Rest of the segment continues to leverage from other platforms and keep influencing
- How has been your journey from a YouTube sensation to a full-time entrepreneur?
It’s been great! After getting good traction on my YouTube channel, my AdSense was still low. I wanted to see how YouTubers abroad were making so much money and then I was introduced to the influencer marketing industry. After 6-7 months of research, I started my own company. And now Opraahfx is one of the leading influencer marketing company in India.
- How did the idea of starting your YouTube channel come in mind?
I was a vivid watcher and consumer of “The western YouTube Culture”. I use to spend my time watching vlogs and content of Movlogs, Daily Driven Exotics, Logan Paul. My outbreak to YouTube culture was when a YouTuber friend wanted me to be a part of his video and the video was a hit back then with around millions of views and the media too picked it up quite well. I was overwhelmed with this response and decided to have better closure to this new world in front of me. Hence the journey of being a Youtuber to owning one of the best Influencer Marketing company i.e Opraahfx started.
- What are your major learnings from your journey?
Major learnings from my journey are “Never start a business just to make money. Start a business to make a difference”
- Do you see other short video apps gaining influencers and the market becoming more competitive?
Many short video apps are there in the market but quite a few of them are gaining attention. To put it in correct words the influencers make or break these platforms with of course the right marketing strategy of a Platform. By far YouTube excels in the influencer platform category. YouTube gave thought starters to OTT platform & Shorthand content and the craze is such, earlier where there were 1-3 apps for entertainment on our mobile phones now the number has increased to 5-6 applications.
Team Next Big Brand extends heartiest wishes to Pranav and the amazing team at Opraahfx. Kudos to him for such an amazing and insightful interview.
You can check our other interviews here.