Gram Circle founder and director Priyanka Mahulkar (L) with her colleagues
After more than ten years in the influencer industry, Priyanka Mahulkar identified the struggles faced by brands and nano-influencers, particularly local businesses with limited budgets. Brands had difficulties in selecting the right influencers, creating content, and managing timelines within budget constraints. Although there were agencies facilitating collaborations, the fees were high, leaving smaller brands unable to participate.
Mahulkar aimed to simplify the process using modern technologies and make it accessible to smaller brands.
Also Read: Influencer marketing strategies: Driving engagement and reach in Indonesia
This vision led to the creation of Gram Circle.
Headquartered in Singapore, the startup is focused on transforming influencer marketing by providing new economic opportunities for local brands and influencers through an AI-powered platform.
The idea for the product stemmed from the necessity for local brands to establish themselves online during the pandemic, which eventually evolved into a fully automated AI platform.
“At its core, Gram Circle enables brands to expand through influencer partnerships, while making it easier for influencers to find collaborations. This benefits both parties: brands can quickly kick off campaigns, and influencers can create relevant content without the hassle of searching for suitable partners,” Mahulkar explained to e27.
Improving campaign management
Gram Circle’s AI technology, according to Mahulkar, is the primary differentiator that enhances campaign management and performance tracking. The AI matches brands with the most suitable influencers based on shared values and target audiences, streamlining the process of crafting campaign briefs and identifying influencers for brands.
“It is a DIY platform empowering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to manage their marketing campaigns independently, without relying on expensive agencies. Brands can set up influencer campaigns in minutes, providing a cost-effective approach to launching impactful campaigns,” Mahulkar shared.
Furthermore, influencers receive guidance on content creation tailored to each campaign, facilitating efficiency and eliminating manual processes that can hinder influencer marketing efforts.
Gram Circle also offers predictive analytics for estimating campaign reach and engagement, automated reporting, and performance benchmarking.
The startup offers its services for a monthly fee of S$188 (US$146), enabling brands to collaborate with influencers in various industries like food, fashion, and beauty. A beauty brand in Singapore utilized Gram Circle to produce over 80 TikTok videos in just one month, illustrating the platform’s efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
“For just S$188 per month, brands can run campaigns that generate significant results, while influencers are rewarded based on transparent performance metrics. We are also developing an affiliate system that ties influencer compensation directly to campaign outcomes, ensuring that both parties benefit from successful collaborations,” she added.
Targeting 60M nano-influencers
As Gram Circle expands, it aims to reach 20 million businesses and 60 million nano-influencers across platforms like Meta and TikTok. The company’s growth strategy focuses on building authentic relationships through community events and connecting influencers with local brand owners to foster meaningful collaborations.
Additionally, the company is eyeing the extensive direct-to-consumer (D2C) markets in Southeast Asia and India, planning to enter these regions at the opportune time.
Contributing to influencers’ success are content analysis tools, dynamic pricing models, and optimization suggestions to enhance content performance.
Also Read: AI in influencer marketing: Transforming trends and shaping the future
With the influencer marketing industry projected to grow significantly by 2032, Gram Circle aims to capitalize on this trend by focusing on local communities where brands and influencers collaborate to drive economic impact.
Looking ahead, Gram Circle envisions AI playing a pivotal role in the future of influencer marketing, particularly in the micro and nano-influencer segments.
“As competition intensifies, authenticity and deeper audience engagement will be crucial for success. We are committed to guiding this transformation, leveraging technology to deliver data-driven solutions that benefit both brands and influencers,” Mahulkar concluded.
Image Credit: Gram Circle.
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