Today, influencer marketing is one of the most common forms of online marketing. It is actually one of the most effective ways to market a brand, product or service, and many businesses want to include it in their marketing campaigns. According to The Social Shepherd, 93% of marketers used influencer marketing in 2022. Also, the influencer marketing industry is continuing to grow and is today a 13.8 billion dollar industry.
Despite this, some still don’t really understand what influencer marketing is. This article will tell you all you need to know about marketing with the help of influencers and content creators and how you include them in your marketing strategy or social media strategy. Don’t let a lack of knowledge stop you from marketing your brand in the best way possible.
Influencer marketing is a relatively new name used when a brand collaborates with an online influencer to market the company's products or services. But it is not that strict. Influencer marketing is, in general, when a brand works with influencers to improve brand recognition.
This marketing form works thanks to the high trust the influencers have built on their social media platforms. The information they share serves as a form of proof that a product or service is good.
Influencer marketing includes affirmation and product/service advertisements by influencers, individuals and organizations with a perceived degree of awareness or social impact in their field. This is a powerful form of marketing as the influencer drives brand messages to your and their target audiences. It is similar to word-of-mouth marketing – the difference is that it doesn't rely solely on specific recommendations. Engaged audiences follow these content creators and trust the content they share. Advertising through different social media platforms enables your company to extend the scope, improve brand awareness and generate new leads for your sales funnel through buyers' personas.
Influencer marketing can be used as a stand-alone tool, but it is most often used in conjunction with other channels within wider digital marketing campaigns.
An influencer could be anyone who can affect the opinion of a large pool of people regarding particular topics. It could be a fashion photographer, a chef cooking food on Instagram or a lifestyle influencer publishing videos on Youtube from their everyday life. They use their influence to promote the brands, products and services of companies they collaborate with.
In the past, influencers were primarily seen on TV, radio and at real-life events. Today, influencer gather their followers and share their message primarily online and mostly on social media platforms such as Instagram, Tiktok and Twitter. It could also be on websites such as YouTube and Twitch, personal blogs, and online forums.
Today, influencers can be macro-influencers with millions of followers, micro-influencers with down to 10000, or nano-influencers with as little as 1000 followers. Yet, they will have developed a reputation for being experts in their field. People look up to them and listen to what they have to say. They publish engaging content, share high-quality pictures and make entertaining videos.
Do you want to learn more about influencers? Also, read our article What is an influencer?