Think about it: at some point in time, we’ve all been influenced by someone – whether that be a teacher, mentor, relative, friend, political figure, or celebrity.
Influence is a powerful force. A tool with the ability to persuade. And as a business in today’s competitive landscape, harnessing influence to build brand authority and drive profitability can be a game-changer for your marketing strategy.
Social media has become an integral part of marketing, serving as an effective medium for fostering relationships with your target audience. When executed correctly, employing an influencer marketing strategy on social media can drive credibility, cultivate brand awareness, and bolster sales for your business.
So, what exactly is influencer marketing?
As Sprout Social so perfectly puts it, “At a fundamental level, influencer marketing is a type of social media marketing that uses endorsements and product mentions from influencers–individuals who have a dedicated social following and are viewed as experts within their niche. Influencer marketing works because of the high amount of trust that social influencers have built up with their following, and recommendations from them serve as a form of social proof to your brand’s potential customers.”
Influencers present a huge opportunity for brands to share their message and engage with their target audience like never before.
The relationship between the influencer and influenced
An impactful influencer is someone who’s built and positioned their own personal brand in a way that generates trust and engagement among their audience.
The majority of today’s brands have to employ long-term, well-crafted marketing strategies to garner attention. An influencer, on the other hand, maintains a high level of awareness among their followers through consistent engagement, genuine interactions, and compelling content.
Influencer marketing is unique in that it unites digital marketing, public relations, and social media marketing through relevant, timely, relationship-based communication.
And we couldn’t think of a better individual to demonstrate the power of influencer marketing than the original influencer herself: Paris Hilton.
The chihuahua-toting heiress who trademarked the catchphrase “That’s Hot®” in 2004, is widely known for her reality show, The Simple Life. In the show, Hilton and fellow scenester, Nicole Richie, travel across rural America, trading their glam squad and limos for a series of un-socialite-like jobs (picture: milking cows and working at fast-food restaurants).
Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie in The Simple Life
Speaking to Reuters about the ‘dumb blonde’ persona she portrayed on the show, Hilton shares, “I was always in on the joke, but I knew exactly what I was doing. Behind the scenes, I was building a brand.”
Hilton, who has since rebranded herself, has paved the way for a whole new type of celebrity – the influencer. And today, the role of a social media influencer is no longer solely reserved for movie stars or the wealthy.
While a highly competitive field, you can find influencers who’ve built lucrative personal brands in virtually every niche imaginable – from wellness gurus and foodies to interior designers and everyone in between. It’s all about personal branding and what makes an individual memorable, like their values, skills, expertise, and more.
“Influencer marketing is on the rise, and its market size worldwide more than tripled between 2017 and 2020, said Lubna Nafees, an associate professor of marketing at the Walker College of Business, Appalachian State University. Increasingly, consumers are turning to social media influencers to find products and services that align with their lifestyles, which means brands have to work through this channel in order to be present where their consumers are.”
Having true influence over consumers, influencers have become an increasingly effective and prevalent part of a business’s marketing strategy.
From Instagram to YouTube to TikTok, here’s why influencer marketing can benefit your brand and tips for building a strategy of your own.
Build authenticity and generate brand awareness
The main driver for brands implementing an influencer marketing strategy is to generate brand awareness. Influencers are powerful because they’ve already established trust with their audience. And when they advocate for your brand, it will resonate with their followers on a deeper, more impactful level than trying to toot your own horn.
Much like any well-crafted marketing strategy, it’s important to do your homework and conduct research before setting anything in stone. Which social channel does your audience utilize the most? For instance, fashion and beauty brands thrive on platforms like Instagram and YouTube, while those in the gaming industry excel on Twitch.
Similarly, you’ll want to find influential voices within your industry to partner with. And to be clear: influencers come in all shapes and sizes – a.k.a. they’re not just A-list celebs.
Don’t get us wrong: you can absolutely shoot for celebrities with massive followings. BUT, you can also leverage microinfluencers, who typically have under 2,000 followers, or decide to target somewhere in between (i.e. 5,000 to 10,000 followers).
Some questions to consider while searching for the right influencer(s) to partner with:
Are they legit? It should go without saying that the goal is to maximize your ROI. And in order to do so, you’ll want to ensure the influencers you’re researching have a high engagement to follower count ratio. Scroll through their posts and see what kind of comments they receive, along with the language they use, to make sure they align with your brand values and aren’t just generating spam.
Do they work with brands similar to yours?
Do their posts align with the types of products or services you offer?
Expand your reach & strengthen your credibility
By working with an influencer, you can effectively increase engagement and expand your reach.
Finding an influencer with a strong presence in your niche will help create high-impact conversations about your brand while allowing you to tap into a new pool of potential customers that fit your ideal buyer persona.
It’s also important to keep in mind that consumers expect brands to speak highly about their own products or services. However, when an influencer – someone they admire, trust, and look up to – raves about your company, it’s instantly validated by their followers (read: your target audience). Over time, this type of recognition will strengthen brand equity, referrals, and customer loyalty.
Is your head spinning? We can help.
Finding reputable and relevant influencers has proven to help brands generate leads, acquire new followers, and strengthen awareness. To build a successful influencer marketing strategy, you must first have a robust understanding of your brand – from your positioning to your messaging to your target audience.
As a full-service branding, graphic design, and digital marketing agency, JonesHaus can help your business thrive by connecting with your audience and standing out from the crowd. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.