Why Influencer Marketing Works

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Influencer marketing is when brands or companies partner with individuals who have significant audience and influence with a particular consumer segment.

I came across a 2007 article in The New York Times that says the average American is exposed to up to 5,000 advertisements a day. That paper cited a study that was conducted by Yankelovich, a market research firm.

About half the 4,110 people surveyed by Yankelovich said they thought marketing and advertising today was out of control. That was back in 2007.

We see so many ads that we’re unconsciously tuning them out, a new phenomenon called “banner blindness”. It’s no surprise then that marketers have shifted to social media and influencer marketing as consumers look to fellow consumers to inform their purchasing decisions.

Enter the era of “Influencer Marketing.”

Influencer Marketing is when brands or companies partner with individuals who have significant audience and influence with a particular consumer segment. Influencers can amplify a brand’s content, drive consumer reach and engagement. Influencers can also increase brand awareness, affinity and loyalty.

Instead of looking at companies, as they did in the past, consumers of today are looking at each other and at their favourite personalities on YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest and other platforms to help  them make decisions about how to dress, what makeup to buy, where to shop, what to serve for dinner, what books to read, what movies to see, what to listen to and even where to travel.

Consumers like seeing real people in their lives, or people they could picture in their lives, using the products that brands claim to be helpful, needed or the best out there. And social media has created a forum for people to learn about ideas and events that they’d never otherwise be aware of.

[bctt tweet=”Influencers can amplify your content, drive consumer reach and engagement.” username=”alethea_r”]

Influencers are usually bloggers, social media socialites (Youtubers, Instagrammers, etc), speakers or authors with an established online presence and a loyal audience in a particular niche. Because they have a broad online presence, they can expose your brand to receptive audiences through the content that they create.

Influencers have the ability to reach a huge variety of audiences because they each have unique opinions and approaches towards their lifestyle and the products they choose to incorporate. When an influencer’s reader lands on his or her website, blog or social channel, the reader is coming there for a specific purpose ─ to be influenced. 

Influencer marketing has become a critical strategy for both customer acquisition and customer development.

Influencer marketing has become a critical strategy for both customer acquisition and customer development. Businesses are making $6.50 for every $1 spent on influencer marketing, according to a poll of marketing professionals conducted by Tomoson.

The poll also found that marketers rate influencer marketing as their fastest-growing online customer-acquisition channel, outpacing organic search and email marketing.

51% of marketers believe they acquire better customers through influencer marketing, when asked to rate the average quality of customers acquired through the channel.

Knowing that influencers can play a big role in furthering marketing and sales goals, it’s no surprise that many brands are integrating these tactics into their content and marketing strategies.

What’s the bottom line? You might be wondering if integrating influencer marketing in your overall strategy is a good fit for your small business sales goals.

Here’s the deal: Influencer marketing could be a good fit for your brand if your goals include:

Extending your reach and building a large audience.
The right influencers will have massive reach in your niche due the content they’ve been creating and the relationships they’ve built with your target market.

Partnering with a topic authority.
Influencers who are recognized by your market as having deep knowledge in a particular area, such as the best running shoes for marathoners, are trusted authorities when it comes to making buying decisions.

Executing a high impact campaign.
Since influencers already have big audiences and they’re trusted by their followers, the content they create about your brand can have a high impact on your marketing campaigns.

By integrating influencer marketing into your over marketing strategy, you’ll increase your brand’s credibility while building goodwill and trust with potential customers. Including the expert voices of  influencers engages your audience, drives brand integrity and helps further your marketing goals.

 

Instagram image of Wendy’s Lookbook via Media Kix

 

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