Influencers are the new trendsetters. They’re the people on Twitter who get retweeted and quoted. They’re the people on Instagram whose pictures get liked. They’re the people on LinkedIn who get followed and shared. They’re the bloggers whose posts create conversations in their communities. They’re the people that people listen to, not because they have a big title, but because they have a big reputation. Social media management agency also watch the trends in social media to keep them updated.
Influencer marketing is a relatively new concept that has roots in celebrity endorsement advertising and thought leadership development. It has gained increasing momentum over the last few years with an ever-growing base of brands who are swearing by it as a core component of their marketing strategy
The art of influencer marketing is essentially like piecing together an intricate puzzle where all of the pieces have to fit perfectly together to create a strong, cohesive image or message.
An effective influencer marketing campaign requires three core elements:
1) The right influencers for your target audience,
2) The right message for your brand and product, and
3) The right distribution channel for reaching your audience.
I have been writing about influencer marketing for the past few years now and it has grown tremendously. I get a lot of requests from people asking how to do influencer marketing or what does it take to be an influencer?
For those who don’t know, influencers are people who have built large social media followings. They are seen as experts in their niche and use their influence to help brands connect with their target market. Influencers can be celebrities, bloggers, social media stars or anyone considered influential by their following.
Influencers can be paid in many different ways — product samples, cash or simply by being exposed to a new audience. Companies are realizing that traditional advertising is not as effective as it once was and consumers trust brands promoted by the people they follow. In fact, 81 percent of consumers reported that they have purchased a product online after seeing it used by an influencer on Instagram, Twitter, Vine or YouTube.
Influencer marketing is a great way to get your products and services in front of new audiences, but getting started can be overwhelming. There are so many options: Where do you find the right influencers? How do you ensure they’re legitimate? What should you pay them?
The key to influencer marketing is finding the right person to promote your brand. In other words, look for people who have an audience that would be interested in what you’re selling. These are your “influencers.”
For example, if you sell hiking gear, an influencer might be an avid hiker with a strong social media following. Or it could be a well-known writer who frequently publishes hiking trip reports.
In both cases, that person’s followers trust their opinions and are likely to listen when they recommend products or services.
Influencer marketing works best when the product or service involved is something people are passionate about — like hiking or food or fashion — and when it’s not too expensive or complicated. (You wouldn’t want to try this with life insurance.
Influencer marketing is the fastest growing customer acquisition method for ecommerce stores. Many of the top brands in the world are using influencer marketing to fuel their growth.
With the rise of ad blockers, influencers have become a really effective way to reach new customers and build brand awareness. And an increasing number of companies are turning to influencer marketing as a result.
The demand for influencer marketing is on the rise and it’s only a matter of time before every major brand incorporates it into their marketing strategy. Learn more on how to become a social media influencer.