What are Influencers:
Do you know that influencers have the power to affect purchase decisions of others? This is all due to his/her authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with his/her audience. Influencers are anyone that can “influence” people surfing the web. The most popular place for people to seek reputable influencers is on social media, specifically Instagram. Last year, there were 12.9 million brand sponsored influencer posts; while in 2018 that number nearly doubled, resulting in $1.7 billion in influencer fees.
Influencers have the power to persuade someone to purchase, like or follow a certain brand. Influencers grew their following base over time. People generally follow an influencer based on the content they post. There is a mutual understanding between the influencer and the person being influenced. Therefore, many influencers are very specific with the brand they represent. Some Influencers are there short term, by posting on their story/page, while others are there for the long haul and they may even receive a percentage of the sale.
When Would Someone Use an Influencer?
When a Brand has a new product or wants to bring more brand awareness towards a product, they reach out to a popular influencer in their niche. This influencer acts as a Brand Ambassador for the brands they represent. Studies have shown when a brand has an influencer behind them, marketers see an average of $7.65 in earned media value. To the point, the term “influencer marketing” increased by 325% in Google searches.
Even Amazon saw the benefit of influencers, that they created Amazon Associates Program. When bloggers and influencers who are Associates create referral links and customers click through those links and buy products from Amazon, they earn referral fees. Those influencers get paid through Amazon and thy can receive up to 15% when their followers purchase a particular product they promote on their page.
Benefits of Social Media Influencers:
- Brand Exposure
- Brand Awareness
- Brand Relationships
- Product Trust
- Organic Sales
- Outside Traffic
- Product Giveaways
- Reviews and Testimonials
- Lifestyle Images
- Referral Discount Codes
- Brand Page Likes and Followers
How to Find the Right Influencer:
When someone thinks about a brand which has a great social media influencer presence, they think about the brands they promote. In addition, Influencers targets a specific Age, Interest, Location, Demographics, Race, Ethnicity and Gender. It’s vital to understand your target market prior to reaching out to a specific influencer. Although an influencer has large following base, they may not help you with the exposure you are seeking. For instance, if you’re selling a weightless supplement and you have connections with celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay and Rachel Ray; they wouldn’t be the best influencer to work with for your product. Simply since their brand message is different than yours.
However, if you are selling skin care products and you reach out to popular beauty bloggers, the turnout can be extremely beneficial for your brand page. The key is to find influencers and bloggers that align your brand message. In the past when collaborated with an influencer, we saw organic sales, brand exposure and lifestyle images
All in all, when teaming up with an influencer, UNDERSTAND your brand message FIRST. This will avoid miscommunication, wasted time and poor investments. Be clear with your expectations and be patient with the results. Note that some influencers represent brands for a living while others do it as a hobby. Therefore, some will gladly work with you for free, while others have large fees. Although influencers aren’t miracle workers, they can easily help with product launches and brand recognition.
To learn more about influencers and see how they can expand your brand, contact us to hear more!
[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
