Influencers are exactly what you think. They influence others in some way or another. With the expansion of social media platforms, this has become an actual profession. Yes! People can now be themselves for an actual living! It is natural for people to trust recommendations from those they admire. Let’s face it, we have become besties (in our heads) with people we’ve never met.
A Great From of Inbound Marketing
Who are influencers?
Influencer marketing is a great way for companies to provide content for inbound marketing. Even small businesses who do not have their name out there can benefit from this. Drawing people in through trusted relationships has proven to be effective. Influencers are now more than ever an essential part of expanding brand awareness. You want more people to know about your brand? One post can reach millions of followers through shares and likes. Imagine if you post multiple times each day. There’s no telling who will see it, perhaps someone thousands of miles away that would have never otherwise happened upon your website if you did not post a funny video that was shared by many.
Influencers form virtual friendships with people they have never met in person. Although they may not interact with their audience individually, influencers have a way of communicating that makes each viewer feel as if the message is directed towards them. How many times has your favorite vlogger spoken into the camera and you’ve answered back? Exactly! We almost feel as if we are in real time with real people because they are! By posting content that is relatable to their audiences, many influencers are viewed as advisors. Besides friends and family, people follow others on social media with similar interests and values. Let’s face it, we may even trust an influencer’s advice over the people we personally know. The more posts an influencer has, the more influential they are. Influencers that posts frequently have more of a loyal audience. If they go on live frequently, that’s even better! They are inviting viewers into their personal space in real time situations. Whether it’s welcoming viewers while shopping, at a concert, or cooking at home, influencers make the audience feel like a part of their world.
Companies have experienced increased revenue when they are able to increase brand awareness. Influencers are a large part of spreading the word about a product or service. In fact, this is done strategically so that target audiences are reached. If I have an interest in fitness, I may follow a fitness influencer who incorporates advertisements for exercise wear into their workout content. Plugging in products into videos and posts while still creating a humorous or informative post is the art of the influencer. We see this often on social media. Some may view this as falling into a marketing trap, but most of us appreciate the suggestions for products that will work for us.
The use of influencers is also a great way of drawing in customers with a low advertising budget. Television commercials and billboards are expensive avenues for advertisements, but they have the capability of reaching a large number of viewers. With the right content, social media can accomplish this reach at a much lower cost. You can even become the influencer for your own business by building relationships with your audience. Although many of your followers may view your content without making a purchase, you are still getting the word out about your product, service, or brand.
Types of Influencers.
Influencers are put into a spotlight and are used to gain the attention of consumers through their recognition. This is done either through their existing follower base or through their overall fame. Influencers with larger follower bases are more likely to be more effective and produce the largest impact. Companies and brands look to find influencers that have similar audiences so that their products are more likely to be appealing and to minimize the risk of wasted expenses. Companies do extensive research in order to find the best fits. Maximizing efficiency like this creates the best possible partnership (because at the end of the day, that is what an influencer is to a business; a partner). There are many different types of influencers that are used in the media today. They are broken down by profession, type of platform they use, and their following size.
Influencers can range in their profession. Most are celebrities that are known in their specific industry or section of the media. For example, Ninja, a popular professional video game player, is very popular in the gaming community. Someone like Kylie Jenner would be more effective in the makeup industry due to her own business and her expertise on cosmetics. These are all types of celebrity influencers that are viewed and followed based on their presence and profession. Influencers can also be categorized by their platform used to reach consumers. Social media influencers are the easiest way to break this down. There are users on different platforms such as Tik Tok, Instagram, and YouTube. These influencers usually gain traction on their respective platforms and a strong following based on the quality of their content. Then once they have a good following, they are offered influencer opportunities from brands that are looking to reach the same target demographic as the influencer in question.
Something that we’ve talked about throughout this section is the follower base of influencers. This is an important factor in the effectiveness of an influencer and also is a driving factor in why companies pick certain content creators to be included in their influencer marketing. This is not the only factor though. Some others that we have not mentioned are the way the influencer carries themselves. Some popular celebrities, social media content creators, and other potential influencers are not always the most ethical individuals, so companies must screen them to ensure that the potential influencer is the proper person to portray their brand to an audience. In a worst case scenario, an influencer can do something inappropriate which can create a negative connotation between the influencer and the brand. It is very similar to an employee. Influencers must carry themselves as representatives of their brands, so these screenings/interviews are imperative. Demographics like age, race, and gender all vary depending on the brand and the target audience of the company involved. Of course, businesses want (we would hope, at least) to be as inclusive as possible as products are not gender, race, or age exclusive.
Overall, influencers are going to have certain characteristics that make them a good option for businesses. Many are existing celebrities like actors, models, and athletes. But there are also those who grew their following on social media. Both can and are effective at getting brands in front of potential consumers.
Going viral.
Social media has been prevalent in mainstream culture for some time now. Throughout the rise of social media, different trends and platforms have emerged and taken hold of the collective public interest. This new obsession with social media and the pursuit of likes and attention has given rise to the concept of “going viral”. For those who do not subscribe to the world of social media, going viral is an occurrence when a post on social media gains popularity and subsequently reaches millions of people online. This ability for normal people to gain a form of celebrity overnight has created a very specific culture on social media.
The social media platform known as Tik Tok has taken the digital world by storm. Ordinary people have gained celebrity status overnight through the platform by going viral. Tik Tok is a platform that enables users to share and edit videos that can range in style and content. Many of the Tik Tok celebrities gained their fame through viral dance trends that would entail a user performing a popular dance to a hot song. This trend gained momentum during the beginning of the pandemic, and has continued in popularity since its initial spike. Current songs like “Light Switch” by Charlie Puth and “About Damn Time” by Lizzo have lended themselves as viral trends that Tik Tok users create dancing videos to. Certain prominent users like Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae went viral from these types of videos and now enjoy celebrity status on social media as a result.
Another more established social media platform that still enjoys significant relevance currently is Instagram. Instagram is a photograph and video sharing platform that has similar trends to platforms like Tik Tok. The ability to post pictures and videos on the platform has also created a unique landscape in which users regularly attempt to post popular and sometimes controversial topics in order to go viral. This pursuit can take many forms. Many users have gained popularity through comically spoofing or reacting to significant world events and popular culture. One such event is when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards show. This event created a significant reaction on social media which offered content creators and influencers an opportunity to gain attention on different platforms.
Unfortunately the pursuit of going viral on social media is not always a positive thing. One recent trend known as the “Blackout Challenge” on Tik Tok has gained significant attention and scrutiny for its dangerous nature. The challenge involved participants holding their breath long enough to pass out due to lack of oxygen. The trend has reportedly resulted in serious injury and even death which further highlights the dangers that the pursuit of internet fame can inherently hold.
Although the concept of going viral and overnight fame is a new one, it shows no signs of stopping or even slowing down. Social media has given birth to this new class of celebrity, and with it comes a generation of users and content creators that hope to benefit from the fame that can be endowed upon any given person that uses social media. This marks yet another example of the digital revolution synthesizing new opportunities for both organizations and individuals to prosper.
Benefits to Customers
As mentioned earlier, influencer marketing is now an essential part of expanding a brand’s business. However, businesses relationships with social media influencers can be extremely beneficial to customers as well. An integral part of any business or brand is building trust with their customers. Brands want the “right” customer, a customer who shares their vision and would in turn be loyal to them and vice versa. Research from a survey conducted by Matter Communications shows that 61% of consumers are more likely to trust recommendations from influencers, while only 38% are likely to trust brands. Influencers put together videos on reviews, try-ons, purchase hauls, and much more that they post on social media. This gives customers a more personalized experience to learn more about the brand. Influencer marketing is a way to keep a constant link and interact with customers by listening to their criticisms and feedback, which can only increase their trust in a brand.
Another way brands can build loyalty is through discounts. What’s better than buying from a brand you’ve been dying to try and getting a discount? There’s nothing a customer loves more than saving money, and businesses know this. In order to incentivize customers, businesses are now building agreements with influencers by providing them a commission based on how much sales they bring in. In order to track influencer sales, businesses use custom discount codes. These discount codes are completely different from their current discounts and exclusively available to the influencers network of followers. Influencers can post these codes anywhere, in the comments section of their recent post, in their stories, on YouTube, you name it. Customers now more than ever rely on influencers’ opinions since for some there’s more of a connection thus why the customer journey often starts on social media more-so YouTube. YouTube videos are great to show customers what a product actually does or how a piece of clothing fits in more of a real world setting.
Customers have also become more cautious of the products they buy or where they buy. Influencer recommendations play a huge part when it comes to these types of customers because the customer wants to make sure they spend their money with companies or brands that are in line with their personal views. Customers feel like they can relate to the influencers since they identify with their lifestyle, body type and other factors making influencer reviews more authentic than an ad. Because let’s face it, not everyone is a size zero, has dramatic abs, drives a Rolls Royce, and spends their weekend on a yacht. Customers will always trust another customer more than a brand on which they cannot put a face.