In simple terms, an influencer is an individual that can persuade the purchasing decisions of an audience. Whether said audience is on Facebook, Twitter, or any other major platform, an influencer successfully lives up to their title. Thus, it would make sense for an online marketing company to incorporate this into their offerings. This brings us to the topic of influencer marketing, a practice that allows businesses to leverage engaged audiences to achieve different goals.
Influencer marketing provides a number of benefits for businesses that incorporate it into their practices. Businesses partner with influencers for various reasons, ranging from content creation to the potential increase in sales. Here are just a few advantages that influencer marketing can provide, allowing the businesses in question to successfully compete in their industries.
First, influencer marketing helps a business quickly build trust. One of the reasons why an influencer is effective is the connection they have to their audience. When the influencer speaks about a product, even if it’s for a few sentences at length, the audience will be instilled in the belief that said product is worthwhile. Therefore, they would be inclined to make a purchase or, at the very least, perform further research. Trust is a valuable commodity in the business world and once it’s earned, its impact will be quickly felt.
Second, influencer marketing is especially effective at reaching younger audiences. While television and radio have their respective places in modern culture, most Millennials and Gen Zers will forgo traditional forms of media in favor of digital technology. It’s the latter where influencers are most prominent, able to continually build their audiences on Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms that encourage interaction. If the goal of a business is to reach a younger audience, influencer marketing can play a pivotal role.
Third, influencer marketing allows businesses to reach their audiences in ways they wouldn’t have been able to otherwise. This is especially true on social media, where most influencer marketing takes place. It’s important to note that most influencers are popular figures in other industries, including music, food, and technology. These individuals have the ability to reach their followers, meaning that the messages they send will be seen by an increased number of people. Such a result may not have been possible otherwise.
With these benefits in mind, it’s easy to see why businesses would invest in influencer marketing as a promotional strategy. It can take on different forms as well, whether promoting a product through video content or offering it in a giveaway, just to name a few examples. With that said, not every influencer marketing strategy is built the same. Some will be more effective than others, so best practices should be followed. These are some of the do’s and don’ts that allow a strategy to perform at a high level.
To start, understand your brand. An influencer shouldn’t be partnered with solely for the fact that they boast millions of followers on Instagram, for instance. Instead, an influencer should complement a brand so that the relationship is more organic. Otherwise, it comes off as disingenuous, especially to those that may not be interested in what’s being promoted. Even before influencer outreach, a process that a social media marketing agency can perform, can be carried out, brand recognition must be understood.
Next, determine your short and long-term goals. What would you like to accomplish via influencer marketing? Is your objective to simply elevate your follower numbers on social media? Are you less focused on social media engagement and more on generating qualified leads and buyers? Influencer marketing can be used to fulfill these goals and then some. However, much like brand recognition, goalsetting must be done early into the marketing process. Otherwise, the effort spent working with influencers will be less effective than it should be.
Furthermore, follower counts aren’t the be-all and end-all of influencer marketing. There are different levels of influencers that businesses can partner with. For example, a micro-influencer is an individual that has anywhere from 1,000 to 100,000 followers. While these numbers may seem small, and therefore unreliable, this allows micro-influencers to engage their followers on a more regular basis. They are also able to yield results at lower costs, which is ideal for businesses with tight marketing budgets. In other words, don’t let follower counts shy you away from working with influencers that can produce strong returns.
About fishbat: fishbat is a full-service Long Island advertising agency. Utilizing the latest technologies and forward-thinking strategies, fishbat is able to create marketing plans that are tailor-made for specific needs and goals. The services that fishbat provides include, but aren’t limited to, social media management, search engine optimization, content marketing, email marketing, and branding. With these, businesses will be able to market directly to their audiences, increasing traffic, engagement, and ultimately, revenue.
