It’s no secret that influencer marketing has become a powerful advertising force in recent years. Many businesses are forming incredibly lucrative partnerships with influencers in order to promote their brands and products. In fact, influencer marketing is growing more rapidly than any other online marketing strategy and this expansion looks set to continue throughout this year and beyond.
If you’ve been considering using an influencer for your own brand and you’re wondering about the true effectiveness of social media influencers, the statistics speak for themselves. In 2021, a whopping 80% of marketers declared that influencer marketing was an effective promotional tool. Plus, 89% went on to state that it is as productive – or more so – than other forms of marketing, particularly when aimed at a Gen Z audience. This is because people from this generation are most likely to follow and seek recommendations from influencers.
Keen to learn more? Here are just a few of the reasons why influencer marketing is so effective and how it can transform your brand if you decide to use it.
The most effective modern marketing method
In our increasingly technological society, with so many of us constantly checking our social media accounts, many influencers have acquired large numbers of followers. As a result, they now hold great sway over substantial portions of society. This is particularly true of Millennials and Gen Z’ers, many of whom will have more than one subscription to an influencer’s account.
These influencers come from a variety of backgrounds and specialise in a range of spheres, including health and fitness, beauty, cooking, fashion and more. Some are celebrity influencers, such as models, actors and sporting stars, while others are social media influencers that have carved out their own online niche. And many are what are known as micro-influencers, which tend to have smaller audiences but higher engagement rates with their audience.
With many people seeming to yearn for a more personal connection, which includes personal recommendations for products and services, it has been found that over 50% of consumers would rather purchase an item due to an influencer’s recommendation than because of regular brand marketing. Significantly, more than 90% of consumers have also been found to engage with influencers on various social media platforms on a weekly basis. This is a clear indication of the impact of influencers on online purchase intent.
Influencers come with a ready-made audience
One of the most obvious factors that contributes to the effectiveness of social media influencers is the fact that they come with a built-in audience. Whether you are working with a micro-influencer, a macro-influencer or a celebrity influencer, they will each have a ready-made following, ranging from hundreds and thousands, right up to several million or more.
This means that, if you align your brand with an influencer that shares your key demographic, you can reap the benefits of directly reaching the very people you’re aiming your products at.
Followers trust influencers’ opinions
If you’re still wondering “Is influencer marketing effective?”, the short answer is a resounding yes. One of the main reasons for this is that people tend to trust the opinions of the influencers they follow. These are people they like, respect and feel they have a genuine connection with. As a result, they are much more likely to take into consideration the recommendations of these influencers and buy the products or services that their favourite influencer is using.
Bear in mind, however, that these levels of trust and connection are more likely to be found with non-celebrity influencers. In fact, a report in 2016% revealed that just 3% of people would consider purchasing any product promoted by a celeb. For that reason, you may wish to consider a partnership with a smaller social media influencer that shares your brand values and has carved out their own niche.
Influencer marketing provides long-term gains
Regular marketing campaigns typically run for a few weeks or months before being replaced with something new. However, influencer marketing is a long-term affiliation that can bring your business benefits for years to come.
Forging a strong relationship with the right influencer can result in a fruitful partnership that brings you substantial rewards. This kind of collaboration provides stability for the influencer and for your own business. It can also result in a sizeable portfolio of attention-grabbing, sales-driving content that is produced on a regular basis throughout the year, as your relationship with the influencer evolves. Plus, people are more likely to become interested in – and perhaps even loyal to – a brand that their favoured influencer continually promotes.
Find your ideal influencer today and kickstart your marketing campaigns!
As you can see, the successes and the benefits of influencer marketing are undeniable. If you would like to become part of this explosive trend and enjoy the rewards like so many other businesses are doing already, it’s time to get started.
Not sure where to begin? Don’t worry, that’s where we come in. Here at Find Your Influencer, we’re on hand to help businesses of all sizes and from all industries find their ideal influencers to drive highly successful, wide-reaching marketing campaigns.
With thousands of popular influencers on our books, we provide easy access to some of the most well-known personalities in the industry - each with their own substantial following. Once you’ve found the right influencer from our shortlist, we can then take care of managing the campaign for you.
Our fully managed service includes detailed monthly reports with campaign stats, so you can see exactly how your influencer collaboration is blossoming. We’ll also monitor content performance regularly and amplify the most popular posts on your own social media pages. Contact our team today to start your influencer journey!