As we saw the rapid transition to the digitalization of whole industries in 2020, marketing experts have had to rely on the loyal following of influencers to meet their goals. Influencer marketing, now more than ever before, has proven itself to be the most effective way to advertise products and services. It is one of the few viable ways for brands to authentically connect with prospective consumers both digitally and physically.
Utilizing influencers in your social media marketing strategy brings your organization and its services to new audiences. Businesses can expect to see an increase in visibility and sales through the endorsement of influencers, in a more time-efficient manner in comparison to other marketing campaigns.To help you understand the goal of influencer marketing, we’ve explained the basics below:
Benefits
For the past decade, brands have collaborated with influencers to help grow their business and drive up their sales. Influencers help connect brands with consumers on social media in authentic ways that can deliver immediate results.
In 2021, it is estimated that 63% of marketers intend to increase their influencer marketing budget. By partnering with influencers and placing their business in front of relevant audiences, companies are making $5.20 for every $1 spent on influencer marketing.
Instagram, Youtube, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook and LinkedIn are all giant platforms with a wide reach. Instagram is the most popular influencer marketing platform and the most recommended, but the type of influencer your organization needs depends on the audience you are targeting.
For example, if you are targeting B2B customers, LinkedIn influencers will probably be the best choice. If your market is beauty, you will likely focus on working with YouTube or Instagram influencers instead of Facebook.
The goal of influencer marketing is to identify the influencers in your niche and to use their likability to promote your brand.
Types of influencers
Influencers can be divided into 4 main types:
- Mega-Influencers: Celebrity or someone with more than a million followers.
- Macro-Influencers: Between 100k – 1 Million followers.
- Micro-Influencers: Between 1,000 and 100,000 followers.
- Nano-Influencers: A new type of influencer that has fewer than 1,000 followers.
To help understand which type of influencer is better suited for your organization, they are categorized by reach and niche. If you are targeting a wide array of demographics with varying interests then the bigger influencers are a better fit for your campaign.
Reach however has been less favored to niche by experts over the past few years. This is because it tends to drive up cost with less engagement and lower ROI. Brands have been partnering with niche-specific influencers to more effectively target the correct consumer.
How to work with influencers
Agencies are by far the most efficient way to work with influencers. They have market professionals that can pair you with the right influencers for your brand. Choosing the right influencers who have an engaging, authentic voice is one of the most challenging tasks of running a successful Influencer marketing campaign. Instead of spending valuable time and resources trying to connect with influencers, agencies have a rolodex filled with niche-specific influencers.
In addition, agencies are better equipped with helping you develop an effective influencer marketing strategy for your business. They measure and understand how your influencer marketing campaigns perform. They help pair you with the appropriate platforms and continually evolve the influencer strategies throughout the market’s constantly changing environment.
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Ready to start building your influencer marketing strategy? Jeel Media’s professionals can help, get your free consultation here.