Influencer marketing involves a paid collaboration between a brand and an influencer (someone who guides the attitudes or actions of followers, typically on social media). Especially in recent years, as the world becomes more invested in technology and social media is on the rise, this tool is especially accurate at reaching consumers.
In a study by the Social Sheperd, it was found that 93% of marketers have tried influencer marketing, the industry has grown to become a $13.8 billion industry, and the spending on influencer contracts will continue to increase in 2023 (Sheperd, 2023).
If these numbers still haven’t convinced you, here are 5 specific ways that influencer marketing can have a positive effect on your brand:
1. Influencers can promote a product in a more natural way
Majority of the time, influencers gain fame by showcasing their daily lives. They’ll post about their ideas, their content, their routines, etc. By sharing their lives online, users gain a parasocial relationship with them which grows the amount of influence they have.
The reasons people enjoy influencer content is because it can either be relatable to their own lives, or provide a source of entertainment. Social media advertisements, on the other hand, can get ignored as users do not feel a relationship encouraging them to tune in. When influencers post about a product, followers are encouraged to buy it because they directly see how it makes their icon’s life easier, more fun, or solves a problem they might not even know they have. A traditional brand’s advertising seeks to sell a product, while influencer marketing can be simplified as someone consumers look up to trying to help them enhance their lives.
2. Collaborations with influencers allow brands a greater social media reach
As a brand is an entirely separate entity from an influencer (assuming they didn’t create the company), their social media accounts will have different followers. Through a collaboration, brands can get their products in front of a new audience, which can present potential customers. It may even allow the brand to find a niche market interested in their product that they didn’t initially think of. Overall, the more people that see content mentioning or showing a specific product, the greater the chance that someone will purchase a product. In this way, influencer marketing really aids in public brand awareness.
3. Consumers can see product reviews from someone they trust
In the previous study referenced by the Social Sheperd, it was mentioned that “61% of consumers trust the recommendations they get from influencers, while only 38% trust branded social content,” (Dopson, 2023). Additionally, it was found that 8 out of 10 consumers purchased something after it was recommended by an influencer.
As influencers are typically quite knowledgable in the topic of their content (ex. a travel influencer would know the best airplane gadgets while a high-profile “booktoker” could recommend a reading device) their followers trust what they have to say. This is why many brands have moved away from celebrity endorsement (remember Kim Kardashian’s Charmin toilet paper campaign?” to influencer marketing.
4. Influencer posts can aid in a product going viral
There have been countless examples of products selling out simply because a top influencer posted about using it themselves. Alix Earle filmed her haircare routine on TikTok, soon after the “Mielle Organics Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil” was out of stock across all its main retailers. Influencer Hannah Schlenker wore a pair of Aerie crossover Leggings in some of her posts, which then led to the collection selling out six times, and a waiting list of more than 150,000 people (Morris, 2021). Even in the food industry, there was a shortage of feta in grocery stores in 2022 due to one TikTok chef’s video of a tomato feta pasta recipe. Once a trend involving a specific item gets rolling, everyone wants to get involved.
5. Consumers may be motivated to post their own content involving the product
User-generated content, or UGC, is a goldmine for brands with a social media presence. It is exactly what the name says, content that consumers have created on their own free time. With influencers, especially on Instagram and TikTok, followers are encourage to create and share their own posts similar to the original creator. Whether it be due to a dream to become an influencer themselves, and get their foot in the door by posting content on brands they love, or trying to connect with their favorite influencer over a shared product, UGC has become a very common instance.
References:
https://www.business.com/articles/influencers-and-branding/
https://www.newsweek.com/20-products-sold-out-because-tiktok-popularity-1581946
https://www.shopify.com/blog/influencer-marketing-statistics
https://thesocialshepherd.com/blog/influencer-marketing-statistics
https://www.questionpro.com/blog/consumers-trust-influencers-celebrities/