Nowadays, influencer marketing is one of the most growing forms of sales. Social media form an effective channel for product promotion, and their reach allows them to influence far more people than ever before. A whole change in the previous way of promotion is represented by influencers - the faces of digital marketing.
Who are influencers?
An influencer is a person who has gained fame on the Internet, and with his popularity influences the worldview or attitude of his observers-followers. They create specific content that is related to different areas of life, starting with cosmetics or food, and ending with automobiles and books. Their activity is often combined with advertising, the effectiveness of which can be seen especially among the youngest age groups. A study by The Harris Poll on behalf of Lego showed that in the United States, 29% of children want to pursue the trendsetter profession, which puts it at the top of the most popular jobs. It is said that it is a perfect business for youth, after all, it involves the use of social media.
A lot of young people watch their idols because of a sense of shared passions and interests, and they see influencers as proof that it is possible to make a living through social media.
Based on the number of followers, influencers can be divided into two groups:
Macro - influencers - have tens to hundreds of thousands of followers. Brands choose to represent them because of their recognition and increased visibility of advertised products.
Micro - influencers - have a much smaller number of observers (from a few hundred to a few thousand), however, research conducted by the Markerly platform shows a much higher engagement of observers with the content presented, resulting in greater credibility of the influencer.
How does influencer marketing work?
Influencer marketing is nothing more than a totality of marketing activities taking place on various platforms. The company establishes a partnership with a specific person, who automatically becomes an intermediary between the brand and consumers. Internet celebrities operate on many platforms, which allows them to advertise products or services in a variety of ways - through posts, videos, reels, and much more. The popularity of the celebrity is an important factor in their selection process, but companies also pay a lot of attention to credibility.
What are the advantages of digital marketing?
Establishing cooperation on an influencer marketing platform brings many advantages. Firstly, there are costs much lower than creating traditional advertising (on TV, in the form of billboards, or via radio). Significant advantages also include:
Reaching the target audience with precision
A huge role is played at this point by micro influencers who cover specific fields. Their choice to represent the brand will turn a very large number of their followers into potential customers. An influencer can represent a brand in a way that arouses curiosity without being pushy.
Building the credibility of the company
Influencers who enjoy a large number of followers have attracted them because of liking and trust. If an influencer becomes the face of a brand, his or her audience believes that the company also represents their values and that a well-known and well-liked person is advertising a valuable service or product.
Creative branding
The number of influencer marketing platforms is vast, providing countless creative ways to capture the attention of observers. With the ideas of influencers who know their audience well, a company can build a unique image.
How to find an influencer?
In order to find the right person, most companies are guided by factors such as observer engagement with the influencer (whether they are liking posts, or commenting on videos), the target audience- who is the most likely to become the company's customer, and the overall image of a particular account-whether it matches the brand's image and policies.
Sometimes influencers apply to the brands in question themselves because they know their products and are satisfied with them. More often, however, companies contact selected individuals through their agency, or in the case of micro influencers in private correspondence.
It is worth remembering that the number of followers is not the most important in the selection process. Sometimes a micro influencer will bring more benefits to a company than an account with millions of followers.
Is cooperation with celebrities the ideal advertising?
Nowadays, digital marketing is one of the most fruitful forms of cooperation. The key to it’s success is proper communication, between the company and the influencer. Both parties can come out favorably from the cooperation if they are attentive to each other's requirements and flexible in the way they provide content.
