What Is An Influencer And What Can They Do For You?

Categories: Digital Marketing Guide

We all hear the term influencer being branded around a lot these days. The term is used so loosely that we have maybe lost track of what an influencer is. This next part of our Digital Marketing Guide will look to discuss what an influencer is, what it isn't and how you could look to utilise them for your business. 

Once upon a time a large organisation would use a celebrity to endorse their products for mega-bucks. This still happens. However, this has transformed with the age of YouTube & Instagram. Audiences are becoming more in touch with those on their phone and computer screens as opposed to the men and women on the big screen. Brands could have Matt Damon promote their new new product but people will know that it's forced and he's been paid millions to say it - and in saying that, this isn't influencer marketing. It could still work perfectly, but the tide is turning.

The youth, particularly, are a lot more attached to the content creators of YouTube and Instagram. Those a little older will be more connected to the the bloggers and Instagrammers. There's an enormous pool of content creators and influencers available to brands, but what does it really mean to influence?

When people say influencer – what pops into your head? Is it a blonde girl lying down in a park surrounded in daisies? Is it a YouTube personality that creates gaming content? Is it a cyber security blogger? A videographer? A fitness fanatic? It can be anyone with a following that they influence. Remember that too – influence. They are an influencer because they have the ability to influence their following, not because they have 150,000 followers. Followers is important but it's their relationship with their following that matters. You could easily work with a personality with 1% of 150,000 and have a better return on your investment. Both monetary and as a brand. 

You don't want to just mindlessly throw money at somebody with a following and saying promote this.

It needs to have meaning. Find an online personality that has developed and grown an audience. This ensures there’s a rapport and trust between them and their following. This is what an influencer is. It's important when you're going down the influencer marketing campaign route to fully consider and research their growth, their audience and the content they produce. 

If you throw money at an ‘influencer’ who has #Ad in every other post and doesn’t have that connection with their audience, it’s a waste of money and can make your brand look cheap and sleazy.

Set yourself apart, take time to understand who you are going to be working with and why. Once you have a target or two in mind, begin interacting with their posts and their audience - you'll end up on their radar anyway and they may even reach out to you first. This also helps their audience begin to recognise your brand too, and this is the audience you're ulitmately trying to sell to. It's a longer-term strategy as opposed to instant results - the case across everything in marketing, really. You're almost advertising to the influencers before they advertise you. Their audience needs to trust you as they do trust the influencer and that's something that needs nurtured. Nobody buys from a stranger.

Influencer marketing can be tricky, and sometimes costly, but with the etiquette and strategy you could have an incredible amount of success when working with somebody with influence. Too many brands are just throwing money at influencers without acknowleding the following or relationship they have with their audience. Sometimes it doesn't matter but usually it does for the smaller businesses out there. Find the influencer that has influence and has the audience you want to see you.

Nurture a relationship with a relevant influencer and have them play a role in a campaign – don’t just pay for a shout out or a post. Make sure the campaign aligns with all other online and offline, PR and the like dates and you'll be onto a winner.

Are you wanting to find out more about influencers and what they can do for your business or brand? Please get in touch with us and we can get you started.

PART 1 | Introducing Digital Marketing
PART 2 | Why You Should Be Creating Content Online
PART 3 | Why You Should Be Investing In Your Website
Part 4 | Why Social Media Is Important for Your Business
Part 5 | What Is The Facebook Pixel And How Can You Retarget Ads?
Part 7 | Is Email Marketing Dead? (coming soon)

Written by Regan Williamson