What is a social media influencer?

Influencers are people who have established a large following around their personal online brand. And they do exactly how it sounds- by carrying the influence over others. In this blog, we’re diving into why social media influencers are crucial for marketing. Social media influencers act the same as influencers, but using social media as a tool to establish a following for their brand. They can be found on numerous social platforms, including popular ones such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Youtube and Snapchat.

Move over celebrity endorsers, influencers are the new way to advertise. Companies are developing partnerships between brands and influencers as marketing strategies. The result? A trusted source that's developing audiences for you that you potentially never would have reached.

And stats don’t lie. A study done by MuseFind shows that 92% of consumers trust an influencer more than a traditional celebrity endorsement or an advertisement.

If you think about it, it makes complete sense. People know celebrities and think they’re just advertising for the financial benefit online. Influencer marketing on the other hand, is a less obvious advertising tactic because influencers appear to be real, everyday people you can trust.

Why should you use one?

80% of marketers find influencer-marketing campaigns effective (Mediakix.com). Think of an influencer as a mutual ‘friend’ connecting your brand with your target consumers. Consumers trust recommendations from a third party more than a brand itself.

From fashion to travel, influencers are becoming more wide- known and a very popular marketing tactic that everyone is rushing to implement.

Choosing the right influencer

When choosing the right influencer, there are a few things that you’ll need to consider. First, someone that is relevant to the audience you are trying to reach. You can find these people by googling (looking at articles), searching Instagram relevant hashtags, free solutions such as Buzzsumo or a paid solution such as Upfluence. Another thing to keep in mind is how much it will cost- this all depends on the followers and traffic the influencer gets to their Instagram and what type of advertising they are planning on doing for you.

Demographics and gender also plays a major role in determining what influencer is right for you. Twitter shows that people 45 and up prefer more traditional household name celebrities, while millennials prefer digital content creators.

Now what?

Create a mutual beneficial relationship. Surprisingly, this doesn’t have to necessarily always have to be in the form of cash. By first forming a relationship, influencers will find value in partnering with you. In some cases, this could be a barter arrangement, or even free swag.

Most importantly, don’t forget to measure results. Hootsuite can track campaign success by tracking mentions of your brand or hashtags that were used.

Our goal at Traktek Partners is to always provide clients with the latest and most effective marketing strategies to increase social traffic and leads. If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you manage your social media, please contact us.