Over the years consumers have grown tired of the same old marketing and advertising campaigns, providing false expectations and a more than less reviewed product. What consumers really want is a product or service that is recommended to them by a family member, friend or even influencer. In recent times marketers have realised that they can use social media to target their customers indirectly and one of the ways they do this is through influential marketing.

You probably already know what Influencer marketing is, but in case you don’t here it is:

It is a form of marketing that brands use to target a group of consumers by indirect WOM (Tap Influence, 2016) they do this by hiring/paying or inspiring influencers to get the word out for you – this is usually through bloggers and influential Instagramers etc. A brand that is in agreement with an influential blogger is Teami Blends – An American based fitness tea, who works with Australian fitness blogger Tammy Hembrow who is expected to spread the word through her personal social channels. Find links to both of their accounts here Tammy,  Teami Blends . Tammy has over 2 million followers on Instagram – sharing her daily workout and food habbits with her following, so you can see why Teami blends would want her to associate their product with her – leading them to obtain customers who seek a similar lifestyle.

 

 

 

 

So what is the hype really all about? Lets make a list of the top 3 reasons why influencer marketing is so bloody amazing! And why every brand should be doing it:

1. The social aspect – In this day and age, people have moved further away from traditional marketing channels and have adopted social media. Social media allows the consumer to search globally for the kind of influencers and products they are looking for by getting realistic reviews whilst learning more about a product through other people, all resulting in better purchasing decisions (Ad Week, 2015).
2. Consumers like to make their own decisions – The success of influencer marketing lies in the fact that it helps people feel confident in their choices (Forbes, 2015). They are depending on these self proclaimed gurus and matriarchs to recommend the best products and services the world has to offer.
3. Increase in ROI – Whether you’re a big brand or a small one, people are not calling influencer marketing a brands best friend for nothing! The average ROI from influencer marketing campaigns are $6.85 for every $1 spent (Jade, 2015). It’s cheaper than celebrity endorsements and brands are finding consumers are finding it a lot more creditable.

Some people see influencers as new age celebrities, due to their new found online fame and for a lot of businesses this is the route they are now going down – an econsultancy survey found that 60% of fashion and beauty brands have a influencer strategy in place (Media Kix, 2016). From Kim Kardashian to Tammy Hembrow, brands are using the most influencial people with high social status’ to promote their brands and it’s working. So next time you’re thinking about implementing a new social media strategy for your brand, you should seriously think about influencer marketing.

Feel like you need to know more about influencer marketing check out the video below:

 

References:

Forbes.com. (2016). Forbes Welcome. [online] Available at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnewman/2015/06/23/love-it-or-hate-it-influencer-marketing-works/#3464d4771551 [Accessed 6 May 2016].

Mediakix – Influencer Marketing Agency + Platform for Brands. (2016). Digital Influencers vs. Celebrities: Who’s Best For Brands?. [online] Available at: http://mediakix.com/2016/02/digital-influencers-vs-celebrities-social-media-week-la/ [Accessed 5 May 2016].

Adweek.com. (2015). 10 Reasons Why Influencer Marketing is the Next Big Thing. [online] Available at: http://www.adweek.com/socialtimes/10-reasons-why-influencer-marketing-is-the-next-big-thing/623407 [Accessed 7 May 2016].

TapInfluence. (2015). What is Influencer Marketing?. [online] Available at: https://www.tapinfluence.com/blog-what-is-influencer-marketing/ [Accessed 7 May 2016].

Jade, Z. (2015). Why Influencer Marketing Works for Big Brands (and Will for You Too) | HireInfluence. [online] HireInfluence. Available at: https://hireinfluence.com/blog/all/why-influencer-marketing-works-for-big-brands-and-will-for-you-too/ [Accessed 8 May 2016].