Utilizing Influencers
What is a Social Media Influencer?
Being a social media influencer hasn’t always been a job, even though we tend to forget that. Before we get too into it, let’s break down what a social media influencer is, and what the point is with this new development in the world of selling products.
A social media influencer is someone who has a following and is able to promote products in a way that increases sales not only for the product but also does something for their own personal brand. It’s a two-way street, especially if you find someone who fits your brand, and they are highly sought-after. Gone are the days where people will do things for free. If you have been promoting your company and products online for long, you probably have heard about influencers or at least seen them around your Instagram feed.
And there's more than just one type of influencer! You may be familiar with beauty influencers who create YouTube videos featuring products that companies have sent them for free for the chance that they may be featured in their videos. But there is so much more than the beauty industry. As long as people are interested in something, there will be an influencer ready to talk about it. It honestly doesn’t matter what kind of product you have, and if there is a demand, you most likely will be able to find someone willing to promote your product for a fee, or for at least the price of your product. Almost anyone can be an influencer, but the most successful ones are either famous YouTubers, bloggers, social media experts, or anyone else who people trust, and feels more like a friend than a big company. And don’t get caught up in feeling like you won’t be able to reach a famous person to become an influencer for your brand. It’s seriously as simple as finding someone with a decent amount of followers who post pretty pictures. Does someone have great hair and 200k followers? They would probably be a great choice if you are selling your shampoo and conditioner, and with under one million followers, they will be easier to get ahold of.
Why You Need to Invest in Social Media Influencers
There are honestly so many reasons, so let’s start digging into a few of them. Long story short, they generate sales. If you make an amazing connection with someone, they will be the voice and face of your product to thousands of other people. People buy things from people they trust or want to be like. From the second an influencer talks about your product or posts about your product, people are listening, and they want to jump on the bandwagon. They also create content for you. Not all of us are gifted with the talent of taking amazing photos or making YouTube videos. People also don’t want to hear your rave review about your own product.
Influencers are masters of creating content to be shared. When you have great-looking content, you will be able to reach a larger number of people.
Influencers are also incredibly trusted, valued, and are expert communicators. As mentioned above, people buy things from people they trust. They have an incredible amount of authority (84 percent of consumers make a purchase after reading about a product or service on a blog!). They also build relationships between their own followers and your brand. Selling products is all about the relationship between you and the people buying the product. With an influencer, you are more than halfway there, and sometimes you need a go-between. Influencers know exactly what to say, when to say it, and how to say it. They know how to craft the perfect post to get the most bang for your buck. They know their audience, and it is their job to connect with people and engage them with their content. They want your post to do well because they want to do well.
Influencers are a wonderful tool to use when you need to reach a larger audience cost efficiently and creatively. They give your brand a voice and are a trusted source for people to go to if they are interested in your product. Not only do influencers give you a way to increase brand awareness, but they are also a wealth of knowledge when it comes to engagement and creative content.