Influencers: Who Are They and Why You Need Them

Influencers: Who Are They and Why You Need Them

Who are they?

An influencer is a modern term assigned to those who are specialized in a particular niche, like fashion, makeup, fitness, food, and a number of categories and options, just to mention the most popular ones out there. They are “experts” in their area of knowledge and thanks to this they build a fan base that shares their interests.

Thousands of people have been interested in different things for many years, so you may be wondering why suddenly they become “famous” for this and also earn money and pretty much make a living out of it?

Because these people have earned the trust of their audience. People look up to them to make their purchases, follow a certain lifestyle and become users of particular brands. For example, a makeup influencer tests every single product in front of their audience, and then she decides with her audience if she liked the product or not and if she would recommend it or not.

If she ends up recommending the product, this brand will have for sure a considerable amount of new consumers, because they trust her review, hence they feel confident to invest their money in this particular product or service. It’s pretty much like asking advice from a friend, and you trust your friends, right?

Cool to know that but- does my brand needs an influencer?

After the incredible growth that influencers have experienced in the past couple of years, many brands started to incorporate them into their marketing strategy. How? Simple:

They send the influencer that fits better the brand a couple of products (the bran usually has a long PR list to send out packages). Then the influencer tests these products and makes a good review out of them in their social media. In theory, brands can earn hundreds of new followers, new consumers, and reach a segment that they couldn’t have reached through traditional media. This is especially effective with Millennials and Generation Z, who are all about technology, cell phones, and social media.

According to AppTamin, you should answer the following questions before making the decision of working with an influencer:

  • How often do you hear your topic mentioned in the news?
  • How many similar products are already in the market?
  • Does your product have a broad demographic appeal (e.g., teens, retirees)?
  • Will your consumers feel excited to know more about your product?

 

If your answer is yes for the majority of these questions, then you definitely start considering influencer marketing for your brand.

 

Where to begin my influencer strategy?

For starters, you need to plan your strategy, this includes a calendar schedule, budget, objective and goals. Second of all, please, be realistic with your goals. If you do things right you can achieve great results, but don’t expect to become the #1 brand in the world within a few months. It just doesn’t work that way.

After the planning part is done, you need to start the search for the influencers that fit your brand. You have to make sure they are aligned with your brand personality, your brand values, and that you would feel comfortable with them representing you in front of their followers.

Recap

Influencer marketing is a growth strategy that has proven its worth in a changing market, so sooner or later you’ll have to jump in and include it in your life. And this is actually good news for small brands because 10 years ago to think about marketing and advertising was to think in thousands of dollars that maybe you don’t have, but with influencer marketing, you can get even better results, with a small budget.

I know this is a lot to take in, but there are many experts and tools (including us!) that can help you get started with influencer marketing, you don’t have to do it all on your own.

If you have any comments or questions, feel free to share with us in the comment section.

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