Influencer marketing is the process of identifying, researching, engaging and supporting the people who create the conversations impacting your brand, product or services.
Influencer marketing as a strategy has been growing in popularity for the past few years, but new and different types of brands are now starting to take notice. According to Inc.com, 84% of marketers planned on at least one influencer marketing campaign, and businesses generated over $6 for every $1 invested.
Clothing and beauty brands have had great success with using micro influencers and major celebrities for a while now, but of course, customers are also a big part of influencer marketing as well.
Good examples of customer influencer marketing have been used by ABB and Agrecovery where customer testimonial video campaigns have been used. This type of user-generated content (UGC) allows consumers to be part of the brand story and buyer experience.
Potential customers also prefer content that feels less staged and more natural and videos that look and feel organic can be extremely effective. Nearly 95% of marketers who currently use an influencer marketing strategy believe it is effective, and we only expect this number to increase next year.
Identify key influencers
Chances are you already know some of the influencers in your industry and they may even be in your personal network. Here are some areas where you’ll want to find influencers:
- Repeat customers
- Industry leaders
- Conference speakers
- Bloggers who publish regularly
- Media influencers in your industry
Source: Forbes, Social media examiner
