What is influencer marketing and why it is important in 2022?

A decade ago, influencer marketing was limited to celebrities and a few dedicated bloggers. In today’s world, there are more micro-influencers than the brands themselves. 

In just a few years the number of influencers on social media platforms has skyrocketed. Now, it is more difficult to understand how to implement an influencer marketing strategy and identify the best influencer for your marketing strategy. 

The influencer industry has seen a significant increase in recent years. According to Statista, the influencer market has reached almost $13.5 billion in value.  

What is influencer marketing? 

Influencer marketing is a form of marketing that involves leveraging the influence of an individual or group of individuals to advertise products or services. The concept is to create content, usually, in video and photo format, that will be shared among other users on social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

Influencer marketing is one of the fastest-growing marketing channels. It is helping brands reach their target audience by utilizing popular figures in the industry. 

For example, imagine that you’re on your way to work, trying to decide which coffee shop to stop at for your morning cappuccino. You’ve heard good things about the independent local roaster around the corner, but you’ve also been intrigued by the new franchise that opened recently. 

No matter what kind of person you are or what values and ideals you cherish, chances are pretty high that a particular influencer has helped to shape your opinion about one of these two options.

Who is an Influencer?

An influencer is a person who has an online presence and a certain group of followers that are interested in their opinions and tastes. 

There are different categories of influencers: celebrities, bloggers, social media stars, and YouTubers – each with its own group of followers. 

A brand can tap into the popularity of these influencers by engaging them to promote their products/services on social media, youtube videos, or blogs. This results in effective brand awareness for the business at a relatively low cost.

What is the difference between a micro and a macro influencer?

An influencer can be micro, macro, or both. If an influencer has less than 10,000 followers, they are considered a micro-influencer. They have a smaller reach and their engagement is lower compared to those with more followers. 

Micro-influencers are usually active on social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter. They may not have a website or blog of their own but will post relevant content that drives traffic to the brands they represent. They tend to focus on one specific niche and are able to reach their target audience easily.

Macro-influencers are those with more than 10,000 followers. They usually have a website or blog and can drive traffic to the brands they represent in a much bigger way. 

Their social media following is usually large enough to get the attention of their audience without having to promote the product directly. Macro-influencers are popular because they are seen as an authority on whatever niche they represent.

Both micro and macro-influencers are great for business. However, it is important to know that these influencers are usually more expensive than their smaller counterparts. 

Influencer marketing is still in its infancy stage and there are many brands that have yet to fully explore the possibilities of this type of marketing. As more and more brands begin to embrace influencer marketing, we can expect to see more businesses benefiting from this type of advertising

Why should you use influencer marketing?

Influencer marketing is a new way of connecting to your audience in an authentic and meaningful way. In the age of social media, people are more receptive than ever to hearing from brands that have shared values.

Influencer marketing is one of the most effective ways to drive traffic, leads, and sales. It has been proven to work, so if you’re not already using it in your digital marketing strategy, you’re missing out on a lot of value.

Influencer marketing is the next big thing; it enables brands to connect with customers on a more personal level. Social media has completely changed the game, and this strategy is going to be huge in 2022. 

According to Bloggingwizard, there are about 300,000 influencers with more than 100,000 followers on Instagram alone. 

The key to effective influencer marketing is finding the right influencers who have your target audience’s ear. Once you find them, you’ll need to create a relationship with them by engaging with their content and showing them that you are a brand they should be interested in working with. 

How do influencers influence you?

What makes influencers so effective is that they’ve built a brand that’s tied directly to their personal values and ideals. This allows them to craft messages and content that align with those values, which means that when they share something on social media, it feels like a more authentic recommendation from someone you know personally.

That’s why Starbucks wants to be the kind of company where customers feel good about spending money. And that’s why influencers are so effective.

According to Statista, a worldwide survey states that 50% of brands and agencies have worked with at least 10  influencers.

When Starbucks works with an influencer, they’re making a conscious decision to be associated with someone who embodies the brand’s values.

Influencers also have a built-in audience of people who already like them and trust them. When they recommend something, it feels more authentic than if Starbucks itself were to post the same thing on its own social media channels. That’s why influencers are more effective than celebrities: their followers feel like they’re actually talking to a friend, not just a famous person.

They have a voice. They’re real people with an opinion.

And the best part about this? They have a genuine interest in your brand. That’s right – you can’t buy an influencer’s followers or engagement (with some exceptions). These people aren’t just doing it for the money; they genuinely like your product and want to share it with their audience. This makes them authentic brand ambassadors.

How to find influential people in your niche? 

You may have heard the phrase “birds of a feather flock together.” It’s true that like-minded people tend to associate with one another. This is especially true on social media, where you can see what your connections are interested in. But it also applies to finding influencers in your niche.

If you want them to share your content, you need to start by sharing theirs. You can use the social media channels they are active on to find their content. Once you find it, you can share it and engage with them in the comments section or on other social media platforms.

Everyone has the same question – how to find influential people in their niche and get them to share your content? The secret is that they won’t share everything you send their way. You have to prove your value as a writer, thinker, and businessperson before they will open up to you and share their insights. 

Conclusion

Influencer marketing is a great way to get your brand out there. Rather than creating your own marketing material, why not partner with people who have a large following and see if you can’t work together to generate wins for both of you?