Influencer

Noun /ˈɪn.flu.ən.sɚ/

‘Someone who affects or changes the way that other people behave, for example through their use of social media.’

Long gone are the days when being a ‘YouTuber’ meant monologues to camera. These days, 14-year-olds sell hair growth capsules, or jet across the world reviewing 5 star resorts you’ve probably never heard of.

At this year’s Cannes film festival, bloggers were treated to champagne on ice, super yachts and designer handbags- no soul selling necessary, just snap, share and go on your influential way. Perks are no longer reserved for celebrity clientele alone.

Influencers are cropping up everywhere. They’re migrating from their blogs to start their own fashion empires or beauty brands, they’re directing, they’re attending the crème de la crème of events and wearing haute couture- they’re seemingly unstoppable.

But perks aside. Ultimately, more and more brands, big and small alike, are realising that influencer marketing is an effective way of reaching their stakeholders and getting their business or product noticed.

Whether it’s the newest IT dress, the launch of a trendy bar or smashed avocado on toast snapped from above- followers want what influencers share.

In fact, new research revealed that 1 in 4 Brits are persuaded to buy products by content shared by influencers. What’s more, 70% of teenage YouTube subscribers said that they related more to YouTube creators than to traditional celebrities.

Studies have shown that consumers respond better to ‘real’ content rather than ads using models. Influencer marketing has a direct link to those buying your product, and can in some cases work much harder than traditional marketing or advertising.

But how can brands do it right?

• Focus on high levels of engagement rather than a massive following.
• Do your research and choose wisely: only reach out to influencers with a demographic that closely matches your own. It’s no good marketing to 19-24 year old women if your core audience is middle aged men.
• Set clear KPIs- you want how many posts? And by when? People have varying levels of professionalism so it’s key to state from the outset what your expectations are.
• ROI doesn’t always mean sales- at the start, brand awareness is key.

The PR landscape is ever changing, and written press releases alone no longer suffice. We’re seeing more and more interest- and success- in blogger and influencer engagement. It’s vital that brands move with the times and embrace change, but it’s important to do it right. Find the right influencers that will champion your brand and reflect your demographic, and it’s a win-win for influencer and business alike.

If you’d like more information on how to tap into influencer marketing- be it with product placements or blogger events- get in touch with us, we’d love to help!