You’ve probably heard the term “influencer marketing” before, but what exactly is it? Influencer marketing is a form of marketing that focuses on key individuals—or groups of individuals—rather than the target market as a whole. These individuals are considered opinion leaders and trendsetters within their respective industries or social media spheres, and their endorsements can carry a lot of weight. 72% of consumers say that they are more likely to purchase after seeing an influencer recommend the product or service on social media.
But why is influencer marketing so popular? And how did it rise to prominence? In this blog post, we’ll answer those questions and more. We’ll also give you tips on getting started with influencers and how to be paid by them. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about influencer marketing!
How Did Influencer Marketing Become So Popular?
There are a few reasons for influencer marketing’s remarkable rise.
First, traditional advertising has become less effective in recent years. Ad blockers have become more prevalent, and people are generally tuned out when it comes to ads—unless those ads come from someone they trust. This leads us to our second reason: trust. People are much more likely to buy something if it’s recommended by a friend or someone they follow online than if they see a standard ad for it. Finally, social media has made it easier than ever for brands to connect with potential influencers and for influencers to reach their target audiences.
Why Do Consumers Trust Influencers More Than Ads?
When it comes down to it, people simply don’t trust ads as much as they used to. Only 4% of consumers say that they completely trust traditional advertising. This lack of trust is likely because ads are becoming more and more intrusive—think pop-ups, auto-playing videos, and sponsored posts clogging up your feed.
On the other hand, people do trust recommendations from friends and family members, as well as from online influencers who have built up credibility within their industries or niche communities. In other words, people are far more likely to take action based on a recommendation from someone they know and trust than from an impersonal ad.
So What Makes an Influencer?
It’s not just about fame or follower count. It’s about engagement, relevance, and authenticity.
An influencer is someone who can make others take action. They’re credible and trustworthy, and their recommendations carry weight.
They’re also passionate about their interests and have a deep understanding of their niche. Their content is engaging and informative, and they’re always looking for new ways to connect with their audience.
Types of influencers
Micro influencers
Micro influencers are social media users with a small but engaged following. They typically have between 1,000 and 100,000 followers and can be very effective in promoting your brand or product.
Macro influencers
Macro influencers are social media users with a large following. They typically have over 100,000 followers and can reach a wide audience. Macro influencers can be effective in promoting your brand or product, but they may also be more expensive to work with.
Nano influencers
Nano influencers are social media users with a very small following. They typically have under 1,000 followers and can be very effective in promoting your brand or product to a niche audience. Nano influencers may also be less expensive to work with than other types of influencers.
Celebrity influencers
Celebrity influencers are social media users who are famous in their own right. They typically have a large following and can reach a wide audience. Celebrity influencers can be effective in promoting your brand or product, but they may also be more expensive to work with.
Top Celebrity influencers on Facebook and Instagram
- Selena Gomez – 123 million followers on Instagram, 59 million followers on Facebook
- Kim Kardashian – 113 million followers on Instagram, 58 million followers on Facebook
- Beyoncé – 104 million followers on Instagram, 49 million followers on Facebook
- Rihanna – 96 million followers on Instagram, 48 million followers on Facebook
- Justin Bieber – 94 million followers on Instagram, 73 million followers on Facebook
These are some of the most popular celebrity influencers on social media. If you are looking to promote your brand or product to a wide audience, these are some of the people you should consider working with. However, keep in mind that they may be more expensive to work with than other types of influencers.
But not all influencers are celebrities. In fact, many of the most influential people on social media are not famous at all. They’re just everyday people with interesting things to say and a large following of engaged fans.
And not all celebrities are influencers either. Just because someone is famous doesn’t mean they have influence online. In fact, there are plenty of celebrities who are barely active on social media or who have very small followings compared to their mainstream fame.
Top Influencers in 2022
As the world of digital marketing and social media continues to grow and evolve, so too do the people who are leading the charge. Here are some of the top influencers to watch out for in 2022:
Top Influencers on Facebook:
- DanTDM
- PewDiePie
- Zoe Sugg
- Connor Franta
- Dude Perfect
- Liza Koshy
- Markiplier
- Smosh
- The Rubens
- Jacksepticeye
Top Influencers on Twitter:
- Justin Bieber
- Barack Obama
- Kanye West
- Rihanna
- Taylor Swift
- Ellen DeGeneres
- Lady Gaga
- Katy Perry
- Bruno Mars
- Ariana Grande
Top Influencers on Instagram:
- Selena Gomez
- Kim Kardashian
- Ariana Grande
- Beyonce
- Taylor Swift
- Kylie Jenner
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Lionel Messi
- Neymar
- Justin Bieber
Top Industries
Here are the top industries that use influencer marketing:
- Fashion
- Beauty
- Lifestyle
- Travel
- Food and beverage
- Technology
- Sports and fitness
- Auto and automotive
Each of these industries have different types of influencers that they use to reach their target audiences. There are fashion bloggers, beauty vloggers, lifestyle influencers, travel bloggers, foodies, tech reviewers, sports stars, and more. By working with the right influencer for your industry, you can reach your target audience in a way that is authentic and engaging.
Influencer marketing can be an effective way to reach your target audience and build your brand. If you’re not sure where to start, consider working with an influencer marketing agency to help you identify the right influencers for your business.
How Can I Get Started With Influencers?
If you’re interested in incorporating influencer marketing into your digital marketing strategy, there are a few things you need to do first. First, you’ll need to identify your target audience and the key opinion leaders within that audience.
There are a few different ways you can find and contact influencers, including using hashtags (more on that in a minute), searching Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or other social media, use or attending industry events where they’re sure to be present. There are also a number of different platforms that can help you with this, like https://www.influencity.com/, https://heepsy.com.
Once you’ve found some potential influencers, take a look at their content and see if it would be a good fit for your brand. If it is, reach out to them and see if they’re interested in working together.
Once you’ve established a relationship with an influencer, it’s time to start creating content. This could be anything from a blog post or video to an Instagram photo or tweet. The important thing is that the content is valuable to their audience and helps you achieve your marketing goals.
How Do I Pay Influencers?
As I mentioned earlier, one of the benefits of influencer marketing is that people are generally more receptive to product recommendations from an influencer than from a traditional ad. However, that doesn’t mean that you can just expect results without compensating your collaborators appropriately. For an influencer partnership to be successful, there needs to be open communication about what each party expects from the arrangement. That includes compensation—which can come in the form of free products or services, monetary payment per post or click-through, or even just commission on sales generated by the partnership.
Conclusion
Influencer marketing can be a great way to reach new audiences and promote your brand. However, it’s important to do your research and plan carefully to get the most out of it. With the right approach, you can build relationships with influential people and create content that will resonates with their followers.