A Guide to Social Influencer Marketing for 2023

As generations have evolved, so have career aspirations. Where our grandparents would have typically taken administrative or manual labour roles, today’s generation is looking to the online world to make their money. Nowadays, 17% of 11-16 year olds say they want to be a social media influencer when they grow up; with 1 in 11 of these wanting to specifically earn on YouTube as a content creator. But what is it about becoming a social media influencer that is so appealing?

Aside from the large sums of money brands are offering up, millennials and Gen Z want a careers as social media influencers because of the following:

1. To make a difference in the world
2. The working hours are flexible
3. To get their ideas out to as large an audience as possible

What are social media influencers?

Unless you’ve been in hiding for the past decade, social media influencers are incredibly hard to miss nowadays. Simply put, a social media influencer is someone who has an established profile on any social media platform which they use to promote a brand’s products/services to their loyal followers. 

Influencing has been a recognised marketing technique for almost 300 years; with the earliest example coming from Josiah Wedgwood in 1760. For a more in depth look at the timeline of influencer marketing, check out our article on how influencer marketing has changed. As we have stepped into the modern, digital era, influencing is no longer about celebrity endorsements, but, instead, just as viable a career path as any for the everyday person. 

Coming in all shapes and sizes, social media influencers have more to offer up than just promoting a brand’s products. The size of their following determines their engagement rate (how actively involved with their content an audience is) and, therefore, which specific tasks they are able to execute. Let’s take a look at the influencer categories:

Nano influencers – 1k-10k followers – ideal for start-ups and small to medium sized businesses.

Micro influencers – 10k-100k followers – good for generating focused leads.

Macro influencers – 100k-1M followers – can help increase reach.

Mega influencers – 1M+ followers – great for increasing brand awareness.

Why do social media influencers exist?

Long gone are the times of traditional advertising formats. Social influencer marketing takes the long-standing word-of-mouth method and places it into a modern setting. Instead of an audience relying on celebrity endorsements to discover new products, recommendations now come from social media influencers who more closely represent the everyday person. Think about it, how likely are you to be persuaded to buy a product promoted by a celebrity who has probably never touched it in the first place vs. one that is recommended to you by a close friend or family member? Think of the influencer as the latter. 

Consumer behaviours are changing. The demand for a democratic purchasing experience is higher than ever, as consumers now want the freedom to choose which brands to purchase from as opposed to being told where to go. This is where social influencer marketing steps in. By utilising the persuasive power of an influencer, brands stand more of a chance of attracting new customers without directly shoving their products down people’s throats; which, as we’ve come to learn, is the easiest way to turn potential customers away. 

Social influencer marketing thrives on the power of storytelling. Going hand in hand with their freedom to choose which brands they want to explore further, being met with a heartwarming story about the brand’s origins or what they believe in, makes the consumer feel like they have made a sound decision; increasing their purchasing potential. 

To recap:

Modern advertising formats, a change in consumer behaviour and the power of storytelling are all catalysts for the inevitable dominance of social influencer marketing. The industry is constantly evolving at rapid speeds, so this day might just come sooner than we anticipate. 

So you’re a brand who…

wants to know the benefits of using social influencer marketing

Social media influencers represent modern day marketing. Their implementation into your marketing strategy will quite literally bring you up to speed with the modern world, solidify your standing in it and prove to consumers that you aren’t falling behind. Aside from this, social influencer marketing can do the following:

1. Increase brand awareness and reach
2. Build credibility and trust
3. Enrich your content strategy 
4. Create long-lasting partnerships
5. Boost SEO and ROI
6. Drive purchase decisions
7. Increase sales
8. It is cost effective and saves time
9. It is suitable for any business 

While each of these benefits are achievable, their success rates can differ according to which platform you operate on. For example, with TikTok pushing short form video content, it is the perfect place to run 30 second ads between videos on the fyp; which increases brand awareness and reach. On the other hand, Instagram optimises its use of interactive images to lead successful influencer marketing campaigns; driving purchasing decisions and enriching content strategies. 

wants to know how to use social influencer marketing

The great thing about social influencer marketing is that it isn’t a one-size-fits-all process. Each strategy can be tailored to suit your brand’s needs and goals. But how do you know what your needs and goals are in the first place?

Nobody knows your brand better than you do and so you should have an understanding of your image, values and what it is you want to achieve for yourself. Taking this and placing it into a social influencer marketing strategy can help you achieve success at a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising methods and within a quicker time frame. 

Thought strategies are flexible, there are initial steps that everyone should take to take a campaign from shelf to screen. 

1. Outline the campaign goals and objectives (personal and numerical)
2. Decide which campaign type to run
3. Discuss with the influencer(s) which product/service will be promoted
4. What content will be needed from the influencer(s)?
5. What benefits will the influencer receive?
6. How will the results of the campaign be tracked and measured?

Answering these questions will set you up with a great head start. 

An overview

The digital era is evolving faster than we could ever imagine. Advancements in technology and social media platforms make for social influencer marketing fast becoming the dominant method of marketing. In order to maximise the opportunity for success, brands need to begin implementing social media influencers into their strategies across a range of platforms and for a range of consumers. 

FAQ’s

What is a social media influencer?

A social media influencer is someone who uses their established profiles to promote a brand’s products or services to their followers. 

Why are social media influencers important?

Social media influencers bring brand’s up to speed with the modern world. They adhere to new consumer behaviour and trends and are the future of the marketing industry.

Our Influencer marketing agency and Social agency are located worldwide, with our agency network based in the USA, UK, UAE and China.

If you want to receive our industry insights, visit our Influencer Marketing & Social Media blog.

@ Socially Powerful

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