“Influencer”, a buzzword that has carried through into 2018. We have all seen major and smaller brands use the “living billboard” in some way, shape or form. In this blog post, our aim is to help you understand the term a bit better by answering the following questions:
- Who are they?
- What do they do?
- How can they help your brand?
Who are they?
Can you name a few of your favourite “brand ambassadors or influencers”? Are you familiar with the term? We love the way entrepreneur.com explains influencers in a creative manner: “You can think of influencers as mini magazines; you want to place your ads only in those whose look fits your brand and appeals to your demo.” Celebrities, industry leaders, and brand ambassadors all industries in their own right. They have the ability to “influence” people to purchase products, attend events and follow topics or trends. It is important to highlight that each industry will have a set of recognised influencers that have a proven track record.
In an article on Bizcommunity, Bradley Elliott breaks down how influencers are categorised:
“Media fragmentation has led to the emergence of new types of personalities that can aggressively drive the conversation around brands in their own special ways. These are broadly grouped (for now) into four categories: celebrities, influencers, micro-influencers and brand influencers.” We could discuss who they are at length but for this blog post, we will stick to the basics. Before we close off the section on who they are, Lebogang Tsele of SMESouthAfrica showcases a list of 6 Influencers who are carving their space in the local scene you should know about.‘
1. Trevor Stuurman – Street-Style Photographer, Blogger, And Stylist
2. Nadia Jafta – Fashion And Travel Blogger, Clothing Designer
3. Caralishious – Health Blogger, Fitness Enthusiast, Wellness Coach
4. Mihlali Ndamase- Beauty Blogger And Make-Up Artist
5. Aisha Baker – Fashion Blogger
6. Lulama Wolf – Fashion Blogger
What do they do?
Influencers influence – that’s what they do. Yes, it’s as simple as that. Weblogforlove gives us a more detailed explanation by saying:
“According to the website, MediaKix (2017), a social media influencer can be defined as: “These personalities that are often followed for their prowess and expertise in specific categories”. To further explain their relevance, they provide the necessary insight that companies need to reach a larger potential audience.”
Now that you understand who they are and what they do, it is easy to digest the term influencer marketing. Qhama Xhali (Content Manager at Plum Factory agency) breaks down the concept by saying:
“Influencer Marketing has been on the rise because consumers seem to enjoy seeing everyday people being used to sway them into making purchasing decisions. It gives a different and refreshing angle to the term ‘aspirant’. When it’s well-executed, and the right influencer is used, consumers often forget or aren’t bothered that they’re ultimately being sold something”
You are one step away from understanding “influencers”. The last step is the most important part, after all, we are all in the constant search for the best ways to increase brand visibility in a creative way.
How can they help your brand?
Depending on your objectives, influencers can help you in a number of ways. Let’s show you a few stats to get you charged before we show you how they can help your brand.
Did you know:
- 90% of consumers trust peer recommendations
- Consumers are 75% more likely to make a purchase based on social media references
- 80% of general internet users trust advice and recommendations and blogs
- Conversion can increase by 3-10x when sharing content through influencers.
The stats above were taken from “Influencer marketing for dummies: 2018 and beyond” an article by Hlumbelo Ndoni. The Media Online also mentions: “According to an international survey by Linqia, 86% of marketers used Influencer Marketing in 2017, 92% of whom found it effective. “
Now that you know these stats, it is easy to see how influencers can help your brand.
Influencers can help your brand with the following, increasing sales, engagement, reach, the website traffic and providing access to niche markets are the main ways your brand can benefit. Your next question to us would be:
How do I choose the right influencer and who do I contact? This is easy, you can contact our offices to see how you can incorporate influencers into your digital strategy.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog and understand the term “influencer” a bit better.
Like, share and post questions, feedback or topics you would like us to write about in the comment section below.