What Is Influencer Marketing: Here's The Explanation

What Is Influencer Marketing (Image Christina Zaragoza - Unsplash)

YOGYAKARTA - Influencer marketing is now a major form of online marketing. It's been a buzzword for a while now, and the mainstream media regularly references it. However, there are still people who don't really understand what influencer marketing is. Indeed, some people first come across the phrase and immediately think, "what is influencer marketing?"

Influencer Marketing is a mix of old and new marketing tools. It takes the idea of ​​a celebrity endorsement and puts it into a modern content based marketing campaign. The key differentiator when it comes to influencer marketing is that the outcome of the campaign is a collaboration between the brand and the influencer.

But influencer marketing doesn't only involve celebrities. Instead, it revolves around influencers, many of whom would never consider themselves well-known in an offline setting.

According to several sources, What is an Influencer, we define an influencer as someone who has:

• The power to influence the buying decisions of others because of their authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with their audience.
• Followers in different niches, with whom he is actively engaged. The size of the following depends on the size of the niche topic.
• One of the biggest mistakes that traditional media make is failing to see the difference between celebrities and online influencers.

It is also important to realize that most influencers have systematically built a passionate and enthusiastic audience. It's no coincidence that these people follow influencers rather than brands. Audiences don't really care about your brand. They only care about the opinions of influencers. Don't try to impose business rules and practices on your influencer. The audience is theirs, and they can just leave, taking their followers with them.

Illustration of Influencer Marketing (Image - tabitha turner - Unsplash)

What is Influencer Marketing

At a fundamental level, influencer marketing is a type of social media marketing that uses endorsements and product mentions from influencers – individuals who have a dedicated social following and are seen as experts in their niche. Influencer marketing works because of the high level of trust social influencers build with their followers, and their recommendations serve as a form of social proof for your brand's potential customers.

The current state of the influencer marketing landscape

Standing out in 2014 on Instagram was easier than it is today. If you are lucky enough to be featured on Instagram's featured page or your looks are unique enough, then your chances of being selected as an influencer are high. After considerable brand partnerships, some have turned social media influencer marketing into a full-time career.

What works in Influencer Marketing

• Carefully consider your approach to influencer marketing
• Get organized, strategize, plan and budget, take time for research
• Determine your approach to finding influencers – find them organically, subscribe to platforms, or work through an agency
• Be patient and be human – people talk to people, not company to company

Develop a schedule

• Do influencers prefer monthly/quarterly/biannual calls or newsletters?
• Integrate with your PR schedule, product release schedule, etc.
• Send emails on behalf of key executives. Plan travel itineraries for executives and arrange face-to-face meetings

What doesn't work in Influencer Marketing

Generalize your approach to finding and leveraging different influencers. One size does not fit all influencers: adapt your approach to specific influencers

Just look at the popularity of these influencers. Influence doesn't just mean popularity. Remember that your goal is to get a certain action from your customer. Don't automatically assume that the people with the most followers are influencers from a niche.

So after knowing what influencer marketing is, check out other interesting news on VOI, it's time to revolutionize reporting!