More and more consumers refuse to buy from a particular brand if it hasn't been recommended to them. Think about how you take time to read reviews before making a purchase on Amazon or going out to lunch at the new place that opened up 5 minutes from your office. Trust is key when gaining new customers.
Working with influencers such as @kelsiemarietaylor helps you scale your marketing efforts will inspiring new customers
This truth applies to any business whether it's a service like a nail salon or a product-based business like sunglasses store. One of the ways to open up the door to a trusting relationship between your business and your ideal customer is to collaborate with your ideal customer's influencers. Influencer marketing is nothing new, but it has evolved with new engagement mediums. Think about how many people started using the Nike products because Michael Jordan was sponsored by Nike. Jordan has been a top tier influencer for decades. Today, brands can collaborate with popular individuals on everything for Instagram to YouTube in order to expose their brands to their ideal audiences while increasing credibility. People love to use the same products and services their idols do.
With that being said, here are seven reasons you need to start using influencer marketing for your business:
1. Diversify your audience: Can your product or service benefit more than just one demographic? If you sell indestructible kitchen knives and are currently only selling to homemade taco enthusiasts, you're probably missing out on sales. Working with chef influencers can help you crack into the home chef market. The same holds true for cultural demographics. You don't have to limit yourself to only the Hispanic community or only Canadians. With the right influencers, you can work through different language barriers as well.
Influencer marketing gives you access to different age groups and interests
2. Inspire customers: With influencer marketing, customers can learn how to get the most out of what your business has to offer. Say you sell waterproof backpacks that don't get moldy or smelly. Fitness influencers will demonstrate how to use your unique backpacks whether you're into CrossFit or yoga. Outdoor influencers can create a video on how everything you need for an overnight trip fits perfectly into your waterproof backpack.
3. Greater media coverage: Making waves with influencers can help you gain attention from bigger media organizations. A Shark Tank company that produces motion-activated toilet night lights, IllumiBowl was able to generate even more buzz by being featured by mommy bloggers and vloggers around the world. This attention helped IllumiBowl receive shout outs by media companies such as Buzzfeed and Business Insider.
Influencer marketing is an unconventional way to gain greater exposure compared to traditional forms of media like print magazines
4. Influencers create content: In a world where nearly everyone in the U.S. has a smartphone, content rules supreme. When you collaborate with an influencer, you will have your business featured in content created by that influencer. Vloggers are going to create videos of their experience with your brand. Bloggers are going to write about how to get the most out of your product or service. Through their quality content, your sphere of influence will quickly expand. People on social media share the influencers’ videos and articles with their friends and family which will expose more people to your business.
5. They've earned trust: An influencer's audience has grown over time thanks to the influencer's level of authenticity. Influencers who have earned a large following have also earned a great deal of trust. When you work with reliable influencers, you are able to earn more credibility for your brand. Consumers are more likely to buy from a brand that partners with their favorite Instagram accounts and YouTubers. Influencers such as Casey Neistat and Michelle Phan have dedicated followers thanks to the honesty of their content. Endorsements and features from creators like Neistat and Phan can result in strong conversions in online sales.
Trust can be earned through effective, authentic partnerships
6. Step up your SEO game: Thanks to all of the content being generated by influencers, you will have backlinks for days. The link to your website will be in front of potentially millions of social media users on different platforms including Facebook and YouTube.
7. Scale your marketing efforts: One way to think of working with influencers is that you are expanding your marketing team. With every influencer you work with, you could be multiplying your following on a consistent basis. Instead of just you working on marketing efforts, you have other influencers with their own audiences who are acting as ambassadors of your brand. They're invested in creating successful content because they don't want to lose their audience they've worked so hard to build.