The Rise and Success of Influencer Marketing

On the fourth day of Christmas Honchō gave to me influencer marketing… Sophie, our Project Manager, explores the effect influencer marketing can have on your brand when done successfully.

Throughout 2018, influencer marketing has become an integral part of many brands’ overall marketing strategy. Not only does it help to boost brand awareness, user engagement and customer loyalty (to name a few benefits), it’s also proven to have a fantastic ROI.  

 “92% of consumers trust an influencer more than a traditional advertisement.”

{Source: www.forbes.com}

So, what exactly is influencer marketing?

Influencer marketing is using other people to promote your products or services. To be successful at it, the influencers you choose shouldn’t just be based on how many followers they have, but someone who has the power to influence the perception of others.

They must also be relevant to your industry in order to expose your brand to the right people. The best influencers are those that have a reach that spans beyond your current community. This way you can reach new audiences that you previously wouldn’t have had a connection with.

Who’s doing it well?

Pampers

If you follow Chrissie Teigen on social media, you may have noticed she’s posted lots on Pampers Pure. With over 21 million followers on Instagram, not only does she have a huge audience, but she also regularly documents her life as a working mum in a very down to earth and relatable way, making her a great fit for the brand.

Bondi Sands

Influencers play a huge role in the success of the Australian self-tanning brand and are a vital part of the business’s marketing strategy. They have influencers across the globe who regularly share images off their bronzed skin and highlight the benefits of the products. Back in August, Bondi Sands stepped up their game by partnering with one of social media’s biggest influencers, Kylie Jenner.

Within 24 hours of the post going live, Bondi Sands received an additional 20,000 Instagram followers and a 500 per cent increase in global sales. This was a very clever move from Bondi Sands, fully cementing the brand’s expansion into the US.

Daniel Wellington

They use a mix of influencers with a large following and those with a smaller following (sometimes between 5k-15k) in order to reach a varied audience and to maximise engagement. Plus, they’re extremely consistent in their approach. It’s hard to scroll through Instagram without seeing someone wearing a Daniel Wellington watch!

Currently, there are 2 million posts on Instagram tagged #danielwellington, but just 6,000 posts on the Daniel Wellington Instagram page, proving just how many people are talking about the brand.

But what impact does influencer marketing have on SEO?

Links, links and more links

Links are still a major ranking factor but acquiring natural, high-quality links is becoming more and more difficult. Partnering with influencers is a great way to build authoritative inbound links through content-driven campaigns. Plus, if an influencer shares your links this increases your chance of their followers sharing it too.

Unique content

Coming up with interesting and engaging content on a regular basis can be tough, not to mention time-consuming. But this is where influencers can help. Their job is to come up with fresh content ideas that showcase your products or services in a real-life scenario. Influencers will know the type of content that captivates their audience and how to successfully relay your message. They also won’t want to share something their audience won’t like or engage with, so it’s a win-win for your brand.

Increased engagement and brand awareness

 As previously mentioned, partnering with influencers is a great way to drive engagement. The more you engage your audience the more traffic you will drive to your site. Influencers are capable of reaching an audience different to your own, so you should take advantage of their community to boost your brand awareness.

2019 predictions?

With social media only getting more and more popular, influencer marketing is going to continue to be a driving force for brands looking to grow their online presence. I think it’ safe to say influencer marketing is here to stay…

Tweet Honcho_Search to share your thoughts on influencer marketing. Have a great Christmas!