What exactly is influencer marketing? It is one of the hottest topics right now but it is easily misunderstood. Below is a quick overview of what influencer marketing is and why it is an essential part of every marketing strategy.

What is an influencer?

An influencer has a dedicated and measurable following on one or more social media platforms. They are trusted by their audience and this gives them the opportunity to create meaningful and effective conversations with a particular audience.

Influencer marketing is essentially a digital spin on “word of mouth” marketing. It's a simple idea: I follow X on YouTube and trust her. X said she loved this product in a video. I will try that product because of X's recommendation.

A classic example of a social media influencer is Kim Kardashian. Kim has her own large and dedicated following which pays attention to every word of her posts. More importantly, many followers make purchasing decisions based on the recommendations she makes. However, the majority of influencers are not celebrities like Kim Kardashian, and that's perfect. Influencers don't need to have a highly-rated reality show to make a splash. What matters is that they are people with established and enthusiastic followings across social media platforms because they consistently create engaging content.

Why you should use influencer marketing

Influencers have their own personal brand and are experts in their specific field. Because they have expertise and have developed content relating to their field, they are seen as trustworthy. This is what makes influencer marketing such a powerful tool. 

The trust between influencers and their followers is an opportunity to present a product or service to an audience that might otherwise skip past traditional advertisements. It is an approach that targets audiences that are overlooked or ignored by traditional marketing strategies. Influencers have social capital with audiences who pay attention to and trust what they say. There is a personal bond between influencers and their followers, which translates to a more authentic marketing experience.

Integrating influencer marketing into your strategy

Using influencers is a great way to make sure that your marketing strategy is perfect for the digital age. Without influencer marketing, your brand risks missing out on highly-engaged audiences that have an interest in the kind of products you are offering. But with everyone now on social media, how do you start the search for the right people?

Finding the right influencers to incorporate into your marketing strategy can seem like an impossible task, but MySocial makes it a painless experience. We help you to see beyond the tip of the iceberg of influencer marketing and connect you to more than 20 million influencers. With MySocial Pro you can search easily to find those that fit perfectly with your brand's needs.