Influencer Marketing has been around for decades, though we might not have called it that until recently.
It’s a powerful way to get leads, make sales and increase brand awareness, even for Business-to-Business (B2B) companies. Fun Fact: Forbes says, Industry surveys signify that 80% of marketers use Influencer Marketing today, and spending is estimated to reach $8 Billion in 2022.
If you’re part of the 20% of marketers not using Influencer Marketing, you might be missing out.
1) Influencers are the new Content Creators And Media Channels:
Brands can benefit from working with influencers in a multitude of ways. Influencers can function as content creators and media channels to develop and distribute organic content that builds engagement, cultivates brand affinity and drives traffic. Each influencer has a specific point of view and highly engaged audience that will help amplify brand messaging directly to the desired audiences. – Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, The BrainTrust.
2) It reduces overall Marketing costs:
Usually, it’s expensive to create and publish new content, but an Influencer-led campaign is inexpensive in comparison, mainly because the Influencers typically pay all the creative costs of content production, in majority cases.
3) Influencer-Generated content lasts longer:
Content Marketing is a long-term strategy, as is B2B Influencer Marketing. (Consumer Influencer Marketing often operates under a shorter timeline and can have a significant impact during that time.)
B2B Marketing takes longer to take effect because B2B purchase decisions are more nuanced and comprehensive.
4) It boosts audience engagement:
Influencers have highly engaged audiences that are used to connecting and engaging with the content the Influencers publish.
Partnering with influencers will give you access to that audience and desire to engage with products and brands. More specifically, influencers give brands access to some people, both business-to-consumer (B2C) and B2B, who normally block ads and do not see your content.
One reason that Influencers have such devoted and engaged audiences is that they’re perceived as authentic and trustworthy. As we’ve transitioned into a more informed and transparent age of influencer marketing, audiences are more willing to trust the brand someone mentions as long as it’s appropriately disclosed. People are then more likely to share the branded content with their social circles, increasing the engagement even more.
5) Influencers can help story-tell:
Awareness at the top of the funnel is key. But conversion requires support from a third party.
Always remember: Facts tell, but stories sell!
Forbes says, people listen to Influencers in part because they’re usually very good at telling stories. Many have naturally developed this skill and use it to great effect online. As humans, we love stories and are innately drawn to storytellers. If your brand wants to create a deeper relationship with its audience, it makes sense to partner with an Influencer. An Influencer can help show their audience how your product helped solve a problem they faced. And because their audience is likely made up of similar people to them, the audience relates to the same problem and solution, in both B2C and B2B markets.
If you’d like to explore and get in touch with the best digital content creators from all over the world, follow @itp.live!
In addition to creating ROI-focused Influencer campaigns for our clients, we also organise bespoke events with global digital talent – including Influencer Marketing conferences with industry experts and hosting social media workshops for aspiring Content Creators.