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Influencer marketing is an incredibly valuable resource to boost brand awareness, drive engagement, and connect with new audiences. In the fourth instalment of our ‘importance of’ series, we investigate why a targeted influencer strategy is essential, share real-world examples, and provide some tips to help you get started. And don’t forget, if you would like our support with your own audience mapping or PR and marketing activity, please get in touch.
The influencer effect
Influencer marketing has experienced a stratospheric rise in the last ten years, with market size growing sixteen-fold from US $1.4 billion in 2014 to a staggering $24 billion in 2024.1
This relatively new marketing tool has surged in popularity for a simple reason: it’s a hugely effective way to connect with audiences. And while consumers are becoming increasingly immune to advertising and branded content, 69% of people say they trust the recommendations that influencers give for new products or services.2
As the adage often attributed to Jean-Louis Gassée, a former executive at Apple, goes: “Advertising is saying you’re good, PR is getting someone else to say you’re good.” The same principle applies to influencer marketing – where the engaging and relevant content, the informal tone, and the sense of familiarity influencers build with their followers enhances the likelihood that their audience will trust their recommendations and make purchases from a brand.
Curated content
Working with influencers with a strong identity and engaged followers can be a hugely powerful marketing strategy, so it’s no wonder that over 25% of marketers now use influencers as part of their marketing mix.3 It is worth spending some time researching influencers who fit well with your brand and its ethos, with quality content, and the right social media platform, as the most effective partnerships will be where the brand aligns with and can offer true value to an influencer’s audience.
However, while influencers are an effective way to target niche audience segments and increase brand awareness and positive sentiment among an established audience sector, if the creators are picked with care, it is also possible to use influencers to help you branch into completely new markets.
Influencing in action
For example, we worked with a contemporary city centre apart’hotel brand who wanted to diversify from their traditional business traveller audience. Working with travel and lifestyle influencers in the 25–35-year-old age range, along with a select group of local partners aligned to that demographic, we were able to demonstrate that apart’hotels can be a perfect fit for younger, city-break travellers looking for the convenience of a ‘home away from home’ environment. Although this audience may not have heard of an apart’hotel before let alone considered staying in one, it proved a perfect fit for the brand.
In another example, following the introduction of new family facilities, The Belfry Hotel & Resort briefed us to arrange media stays with family influencers to introduce their new offering to a specific, previously untapped audience. Seven family Instagram influencers stayed and experienced the new facilities, resulting in five Instagram stories and an Instagram grid post per influencer, with an increased engagement and an uptick in the number of families booking stays at the resort.
Big is not necessarily better
Choosing the right influencers for your brand depends on what it is you would like to achieve. Influencers come in all shapes and sizes, but big is not necessarily better. Nano influencers of up to 10,000 followers and micro-Influencers of between 10,000 and 100,000 followers will often have a highly engaged audience, charge lower fees to work with them, and are generally more flexible about the content and output. While influencers with a larger following – macro-influencers (100,000 to one million followers) and mega Influencers (one million plus followers) are more likely to have a broad following encompassing many different demographic groups and interests, making it harder to pinpoint precise audiences. The cost barrier to working with them, and the terms attached, can often be prohibitive as well. Because of this, it can be more cost effective to work with a few, highly targeted, smaller influencers.
How to get started
So how can you get started on your own influencer journey? When considering possible influencers, think about which ones stand out and which ones most closely align with your brand and what you’d like to achieve. What is the quality of their content, how good are their engagement rates? Which of your competitor brands do they already work with, if any? Which platforms do they primarily post on and how does this fit with the demographic you would like to reach? Think about breaking your audience down into sections and compiling a wish list of influencers for each, then make sure you have a solid offer for them in return, one that will showcase your brand in its best light and resonate with their followers.
At The Audience, we have extensive experience of working with influencers to help brands achieve their goals. Get in touch to discover how we can collaborate with your own marketing team to achieve exceptional results.
Sources:
1 Influencermarketinghub.com
2 Marketingdive.com
3 Hubspot
