Not so long ago, marketing used to heavily rely on billboards and TV ads. Now, a single social media post from an influencer can move thousands to buy your products and services.
But really, what is influencer marketing and why is it such a powerful force?
As of 2024, over 5 billion people are on social media. They spend an average of 143 minutes on social media every day. This is a potential customer base if you play your cards right and influencer marketing is the key to unlocking it.
Today, we will be answering the question, “What is influencer marketing?” in great detail to help you understand why your business may need it. If you're a marketer or a brand looking to expand online influence or boost sales, this is for you.
Influencer marketing involves partnerships between brands and individuals with a strong online following. These individuals are called influencers. They’re paid to promote products and services to their followers.
Platforms like Instagram and YouTube became hotspots for this content marketing strategy in the 2010s. Today, thanks to the addition of more social media platforms, the influencer marketing industry has boomed.
Here’s a statistic that best captures the question, What is influencer marketing? As of 2024, the global value of influencer marketing stood at $24 billion with a potential increase to $32.55 billion in 2025.
Image via Statista
The numbers above illustrate just how important influencer marketing is for brands and marketers. Let’s keep going to see what else we uncover as we pursue the answers to the question, What is influencer marketing?
Marketing comes down to one fundamental question: How convincing are you? Good marketing combines credibility with confidence to convince people to buy your brand’s products or services.
For years, brands have always had to pay top dollar to get this right on traditional media. However, with the introduction of influencer marketing, things have changed.
Influencers already have the audience brands want to reach. Instead of building that from scratch, brands can tap into ready-made communities that are active and paying attention.
Influencer marketing is also cost-effective. A smart partnership with a mid-sized creator may bring better results than an expensive big-budget billboard or TV ad. You reach real people, in real time, with real interest
Still not convinced? Here are the reasons why B2C or B2B influencer marketing is necessary.
A lot of influencers don’t usually start as influencers. They begin as ordinary social media users with engaging content that attracts huge following over time. By the time a brand approaches them, they already have an audience ready to be tapped into.
You can take advantage of this to increase brand awareness through the following:
In 2020, Dunkin’ partnered with Charli D’Amelio, a TikTok influencer, to promote a new drink called Cold Brew. This resulted in 4 billion impressions from 250 million TikTok views.
Image via TikTok
Some audiences just don't respond to traditional ads. They find them annoying and interruptive so they’re likely to scroll past them. However, the same audience will pay attention to influential creators they follow.
Influencers often speak directly to unique audiences that brands may not reach on their own. This could be a specific age group, a niche hobby, or a regional audience. Brands know that accessing such audiences through traditional means is very expensive.
So rather than start from scratch and spend too much, you can crack these new markets through an influencer they already know and trust.
A 2023 survey by Matter Communications showed that 69% of respondents trust influencer recommendations more than information coming directly from the brand itself.
Image via Matter Now
People trust influencers because they’re viewed as authentic and not sales-y. When they talk about a product or service, it's usually based on actual first-hand experience.
Seeing an influencer use a product signals it’s worth trying. This effect, called social proof, is a powerful motivator for consumers. The more people share, like, or comment on an influencer’s post, the more convincing it becomes.
Influencer marketing offers a quick way to test and refine products or services. Anytime influencers share honest reviews with their audience, it sparks discussions.
Social media users often comment with additional feedback. This helps businesses know what consumers think about their products and services.
Anytime followers feel like they’re part of an honest conversation, they never hold back their authentic feelings. Brands can use this feedback to adjust features, packaging, or marketing strategies quickly.
It’s costly to run ads on TV and billboards just to introduce a product or service.
Influencers provide a cheaper and more effective alternative as illustrated by the Matter Now survey we mentioned earlier. It states that 81% of consumers trust the word influencers more than direct promotion by the brand.
However, how do you educate buyers? This can be achieved through the following methods.
Anytime brands partner with influencers, they get more than product promotion and brand visibility. Most times, they end up increasing their own social media following as well.
When social media influencers share content, it reaches a much wider audience. As more people discover your brand through influencers, they follow your social media accounts for future updates.
A good example of an influencer increasing a brand’s followers is Topicals using various influencers to promote a new line of cosmetics. At the end of the campaign, the brand had generated over 3 million impressions and got over 5,000 new followers.
Image via Instagram
Influencer marketing can turn influencers into brand ambassadors, creating long-term brand loyalty. This is a beneficial relationship because it ensures the influencer exclusively promotes your products and services.
Furthermore, it's an ideal tactic to use with influencers who genuinely connect with your brand and wish to continue working with you. But how do you secure long-term partnerships with influencers?
One of the most effective tactics is affiliate marketing. It gives them an incentive to promote your products because they get paid a good cut for every purchase made through the links they share.
A good example of successful brand ambassador partnerships is being run by Gymashark. It scouts for people who are into fitness then offers them merchandise in exchange for exposure. Anyone can also sign up for the role as shown below.
Image via Gymshark
SEO drives organic traffic to your website. Influencers create high-quality backlinks when they link to your website or feature your products.
On top of that, social signals from influencer marketing campaigns can potentially boost SEO performance. These signals include likes, shares, and comments on social platforms.
The greater the exposure, the more the searches for your brand, helping you rank higher on search results.
The answer to the question, What is influencer marketing? wouldn’t be complete without a look at the type of influencers.
Marketing influencers can be grouped into four categories depending on follower count. Here are the different types of influencers:
These are marketing influencers with less than 10,000 followers. They provide highly personalized interactions because their followers are often from tight-knit communities.
Micro-influencers occupy a special influencer marketing sweet spot. They’re the largest group of content creators, accounting for about 47.3%.
Their followers see them as relatable experts, making their recommendations feel personal. Micro-influencers are perfect for building trust and converting followers into potential brand advocates.
With a follower range of between 100,000 and 1 million, macro-influencers are perfect for brands looking to gain traction.
Their content usually targets specific topics, making their followers more engaged. Brands leverage their influence for campaigns that need high exposure in a very short time.
The biggest drawback with using macro-influencers is that they may lack a personal touch due to their huge following.
This group comprises people with a very large following of over a million. Their massive audience usually spans international borders, offering unparalleled exposure for brands. The downside? They’re very expensive.
Mega influencers are ideal for launching products or increasing brand awareness. They bring a lot of attention quickly, but their engagement rates can be low relative to their follower count. Why? Because their followers are too diverse.
Here’s a breakdown of how much each influencer type charges per post across different influencer marketing platforms.
The right influencer marketing strategy can determine the success of your digital marketing efforts. As we explore the question, What is influencer marketing? Here are the important steps you need to adhere to for an effective strategy:
Q1. What are the 3 R's of influencer marketing?
A. The three Rs of influencer marketing are Reach, Relevance, and Resonance. You need to reach your target audience with relevant content that resonates with their needs.
Q2. What does influencer marketing do?
A. Influencer marketing is a type of marketing where businesses use influential individuals with a significant following to promote their products or services.
Q3. How do influencers drive sales?
A. Influencers drive sales through direct engagement with their audience, recommending your products, or staging giveaways to create interest in your business.
Q4. How is an influencer marketer paid?
A. Influencers are often paid flat fees for specific campaigns. They may also earn affiliate commissions. Other compensation forms include performance-based payments that reward influencers for engagement or conversions. Some brands also provide free products as payment. Long-term influencer collaborations may include monthly retainers.
Q5. How do you succeed with influencer marketing?
A. You succeed with influencer marketing by choosing influencers who align with your brand. Additionally, you must define your goals clearly before starting a campaign. Ensure that influencers understand your brand so they can create posts that align with your goals. Lastly, don’t forget to track performance to see what works best.
Hopefully, we’ve answered all your questions related to “What is influencer marketing?” As you can see, influencer marketing is a pretty straightforward strategy. What cannot be disputed is that it can help your business attain brand visibility.
It all comes down to how you plan for it. Ensure you work with the right influencers, allocate a sufficient budget, and spell out your goals well. The results may not be instant, so exercise patience.
Ready to launch your influencer marketing campaign?
Let Attrock’s influencer marketing experts help you find the right creators, manage campaigns, and drive real growth.
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