Why Influencer Marketing Needs to be Part of Your Strategy

In the era of social media, influencer marketing has emerged as an important strategy for brands to effectively drive awareness, gain consumer trust and reach new audiences. Influencers wield significant power in shaping consumer preferences and driving purchasing decisions. According to a consumer trends survey by HubSpot, 31% of social media users favor learning about new products from influencers rather than from other formats or channels (Santiago, 2024). 

Finding the Right Influencer 

When it comes to influencers, it’s not one-size-fits-all; influencers and their audiences come in all shapes and sizes and finding the right one for your brand is critical. Let’s take a look at the variety of influencers to choose from.

Understanding Their Audience

Once you understand the different types of influencers, the next step involves understanding how their audience aligns with your brand values and campaign goals. For example, if you’re promoting a Calgary event, choose an influencer that has a predominantly local following with a young, socially driven audience. On the other hand, if you’re promoting a national campaign, choose influencers in a variety of locations that share the same target audience as your brand. When it comes to selecting the best influencer, bigger isn’t always better and oftentimes a smaller more specialized influencer will see greater results. For example, micro-influencers have high trust with followers, boast higher engagement rates and target niche audiences with specialized content, making them a great cost-effective option compared to larger influencers.

Measuring the Impact of Influencer Marketing

There are several indicators to look at to determine the success of your influencer marketing campaign. First of all, like in any marketing campaign, it’s critical to lay out your specific goals, whether they’re aimed at enhancing brand awareness, generating leads, boosting sales or ensuring clarity in your objectives. See the chart below to see the different types of metrics that you can measure.

Influencer Marketing vs. Traditional Marketing

Influencer marketing should not replace your current traditional or digital marketing efforts but rather complement them. Collaborating with creators and influencers who align with your brand’s values, voice, and campaign objectives allows you to engage with new audiences in an authentic and impactful way. While traditional media can raise awareness, the personal connections fostered through social media interactions truly influence decision-making. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, some businesses are achieving a $5.2 ROI for every $1 spent on influencer marketing. While, the top 13% of businesses are generating a revenue of $20 or more for every $1 invested (Geyers, 2024). Furthermore, traditional advertising often involves high upfront costs and uses a “spray-and-pray” approach. In contrast, influencer marketing is highly focused and personalized, resulting in genuine engagement from consumers. This authenticity lends credibility to influencer recommendations. Their firsthand experiences and expertise in specific subjects enhance the trustworthiness of their endorsements. Influencer marketing is only expected to grow over the next few years; Sprout Social expects the global influencer industry to hit 22.5 billion by 2025, which is up from 15.2 billion in 2023 (Sprout Social, 2023).

We work with an incredible roster of creators and influencers who help us bring campaigns to life. If you’re interested in building an influencer marketing strategy but you don’t know where to start – let’s connect. We can help you find the right influencers to reach your audience.

Santiago, E. (2024, March 12). The HubSpot Blog’s 2024 Social Media Marketing Report: Data from 1400+ Global Marketers. HubSpot. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/hubspot-blog-social-media-marketing-report

Geyser, W. (2024, January 30). What is Influencer Marketing? – The Ultimate Guide for 2024.Influencer Marketing Hub.https://influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing/#toc-1 

West, C. (2023, October 6). 22 influencer marketing statistics to guide your brand’s strategy in 2024. Sprout Social. https://sproutsocial.com/insights/influencer-marketing-statistics/