It’s no secret: consumers are increasingly turning to influencers for advice on what they should buy in nearly every product category. Today’s influencers include bloggers, celebrities, and other social media personalities who have built a strong presence online with a dedicated audience. They are driving everyday purchases through both earned and paid partnerships with brands.

In the mind of the consumer, the connection is incredibly straightforward – if someone they respect is endorsing a product, that product is probably worth checking out.   

By collaborating with influential individuals who have a loyal social media following, brands can tap into a vast network of potential customers while driving significant brand awareness and sales.

How Brands Use Influencers in Their Marketing Strategy

Influencer engagement for brands can be both earned and paid, and each has pros and cons.

Think of paid influencers like advertising.
Pro: Brands are guaranteed placement and can direct the content and timing of the post(s).
Con: That privilege might come at a hefty price (ask us about the time Kim Kardashian offered a paid placement for a cool $1 million). And because it’s paid, it may not be perceived as authentic. Paid influencer placements must always be marked as an #ad, so there’s total transparency for the consumer.

At Resound, we typically approach influencer engagement the same way we do media relations – from an earned perspective first. But there’s a place in a brand’s marketing strategy for paid influencers done right. We often supplement earned influencer campaigns with select paid opportunities that are a strong match for the brand’s audience and goals.

When it comes to earned influencer engagement, the pros and cons are generally flipped.
Con: There are no guarantees, which is why your approach is critical – incorporating strategic elements like affiliate marketing, creative mailers, product gifting, and hyper-personalized pitches. We’ve seen this work with influencers of every size, from micro and nano all the way up to celebrity.
The Big Pro: it’s a much lower-cost alternative to paid – and carries more weight in building consumer loyalty and trust.

The Impact of Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is not just a passing fad – it’s delivering real results for brands. Sprout Social recently reported that 49 percent of consumers make daily, weekly, or monthly purchases because of influencer posts – and 30 percent trust influencers more today than they did just six months ago. That means this is a trend that’s here to stay.

While researchers have yet to compile comprehensive statistics on the return on investment that influencer marketing delivers, HypeAuditor estimates that retailers get $4.12 of earned media value for every influencer dollar they spend on Instagram. Earned placements would be valued even higher, since brands aren’t paying for the posts. ROI can be exponentially higher when brands offer affiliate marketing links for social media creators to include in their posts. This creates an opportunity to drive incremental revenues directly from your influencer marketing strategy.

Getting the Most From Influencer Marketing

The power of an influencer comes not simply from their follower count, but how well their voice and audience align with your brand’s marketing priorities. Just because someone is a mega influencer with millions of followers doesn’t always mean they are the right fit for your marketing strategy.

HubSpot recently found that 35 percent of marketers feel that smaller content creators are more trusted by their audience, while HypeAuditor notes that nano influencers (5,000 followers & under) tend to have the highest engagement rates.

Brands should also consider how to extend the value of their influencer relationships. For example:

  • Share influencer wins with the media. An endorsement from a big celebrity has great PR potential! Pitch celebrity and lifestyle media to promote your new high-profile fans of the brand.
  • Leverage content on other channels. Repost, tag, share influencer content on your own social media, web site, and more! Just make sure you have the appropriate permission from your influencer partner first. Sometimes this does require a fee.  
  • Boost retail relationships. Consider incorporating influencer and press mentions into buyer presentations, or partnering with retail-specific influencers to boost foot traffic into stores or online.

What Can Influencer Marketing Do for Your Business?

At Resound Marketing, we know how to design and execute an influencer marketing strategy that aligns with your unique brand story and marketing goals. We handle the entire process from start to finish, and ensure our programs deliver tangible ROI.

Learn how Resound Marketing helps brands leverage influencer marketing for PR through earned and paid strategies, driving visibility, credibility, and sales. Ready to take the next step? Get in touch today to learn more.