How Can Influencer Marketing Grow Your Business?

In today’s digital age, social media reigns supreme. According to the National Library of Medicine, nearly four billion people in the world use social media (2020).

This number has only increased over the years and is not expected to decline any time soon. Rather than consuming traditional forms of media such as watching television, reading the newspaper, or going to the movies, people prefer scrolling on social media instead. This is not to say social media is a bad thing—I am an avid user myself. I love everything beauty and fashion related, and most of my favorite beauty products and clothing brands I have found thanks to social media. Gone are the days of having to purchase a slot for your commercial; you can market your brand for free on social media!

What Is Influencer Marketing?

All of these factors lead me to what I gravitate towards the most when it comes to marketing—Influencer marketing. Influencer marketing is when popular social media influencers, such as TikTokers, YouTubers, or anything in-between, endorse products and services from brands that have paid them to do so. Just about anyone with a following online can partake in influencer marketing since there are so many brands trying to get their big break.

Influencer marketing can take various forms such as sponsored posts on Instagram, ad reads in a YouTube video, product reviews on TikTok, and much more. Influencer marketing relies heavily on the trust that the influencer has built with their following, as people tend to believe someone they already know and love over a stranger in a commercial.

Does Influencer Marketing Even Work?

Even though the field is oversaturated, influencer marketing is extremely effective, and we have seen it time and time again. Influencers have a loyal and trusting fanbase, hence why they are called ‘influencers’—they influence their audience. The product or service they are promoting appears to be much more reliable when endorsed by someone with a trusted following. Influencers also tend to have a specific niche that they cater to.

The most popular niche to market to is the beauty community, as there are many beauty and lifestyle content creators online. An example of just how effective influencer marketing can be is the case of the popular cosmetics company Glossier. This brand gained recognition thanks to social media, having been launched in 2014. Through ad campaigns, influencer partnerships, and brand-related hashtags, Glossier is now one of the most popular beauty brands on social media and is worth almost 2 billion dollars.

I speak from experience when I say—Influencer marketing works. Sure, the rise of social media has spurred dozens of products that serve the same purpose, causing every niche to be overly populated. However, influencer marketing has made it possible to get your brand's name out there. For every unknown product, there are hundreds of influencers just waiting to help promote your brand.

References

Dixon, S. J. (2023, August 29). Number of social media users worldwide from 2017 to 2027. Number of global social network users 2017-2027. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/278414/number-of-worldwide-social-network-users/