Social media influencers are all over the news. We follow their glamorous lives, know about many of their problems, and buy the things they promote. But what does it mean to be an influencer, specifically a “social media influencer,” and how do they affect you? Read on to find out:    

What is an influencer?

A quick definition of “what an influencer is” boils down to one word: salespeople. However, note that these aren’t traditional salespeople who stand behind a counter to sell you stuff. They represent direct-selling or multi-level marketing (MLM) businesses, often using social media platforms to grow their clientele and contacts. The brands’ aim is to find a need and fill it with their product(s) or service(s.) The person and the brand often develop an interdependent connection due to this transaction. When reaching their peers, influencers have the freedom to pick the channels they want to utilize, increasing viewer engagement while being less invasive and better suited than typical web advertisements.

What is a Social media Influencer?

A social media influencer is a person with a significant following, access to a large audience, and the ability to persuade others to follow their advice. When done correctly, influencer marketing quickly becomes a crucial weapon in a company’s toolbox.

Influencers can inspire others to broaden their social networks since they have the resources and legitimacy to draw in new followers continuously. They can take many forms, from YouTube and TikTok sensations to bloggers, celebrities, internet business owners, and fashionistas. The influencers might target a particular niche to gain universal recognition.

How might a social media influencer use certain media? Here are the top six (6) social media sites to consider using 

• YouTube has channels. Their algorithms are centered around watch times, so it’s best to have engaging content that people will want to watch. 
• Facebook has groups that users can join based on diverse topics. 
• LinkedIn is a professional social networking site. Getting noticed and recognized on this platform makes you an expert in your field.
• Pinterest is a social media site with “Pins,” allowing users to share ideas they like with others. People share the pins to get noticed.
• Instagram uses pictures or short films to encourage sharing the materials with your peers. It enables marketers to tell stories to expand their target audience reach.
• TikTok has “micro movies,” each lasting only a few seconds. Because the content here is designed to be watched in quick succession, people are willing to watch quite a few in one sitting. 

Why do Social Influencers Matter?

Google searches for “influencer marketing” have increased by over 1,500% in the last several years. Marketing has changed due to technology, mainly social media. Conventional marketing isn’t useful or effective as it was a decade ago. Nowadays, consumers actively look for trustworthy info before purchasing on social media. This information may include reviews and comments from other users. Influencer marketing enables greater connection with consumers and prospective customers as well as increased levels of brand engagement.

Our purchasing patterns have changed to include more online shopping from such stores as Amazon, eBay, and Walmart. Millennials are more likely to trust internet sources and social media influences. Businesses have “wised up” to the fact that conventional marketing doesn’t significantly affect a consumer’s attitude or intent to make a purchase. Therefore, social media marketing influencers have come about to promote and advertise brands’ goods and services on their platforms, acting effectively as direct salespeople for businesses. This marketing is much more successful since influencers can communicate directly with customers. The relationship between a customer and an influencer may positively or negatively change a consumer’s original attitude and purchasing intent. This is why companies must consider carefully which social media influencers they allow to promote them.  

Direct selling has changed dramatically due to the rapid development of these technologies. It’s now crucial for businesses to comprehend how this directly impacts the effectiveness and efficiency of marketing plans and initiatives. The way we engage with one another, seek information, and, most crucially, shop have all changed due to the internet. Customers don’t listen to traditional marketing strategies anymore; instead are using online resources and social media to research goods and services.

Instead of dealing with salespeople or browsing corporate websites, you’ll likely pick the brains of your peer network to find out “the skinny” on the situation. It’s one thing to be told by an advertiser to “buy XYZ” product or service from a company, but it’s quite another to hear the same message from someone you know and trust. Traditional advertisements have lost effectiveness since they disrupt consumers’ regular viewing habits. Consumers spend money to avoid watching ads since they are annoying, and there are techniques to filter them out today. Most social media users are more inclined to interact with an advertisement published by a “friend.”

Business Social Media Influencing

Consumers aren’t the only ones who are influenced by social media influencers. Businesses are too. B2B influencer marketing is another avenue of influence. But instead of vying for people’s attention to buy a box of cereal or a high-ticket item such as a fancy car or expensive jewelry, this type of marketing aims at the spending habits of an entire business, industry, or sector of the economy. The same rules and methodologies apply to this type of marketing, as shown above.