I am in the minority of people on the internet these days when it comes to following influencers. I am not a heavy user of social media platforms, other than Reddit. Though I do have profiles on most social platforms, I do not post regularly, nor do I follow a lot of people.

• Reddit – I skim the front page of the internet to read and see interesting posts from around the world. Following no influencers.

• Facebook – I use Facebook to track close friends and family and read about important posts or events in their lives. Following no influencers.

• Instagram and TikTok – I am barely on, and hardly follow anyone. Following no influencers.

• Twitter – I am on and follow sports teams. Following no influencers.

• Snapchat – I have a profile but am not on it. Following no influencers.

• Telegram – I am on for group chats with family. Following no one.

• YouTube – This would be the only social media platform that I follow influencers on, and that is because I have come to enjoy their content. The influencers I follow share product reviews, discuss medical topics and conduct unprofessional experiments.

What I have noticed about this type of marketing, utilizing influencers, is that it is not new. Yes, the medium of using the internet and social media platforms is new, but the concept of having popular people influence the masses has been done since before marketing was marketing. Dating back to the 1760s with Wedgewood of the UK who got endorsements from the Royal Family for their high-end pottery and china (Goyal, 2018). Though influencers are not traditional celebrities, they do become famous.

The strategies employed by influencers are endorsement of a product or service by word-of-mouth. Now when I say word-of-mouth it can be exactly that, audio on a post, an image of text, or even a comment on a post. But the true essence of word-of-mouth marketing is the support and recommendation of products or services from friends, families, and other close associates. Most audiences, millennials and younger feel like they know influencers on a personal level due to the way influencers post on social media and share details about their lives that most celebrities try to keep hidden.

The role these influencers play in marketing is a large one these days. Not only do they endorse products and services, but they also design, create, and distribute the marketing content therefore they act almost as micro-advertising firms. By using influencers in their marketing strategy businesses can bypass some of the work needed to gain the trust of consumers. The company only has to focus on pleasing one person, who will then tell millions of people who are willing to follow them on social media about the business’s product or service (Pinkerton, 2022).

Marketing perspective is a two-way street. Rather than 80 years ago when consumers blatantly followed brands they knew and were popular, consumers are asking more of companies and brands these days. Corporate social responsibility, more transparency, and personalized customer service are only some of the things consumers now use to vet companies they want to patronize. By including influencers in their marketing campaigns businesses can show the mass online audience that they have certain standards, ideals, cares, thoughts, and more. Choosing the right influencers is always an important part of using this marketing strategy, as we have seen some influencers may not practice what they preach online. When an influencer ceases to be an influencer due to anti-societal or criminal activities, businesses’ reputations may falter due to their association with that influencer (Hurley, 2020).

So as the saying goes, buyer beware. But don’t let that put you off from using influencers in your marketing strategy. Do your due diligence when researching influencers, make sure you choose the right influencer for your business.

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References

Goyal, S. (2018, September 20). Blog: Raising a toast to 250 years of celebrity advertising: Opinion. Campaign India. https://www.campaignindia.in/article/blog-raising-a-toast-to-250-years-of-celebrity-advertising/447282

Hurley, D. (2020, March 5). Intelligent Marketing Perspective. Mautic Community. https://www.mautic.org/blog/marketer/intelligent-marketing-perspective

Pinkerton, L. A. (2022, March). The power of Influencer marketing. https://www.prsa.org/article/the-power-of-influencer-marketing. https://www.prsa.org/article/the-power-of-influencer-marketing