Digital marketing company ReadyPulse explained influencer marketing as “a wonderful opportunity to connect with customers on an authentic level that is typically absent from traditional advertising.” Working with influencers has increasingly become a strategic and beneficial way for brands to engage audiences while also earning more trust from consumers along the way. Through influencers, brands can promote their content while also extending their visibility – a winning combination.Here are three reasons why you should aim to achieve influencer status.
1. Influencers are considered leaders in their respective field of expertise. Nowadays, stay-at-home moms, full-time professionals, part-time Gigpreneurs, and everyone in between can become influencers. The catch is becoming a leader in how they communicate to their audiences. For example, Erin from San Diego began her blog, Sunny Side Up, to share her love of home décor, organization, fashion and parenting. 114K Instagram followers and counting, Erin is a recognized influencer for brands like Pottery Barn, Nordstrom and more. What began as a hobby for Erin is now a recognized role in influencing others – and she now earns an income from her sponsored posts, events, social media shares, and more.
2. Influencers help shape future decisions made by consumers. Whether someone is looking to buy graphics for their website or deciding between one blog platform to use versus another, the voice of influencers weigh on the final decisions made by many consumers. Through word-of-mouth and social influencer marketing, consumers view influencer insight more authentic and trustworthy than traditional advertising alone. Influencers are essentially advocates for brands, and consumers respond to the energy, excitement, and insight they share regarding these brands. This is more organic—and therefore perceived more genuine—in the eyes of consumers. As a result, more readers are more likely to respond.
3. Influencers become introduced to opportunities they may not have otherwise. Just like Erin earned her influencer role through engaging on Instagram and her blog, others can do the same and enjoy the perks of various opportunities along the way. IBM, for example, recently invited influencers in consumer marketing and retail to the national Shop.org event. The attending influencers were asked to share their experiences from the event via their social media channels using a specific hashtag, and participate in an organized Twitter Chat during the conference. These combined efforts got #NewWayToEngage trending on Twitter multiple times during the three-day event, proving that influencers really do make an impact. All the attendees had their expenses covered in top of being compensated for their participation and—most importantly—they gained valuable insight to share within their own networks, solidifying their roles as thought leaders to trust, refer to and lean on.
When you excel at something, becoming an influencer in that field often happens naturally. This is especially true for Gigpreuners, since we stand out amongst the competition by doing a better job. Over time, this status also helps to earn your influence. So whether you are just starting out or hoping to achieve influencer status more quickly, the key thing to remember is that you need to do it well.
How do you define (and achieve) influence? Which influential entrepreneurs do you follow? Let us know in the comments below!
