When Facebook emerged about a decade and a half ago, nobody probably thought social media would be as big as it is today. Brands have proven themselves quick at capitalising on the growth of social media platforms – first through targeted advertising, and today through influencer marketing.
Influencers, in particular, have now become an integral part of today’s marketing landscape. We’ll take a look at why brands love working with influencers, and why having a large following and a loud voice in social media makes for a lucrative full-time job.
Who counts as an influencer?
“Influencer” is perhaps one of the most straightforward job titles out there. These folks have a following and social media presence large enough to be able to influence popular opinion, mainly through online content. In this way, they are able to affect people’s behaviour, including their purchasing decisions.
An influencer does not have to be someone with millions of followers. They can be micro-influencers with tens of thousands of people watching them closely or nano-influencers with merely hundreds-strong but highly focused audiences. In any case, they have basically won the hearts and minds of a sizable audience and can sway their opinions to bring desired results.
Businesses are now hiring full-time influencers
Nothing says more about the effectiveness of online influencers than the fact that businesses are hiring them full-time. Recent surveys show that the influencer marketing industry is expected to grow by 29% this year from $16.4 billion in 2022. Here’s why brands are so invested in influencer marketing:
- Consistency and reliability
Influencers working full-time can crank out high-quality content consistently. This allows the business to build trust and brand identity with the influencer’s audience and run an influencer marketing campaign that results in a lasting impact. - Long-term commitment
Brands hiring influencers full-time benefits from a long-term partnership, ensuring a long-term presence for the brand and a sustained relationship with their audience. - Authenticity
When an influencer consistently promotes a brand, they end up building trust in that particular business with their audience. People following them for some time are more likely to believe that the influencer genuinely values that company’s products. - Brand ambassadorship
Influencers working with a business full-time essentially become brand ambassadors. They regularly advocate for the brand, winning over more customers for the business and reinforcing brand loyalty among their followers. - Cost-efficiency
Influencers are much cheaper than big-name celebrities, and hiring one full-time is more cost-effective than paying for individual collaborations. Brands can negotiate fixed payments with the influencer, allowing for a stable, predictable budget. - Strategic alignment
Full-time influencers can become key players in a business’s social media marketing strategy. They can collaborate closely with their partner brands to create content and run campaigns that work well with their style, niche and target audience.
- Exclusivity
A full-time influencer is bound to a contract with the brand they are working with. This often means that they cannot promote competing products and services, and can even be paid to work exclusively for their partner brand for a certain period.
Brands and influencers can benefit from each other
Long-term, full-time collaboration between brands and influencers results in mutual growth. Businesses get to build their brand by taking advantage of the influencer’s established audience, while influencers get to expand their following through consistent and high-quality posts designed to engage their followers – a true win-win scenario.