Nowadays, influencer marketing has become one of the most famous forms of online advertising. Daily, millions of internet users browse social media for entertainment, inspiration, and product suggestions. 

In this blog, we will explore everything about the impact of influencers on brand growth and influencer marketing with some examples too. Social media marketing firms play a crucial role in leveraging influencer partnerships to enhance brand visibility and engagement.

When did Influencer Marketing Begin? 

Earlier than you might think, actually! Celebrity sponsorship and endorsements are nothing new, of course: pottery company Wedgwood described their products as ‘Queen’s Ware.’. The queen in question? Queen Charlotte—who enjoyed a lengthy reign that started all the way back in 1761.

Fictional brand characters, meanwhile, are often viewed as pioneers, almost proto-influencers that encouraged people to part with their cash. We can count Homepride Fred, Uncle Ben, and even jolly old Saint Nick from those iconic Coca-Cola ads in this method’s ranks.

Let’s look at the more recent past, though. What comes to mind when we think of what influencer marketing is today? With the increased use of social media in the 2010s, along with the ongoing rise of reality TV and vlogging, this period saw brands increasingly work with celebrities and other visible figures to amplify their products and encourage the public to buy them.

Since then, it’s shown no signs of slowing down, despite a YouGov study showing that a whopping 96% of UK consumers said they did not trust influencer marketing back in 2019—put a pin in this because consumer trust is something we’ll return to later on.

Why is Influencer Marketing So In-Demand?

Above all, where brands and companies tie up with influencers, influencer marketing begins. 

They are individuals with a strong media following. They help promote products or services. Yes, these influencers can definitely range from celebrities to niche content creators who have gained trust. 

Here, the content shot by influencers also gets more likes, shares, and comments. So, the brand gets more engagement. Influencers also help brands connect with specific audiences more effectively and they can definitely reach the target audience.

Some Top Influencer Marketing Channels and Examples 

What we can point to as its successes, when it comes to influencer advertising examples, in spite of its negative view of the practice? Let us explore how it has been used in the past among some of the most popular social channels.

1. Instagram 

Why is it so useful?

Big on visuals and highly scrollable, influencers and brands can make use of powerfully creative content that encourages followers to purchase—the channel has reported nearly 130m users tapping on shoppable posts each month. Brands can also use Instagram stories to increase visibility. Over 24 hours, they can highlight themselves or an influencer in the long term and engage audiences through the likes of polls, sharing, and tags.

How is it used?

Ice cream icons Häagen-Dazs used Instagram in partnership with local influencers from across New York City to capitalize on ice cream as a summertime food, as well as the brand’s ‘buy one get one free’ offer by hosting sampling events at specific New York-based stores.

Meanwhile, influencer Kendall Kremer hosted a rooftop summer ice cream sundae party, while Katelyn Calautti shared a sponsored blog on how to host a summer party with Häagen-Dazs products.

What are the results? 

The social coverage of both, along with the sampling events, saw the brand generate 14.3 million impressions and 27,400 engagements—400% above the average engagement rate.

2. YouTube

Why is it so useful?

YouTube lets brands, influencers, and content creators use highly engaging videos to truly highlight the best of what a product has to offer. And with 1.86 billion users across the globe, there’s real potential to reach a lot of people.

What’s more, since the content stays there indefinitely, its ability to remain evergreen shouldn’t be ignored. And with a link to the product or service in any given video’s description, it’s a great way to increase conversions.

How Is It Used?

Virtual private network NordVPN has used YouTube to great effect, working with some of the biggest YouTubers and content creators across the entertainment, tech, and gaming spheres to increase their presence—by featuring in these creators’ videos and including a ‘limited time offer’ link in the videos’ descriptions.

What are the results? 

By sponsoring 598 videos, NordVPN received 5.7m likes, 91.5m views, and a reach of 2.2b.

3. TikTok 

Why is it so useful?

Using short video content combined with big and bold audio, brevity is the name of TikTok’s game, a model that’s proved a hit with almost 21% of the world’s 4.8 billion internet users. Boasting some of the highest engagement across any social channel, it’s made for a highly effective platform for brands to sell their products through—especially when it comes to targeting Gen Z.

How is it used?

The gymwear brand partnered with a range of influencers for their ‘66 Days: Change Your Life’ challenge, a campaign that asked their audience to challenge themselves for 66 days through positive, active habits for a year’s supply of the company.

What are the results? 

By using hashtags across its TikTok video content, the brand amassed 252.6m views on the platform.

How One Can Use Influencer Marketing?

Now, let’s look at some points and know how one can use influencer marketing.

Affiliate Links or Discount Codes 

Here, brands create a unique link or discount code for influencers to share with their followers, using their baked-in audience to raise your profile and drive sales to your site or stores. Typically, the influencer will be sent a sample of the product to create the content based on their experience with said product.

Sponsored Content 

The archetypal influencer post: a paid post that’s usually a photo, video, or blog that features your product or service. The influencer receives a link to your store or promo code to include in the content, and they should include #ad or #sponsored so your audience is aware the influencer has disclosed when they’re promoting sponsored content.

Content and Giveaways

Influencers offer a price (usually a free product or sample) to get a buzz going around your brand, foster excitement in potential customers, and create new buyers.

The contest will feature clear instructions, winner selection criteria, and minimal steps to follow so you can maximize engagement—liking, sharing, or commenting on the post; tagging friends; following your brand’s social media channel; subscribing to a newsletter; or even simply registering an account with your eCommerce store are common entry points.

Brand Ambassadors 

If you are looking for something long-term, then brand legate can raise trust, credibility, and awareness into the future. No matter if this is for a few months or a few years, it is always a great chance for your target audience to get acquainted with the brand. Additionally, it can increase sales and traffic, improve campaign momentum, and have the potential to maximize your ROI.

The brand ambassador option is also great for small businesses that don’t quite have the clout to work with celebrity influencers. Try encouraging employees or existing customers to become brand ambassadors whom you can rely on to share your content and increase brand awareness. It’s an approach that can pay off nicely when it’s done properly.

How Productive is Influencer Marketing?

Let us take a closer look here at how powerful advertising can be. Do you think influencer marketing is worth it through the lens of ROI? Here’s what we have found: 

As a means of creating new customers, influencer marketing is one of the main reasons brands use it. Thankfully, 51% of marketers say the method has helped them gain higher-quality customers in the form of recurring buys and brand advocacy. 

Compared to paid advertising in the form of banner ads, a study from Convince and Convert found that influencer marketing actually got 11x the ROI than banner ads did. 

A report by HypeAuditor found that on average, brands can get $4.21 for every $1 they spend with an influencer on Instagram. Spending $500 on a post with an influencer’s involvement? That’s $2,105 you’ll get in return—not bad at all!

As for which platform yields the biggest ROI, that would be Instagram. A HubSpot survey found that 30% of marketers said they get the most ROI from the channel, with a further 32% saying it’s also the easiest platform to work with influencers on.

Do You Think Influencer Marketing Is Worth It?

Absolutely yes, when done right, influencer marketing is considered the most powerful tool for brand growth, engagement, and conversions. But, as everyone knows, success depends on choosing the right influencers, setting clear goals, and also tracking results. 

It’s time to boost your brand with expert influencer marketing at Nucleo Analytics. Here, we help businesses identify the right influencers who create high-impact campaigns and maximize ROI. 

So, contact us today and try to build a winning influencer marketing strategy.