{"id":2561,"date":"2021-12-23T21:24:47","date_gmt":"2021-12-23T21:24:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/markerly.com\/blog\/?p=2561"},"modified":"2021-12-23T21:24:48","modified_gmt":"2021-12-23T21:24:48","slug":"benefits-of-influencer-marketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/benefits-of-influencer-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"Benefits of Influencer Marketing: 8 Reasons to Start Now"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\">6<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Open Instagram and you\u2019ll likely see a slew of influencers gracing your feed. While it feels like everyone and their mother is partnering with influencers, there\u2019s a good reason: It works!<\/p>\n<p>Influencer marketing is taking the world by storm, connecting more brands with consumers. Done right, influencer partnerships are a win for everyone: You promote your business, the customer finds a product they love, and the influencer earns some cash for their hard work.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Of course, every business has to justify how it spends its time and money. While you should certainly keep your existing mix of email, organic content, and paid ads, it\u2019s a good idea to add influencer marketing into the mix, too.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The 8 Big Benefits of Influencer Marketing<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Not entirely sold on influencers? Every business is different, but you\u2019ll likely see these 8 benefits of influencer marketing when you join forces with an experienced influencer.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>1. Overcome Advertising Fatigue<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>If you aren\u2019t ready to give up your Google Ads campaigns just yet, we get it. It\u2019s hard deviating from advertising when it used to bring in a ton of leads.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>But consider this: How many people are <em>actually <\/em>paying attention to your paid ads?&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>PPC dollars just don\u2019t go as far as they used to, especially in an environment where <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/352030\/adblockign-usage-usa-age\/#:~:text=A%20study%20from%20the%20second,well%2046%20and%2055%20years.\" target=\"_blank\">45% of consumers<\/a> use ad blockers.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Influencers, on the other hand, <a href=\"https:\/\/markerly.com\/blog\/5-ways-influencer-partnerships-promote-interest-in-your-brand\/\">have already captured your audience\u2019s hearts<\/a>. Sure, your audience could scroll right past your influencer\u2019s content, but if it\u2019s an influencer they know and love, there\u2019s a good chance they\u2019ll stick around to hear their message.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. Build Trust<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/J1RQXCbdH3ma8MBYqdOXKG2CZfRUwl5EnF95aW4xQ86uc_91rLYKl4vxBWaIvgdloAscRYdzIFxa9UHDHkbx-96vvM2DE0S4cS57JOjMuD2A5YOKqvpLOmkGz4ncdarCOSlK1MGN\" alt=\"Benefits of influencer marketing: Man holding his hand out\"\/><\/figure>\n<p>No matter your niche, your audience needs to trust you to buy your products or services. But trust is in short supply these days, thanks to decreasing consumer confidence and brand loyalty.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, the antidote is pretty simple: Influencer marketing helps brands build trust. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.searchenginejournal.com\/launching-influencer-marketing-campaigns-key-considerations\/316639\/?itm_source=site-search\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Forty-nine percent of consumers<\/a> make purchasing decisions based on what they see from their favorite influencers. This is especially potent for younger consumers, with 70% of <a href=\"https:\/\/markerly.com\/blog\/how-to-successfully-market-to-gen-z\/\">Gen Z teens trusting influencers<\/a> more than traditional celebrity endorsements.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>3. Reach the Right Demographics<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Who is your ideal target audience? If you partner with the right influencer, you\u2019ll have an immediate in with a readymade audience that\u2019s open to your promotions, which is a huge benefit of influencer marketing.<\/p>\n<p>Instead of crossing your fingers and hoping that your ad targeting was on point, you can reach the right people by partnering up with an Instagram influencer. If you need to get in touch with Gen Z or millennial consumers, influencer partnerships make the magic happen.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>And since <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/blakemorgan\/2020\/02\/28\/50-stats-all-marketers-must-know-about-gen-z\/?sh=2b910b2f76d0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">70% of Gen Z consumers<\/a> say they have influence over what their family buys\u2014including food and furniture\u2014influencer partnerships deliver your promotions to Gen Z\u2019s social circle, too.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>4. Get a Greater Return on Investment<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Does your boss need to see black-and-white data in favor of influencer marketing?&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Get this: Influencers generate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shopify.com\/blog\/influencer-marketing-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">11 times more ROI<\/a> than paid ads. For every $1 you spend on influencer marketing, you can generate $5.20 in sales, which is a tremendous benefit of influencer marketing.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s an incredible amount of ROI, especially if you aren\u2019t getting as much traction on your other marketing channels as you used to.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>5. Forge Long-Term Partnerships<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/markerly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/influencer-taking-a-video-of-himself-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"Benefits of influencer marketing: Man films himself sitting on couch\" class=\"wp-image-2564\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/influencer-taking-a-video-of-himself-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/influencer-taking-a-video-of-himself-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/influencer-taking-a-video-of-himself-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/influencer-taking-a-video-of-himself.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>Influencer marketing actually requires less work than you think. After you execute a campaign and get great results, you\u2019re free to continue partnering up with your favorite influencers. There\u2019s no need to source new influencers for every campaign\u2014unless you feel like it, that is.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Over time, influencer marketing becomes even easier because you\u2019ll find a handful of experienced, trustworthy influencers who want to partner with you. This is a great way to score even more features from these influencers and deepen your relationship with their followers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><strong>6. Build Brand Awareness<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Brand awareness might sound like a woo-woo digital marketing metric, but it has a real impact on where your customers choose to spend their money. For example, if you want to buy shoes and have heard great things about Zappos shoes, you\u2019re going to shop there the next time you need a new pair of pumps.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Brand awareness not only puts your brand front and center in shoppers\u2019 minds, but it also gives you more visibility and clout as someone who can solve consumers\u2019 pain points.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The bottom line is that you need a multi-pronged approach to increase brand awareness, and influencer marketing can help you get there. This is especially powerful if you\u2019re launching a new product and need to build buzz fast!<\/p>\n<p>Partner with influencers through <a href=\"https:\/\/markerly.com\/campaign-management\">a platform like Markerly<\/a> to do an unboxing video, testimonial, or demo to generate more excitement. Since 63% of brands <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shopify.com\/blog\/influencer-marketing-statistics\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">plan to increase their influencer marketing spend<\/a> in the next year, be sure to take advantage of this benefit of influencer marketing.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>7. Create Better Content<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/markerly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/influencer-doing-a-make-up-tutorial-video-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"Benefits of influencer marketing: Woman putting on lipgloss with emojis floating above camera\" class=\"wp-image-2565\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/influencer-doing-a-make-up-tutorial-video-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/influencer-doing-a-make-up-tutorial-video-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/influencer-doing-a-make-up-tutorial-video-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/influencer-doing-a-make-up-tutorial-video.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>Lukewarm social media posts won&#8217;t move the needle for businesses today. You need <a href=\"https:\/\/markerly.com\/blog\/7-benefits-of-consistent-high-quality-content-marketing\/\">engaging, thumb-stopping content<\/a> that makes users engage with you. That\u2019s a tall order, especially if you\u2019re running a content marketing department with few resources.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Since consumers trust influencer content more than branded content, an influencer partnership can help you get more engagements and sales. Influencers have their finger on the pulse of what consumers expect to see, so their content tends to be more relevant and entertaining to shoppers than anything you can make in-house, anyway.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>8. Boost SEO<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Search engine optimization (SEO) is a long game for brands, but it\u2019s still a worthwhile addition to your marketing mix. The good news is that influencer marketing campaigns will boost your SEO!&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>As long as you partner with the right influencers, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.searchenginewatch.com\/2017\/03\/08\/how-influencer-marketing-can-benefit-your-seo-strategy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">they can improve your SEO through<\/a>:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Backlinks<\/strong>: Links make the world go \u2018round. When you partner with an influencer, they can help you generate more reputable inbound links. If your influencer is also a blogger, they can even give you a high-quality backlink from their site, boosting SEO even more.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Higher engagement rates<\/strong>: Search engines reward websites that engage their visitors. So, the more your content excites readers, the better your rank will be in search. Since influencer content is more desirable than branded content, this is a great tactic for improving your search presence.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Consistent content<\/strong>: Content creation is really hard, especially if you\u2019re strapped for time. One of the best benefits of influencer marketing is that your influencers can do the heavy lifting for you. It\u2019s much easier to post frequently when influencers are making content on your behalf! Shoppers will love the consistency and search engines will pick up on it, too.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>How to Get Started With Influencer Marketing<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Influencer marketing is an ROI gold mine for businesses, but you have to <a href=\"https:\/\/markerly.com\/blog\/back-to-basics-understanding-the-influencer-landscape\/\">approach influencer relationships the right way<\/a>. Make sure you pave a path to success by following these quick tips to reap the benefits of influencer marketing.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>1. Create a Marketing Strategy<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>What\u2019s the purpose of your influencer campaign? You can\u2019t market yourself unless you have a goal first. Before you even think about approaching an influencer, make sure you\u2019ve defined your:&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Target audience<\/li>\n<li>Marketing budget<\/li>\n<li>Metrics and KPIs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>2. Find the Right Influencer Partnership<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/markerly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/influencer-wearing-a-backpack-while-shouting-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"Woman yells out through her phone\" class=\"wp-image-2563\" srcset=\"https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/influencer-wearing-a-backpack-while-shouting-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/influencer-wearing-a-backpack-while-shouting-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/influencer-wearing-a-backpack-while-shouting-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/influencer-wearing-a-backpack-while-shouting.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/influencermarketinghub.com\/influencer-marketing-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sixty-seven percent of brands<\/a> are concerned about influencer fraud, so it\u2019s important to choose a legitimate, experienced influencer.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But how do you prove an influencer is legit?&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Consider partnering with micro-influencers<\/strong>: They\u2019re smaller, more affordable, and tend to have better engagement with their followers, anyway. With an audience size of 5,000-20,000 people, micro-influencers will still give you <a href=\"https:\/\/markerly.com\/blog\/micro-influencers-vs-macro-influencers\/\">a wide enough reach to generate ROI<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Look at their audience<\/strong>: Choose influencers who are already connected with your customer persona. For example, if your target persona is Gen Z, pick an influencer who is Gen Z and\/or has Gen Z followers.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Check their metrics<\/strong>: Conversions, engagement rates, and an influencer\u2019s number of followers should factor into who you partner with. These figures aren\u2019t always available, but a little digital snooping can tell you if an influencer is real or not.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you\u2019re in a pinch and don\u2019t have the bandwidth to find the right influencer, <a href=\"https:\/\/markerly.com\/campaign-management\">Markerly can speed this process up for you<\/a>! We take on all of the research, hunting, and outreach to match you with the perfect influencer for the job.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>3. Collaborate on Content<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve found the influencer of your dreams, it\u2019s time to collaborate with them. You obviously have some creative control here, but it\u2019s important for brands to let the influencer do their thing.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>An influencer\u2019s followers will be able to tell if you forced the influencer to read a sanitized corporate script, so don\u2019t micromanage their content. To make this process even easier, <a href=\"https:\/\/trello.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">set up a Trello board<\/a> so you can track the influencer\u2019s progress and store all of your campaign assets in one place.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Enjoy the Benefits of Influencer Marketing<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Paid ads aren\u2019t generating the ROI that they used to. Instead of watching your ad spend go down the drain, funnel those resources into an influencer marketing campaign that gets results. There are so many benefits of influencer marketing, including increased brand awareness, better content marketing, and greater ROI. It\u2019s a true asset to your marketing mix that\u2019s definitely worth a shot!<\/p>\n<p>Ready to kick off your first influencer campaign? Our tips will help you get started, but tools like Markerly simplify the entire process. Trust our influencer experts to find the right influencer for the job, amplify your content, track conversions, and everything in between.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/markerly.com\/contact-us\">Get in touch now<\/a> to kick off your influencer marketing campaign.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\">6<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span> Discover how and why to add influencer partnerships into your marketing mix with this in-depth guide to the benefits of influencer marketing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":2562,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2561"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2561"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2561\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2566,"href":"https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2561\/revisions\/2566"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2562"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2561"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2561"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/staging.markerly.com\/pulse\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2561"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}