What is influencer marketing and how to use it
Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2025 9:14 am
To stay on the theme of new marketing approaches called “2.0”, which echo a downward trend in more traditional methods such as television, radio or mass emailing, let's discuss the concept of influencer marketing. This practice emerged with the real development of social networks in recent years and its market is now worth nearly 13.8 billion dollars, 20 times more than in 2015 and with ever-increasing growth (source Hubspot).
So what exactly is influencer marketing, who are the different influencers and how can you approach this digital lever and use it for your business?
I. What exactly is influencer marketing?
Influencer marketing is about using the reach and recommendation of influencers. This practice previously existed through forums or blogging, but it has literally exploded with social networks.
Now, platforms such as Instagram, Youtube, Snapchat or TikTok offer enormous possibilities with some users being able to reach millions of subscribers . The goal for brands will be to gain visibility through partnerships with these influential people who will talk about them to their community.
II. The benefits of influencer marketing
It has been proven repeatedly by numerous studies, influencer marketing is simply belgium phone number list effective. Moreover, we advise you to consult the figures of this sector here to realize it.
In addition to the visibility and notoriety that these practices will be able to bring you, influencer marketing has the advantage of being generally less expensive than traditional communication tools and therefore allows a better return on investment. Depending on the influencers you wish to use, you will be able to adjust the conditions. Indeed, some accept unpaid partnerships, in exchange for gifts or products offered.
Another advantage of influencer marketing is that it allows you to target the people you want to reach very precisely. For example, if you are a travel agency or hotel owner and you want to attract visitors, you will collaborate with influencers specialized in travel who are certainly followed by people looking for ideas for stays and good deals.
III. The influencer at the heart of the influencer marketing strategy
Consumer habits have changed a lot in recent years with the development of digital technology . Consumers regularly research online before making a decision. This is where influencers come in, who are increasingly solicited by brands to promote a product.
By definition, an influencer is an opinion leader who, through their visibility and media coverage, has the power to influence consumer behavior.
In concrete terms, if this person talks about a product to their community, there is a good chance that some will purchase the product in question. According to Hubspot, 87% of buyers have already been won over by an influencer before purchasing a product promoted by the latter.
In general, influencers have certain areas of expertise and are specialized in various sectors such as fashion, sports, travel, gastronomy, decoration, etc.
They will then reach very specific and targeted types of people. This is why a brand that wants to use influencer marketing must think carefully about its strategy and study the various profiles and possibilities available to it.
A. The different types of influencers
There are many influencers and their notoriety is measured by their number of subscribers, but also by the engagement rate generated on their account or the impressions made (number of views). Brands will therefore choose the type of influencer they need based on their sales objectives and their targets. Here are the four types of influencers:
Celebrities
Much simpler and less expensive than a salesperson in the field , your inbound marketing campaign will allow you to prospect every day of the week (even on weekends) and at any time. Once you have set up the right content via the right channels, leads should arrive consistently. Be careful, it is not a question of firing all your salespeople to let the magic of inbound work, but rather of finding a balance between your field prospecting and that on the web to reduce your costs intelligently.
Macro-influencers
Less well-known than celebrities, macro-influencers are nevertheless relays that should not be overlooked. Whether they are YouTubers, bloggers or even reality TV stars, macro-influencers have communities that can reach several million subscribers. They maintain a strong bond with their subscribers and a certain proximity by sharing their daily lives via their social networks. For the majority of them, social networks have become a real full-time job and they are comfortable enough to make a living from this business.
Micro-influencers
Micro-influencers have a smaller community than macro-influencers, their number of subscribers is generally between 10,000 and 50,000. However, their content is generally of high quality and they generate greater engagement than macro-influencers. It is therefore generally more profitable to work with the latter. Micro-influencers have their own universe and share personal content while subtly slipping in sponsored operations so as not to lose their credibility.
Nano-influencers
With a smaller community, nano-influencers nevertheless benefit from high engagement which translates into exchanges in comments/messages with their subscribers. With less than 10,000 subscribers to their count, they interest brands because they are more accessible and their rate is lower. Some even work for free, simply in exchange for products or gifts. Frequently categorized as “normal” people, they communicate on social networks or through a blog often out of passion and on subjects that really interest them, which makes them authentic.
So what exactly is influencer marketing, who are the different influencers and how can you approach this digital lever and use it for your business?
I. What exactly is influencer marketing?
Influencer marketing is about using the reach and recommendation of influencers. This practice previously existed through forums or blogging, but it has literally exploded with social networks.
Now, platforms such as Instagram, Youtube, Snapchat or TikTok offer enormous possibilities with some users being able to reach millions of subscribers . The goal for brands will be to gain visibility through partnerships with these influential people who will talk about them to their community.
II. The benefits of influencer marketing
It has been proven repeatedly by numerous studies, influencer marketing is simply belgium phone number list effective. Moreover, we advise you to consult the figures of this sector here to realize it.
In addition to the visibility and notoriety that these practices will be able to bring you, influencer marketing has the advantage of being generally less expensive than traditional communication tools and therefore allows a better return on investment. Depending on the influencers you wish to use, you will be able to adjust the conditions. Indeed, some accept unpaid partnerships, in exchange for gifts or products offered.
Another advantage of influencer marketing is that it allows you to target the people you want to reach very precisely. For example, if you are a travel agency or hotel owner and you want to attract visitors, you will collaborate with influencers specialized in travel who are certainly followed by people looking for ideas for stays and good deals.
III. The influencer at the heart of the influencer marketing strategy
Consumer habits have changed a lot in recent years with the development of digital technology . Consumers regularly research online before making a decision. This is where influencers come in, who are increasingly solicited by brands to promote a product.
By definition, an influencer is an opinion leader who, through their visibility and media coverage, has the power to influence consumer behavior.
In concrete terms, if this person talks about a product to their community, there is a good chance that some will purchase the product in question. According to Hubspot, 87% of buyers have already been won over by an influencer before purchasing a product promoted by the latter.
In general, influencers have certain areas of expertise and are specialized in various sectors such as fashion, sports, travel, gastronomy, decoration, etc.
They will then reach very specific and targeted types of people. This is why a brand that wants to use influencer marketing must think carefully about its strategy and study the various profiles and possibilities available to it.
A. The different types of influencers
There are many influencers and their notoriety is measured by their number of subscribers, but also by the engagement rate generated on their account or the impressions made (number of views). Brands will therefore choose the type of influencer they need based on their sales objectives and their targets. Here are the four types of influencers:
Celebrities
Much simpler and less expensive than a salesperson in the field , your inbound marketing campaign will allow you to prospect every day of the week (even on weekends) and at any time. Once you have set up the right content via the right channels, leads should arrive consistently. Be careful, it is not a question of firing all your salespeople to let the magic of inbound work, but rather of finding a balance between your field prospecting and that on the web to reduce your costs intelligently.
Macro-influencers
Less well-known than celebrities, macro-influencers are nevertheless relays that should not be overlooked. Whether they are YouTubers, bloggers or even reality TV stars, macro-influencers have communities that can reach several million subscribers. They maintain a strong bond with their subscribers and a certain proximity by sharing their daily lives via their social networks. For the majority of them, social networks have become a real full-time job and they are comfortable enough to make a living from this business.
Micro-influencers
Micro-influencers have a smaller community than macro-influencers, their number of subscribers is generally between 10,000 and 50,000. However, their content is generally of high quality and they generate greater engagement than macro-influencers. It is therefore generally more profitable to work with the latter. Micro-influencers have their own universe and share personal content while subtly slipping in sponsored operations so as not to lose their credibility.
Nano-influencers
With a smaller community, nano-influencers nevertheless benefit from high engagement which translates into exchanges in comments/messages with their subscribers. With less than 10,000 subscribers to their count, they interest brands because they are more accessible and their rate is lower. Some even work for free, simply in exchange for products or gifts. Frequently categorized as “normal” people, they communicate on social networks or through a blog often out of passion and on subjects that really interest them, which makes them authentic.