What is Influencer Marketing?

An influencer, as defined by the Cambridge Dictionary, is someone who affects or changes the way other people behave. Influencer Marketing is not a new phenomenon. Influencer marketing works because people are influenced by people, and find word-of-mouth to be the most trusted source for recommendations.

Today more than ever, consumers are choosing to listen to each other over brands. That’s why influencers are so powerful. They are trusted individuals with loyal followings across digital platforms.

Influencers start conversations and make it easier for brands to target their audiences on a big scale. It all comes down to:

What works in Influencer Marketing?

Influencer brand match + Content strategy = Meaningful Results

At IMA,
we’re the experts in influencer marketing

Authentic connection to the brand

When an influencer and brand are a natural fit, then the message resonates.

They create authentic content - together - and share it online across social media and other channels. Reaching the right people at the right time to achieve measurable goals:

Generate brand awareness

Drive traffic

Increase conversions

Increase media value

What is influencer marketing?

Influencer marketing works with content spread through the means of social media. At IMA, we collaborate with expert content creators, influencers that have a loyal following and strong relationship with their audience. Influencers are used as the bridge between your brand and their audience and act as a recommendation to say that the brand is worth trusting and ‘checking out’.

It is essential to find the right set of influencers, that have a relevant audience and are a good fit for your brand, and will spread your message across various social platforms. A brand reaches out to potential customers who reside on these platforms. Of course, you can probably advertise directly on these platforms, however, as algorithms change, competition increases and people increasingly block out noise from ads, influencers are a great way to get a good ROI.

There exist a multitude of different influencers, all across different channels, with different follower counts and various niche interests. From foods to gaming and fitness, they have a range of different followings and reputations. Ensuring that you collaborate with influencers in a unique and genuine way is essential for a successful collaboration.

To make sure that the story of your brand is consumable on social media, influencer campaigns are tailored to your needs with the help of a unique content strategy (as you can see from our influencer marketing case studies). Each campaign has a specific angle for the influencers to work with. This brings an authenticity to both the influencer and brand, which allows the followers to get more engaged. Giving influencers the freedom of creative expression brings in higher credibility and engagement, which then leads to leads and sales for your business.

Want to learn more about influencer marketing?

Are you curious about how to integrate influencer marketing in your marketing mix? We provide expert consultation, workshops, presentations, know-how sessions and more to help you and your team gain insights into influencer marketing.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is influencer marketing?

Influencer marketing is a form of social media marketing involving recommendations from trusted sources: influencers.

Today more than ever, consumers are choosing to listen to each other over brands. That’s why influencer marketing is so powerful. Influencers are trusted individuals with loyal followings across digital platforms.

What is an influencer?

An influencer, as defined by the Cambridge Dictionary, is someone who affects or changes the way other people behave.

Influencer Marketing is not a new phenomenon. Influencer marketing works because people are influenced by people, and find word-of-mouth to be the most trusted source for recommendations.

How can I find the right influencer for my brand?

Selecting the right influencers for your brand can be challenging. There are so many factors to consider:

Brand match
Content quality
Audience size
Audience relevance
Audience quality
Audience engagement
Actual reach & impressions
Brand safety assessment
Sponsorship saturation rate
Etc.

At IMA, we specialise in selecting the right influencers for your brand. By combining in-house influencer technologies, personal vetting of each influencer, and a decade of experience, we carefully consider influencers that will bring credibility and a strong performance to your brand.

What are synonyms for the word influencer?

The word influencer is often used as an overarching term in the industry. Influencers are often referred to as Creators, Brand Ambassadors, Experts, Thought Leaders, Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), Key Opinion Consumers (KOCs) and Content Creators.

Which platforms are used for influencer marketing?

This depends on the influencer’s area of expertise. Instagram and YouTube are considered the most popular channels for influencer marketing, with TikTok quickly rising in popularity. However, your campaign platforms should be chosen based on your target audience. Are you looking to target a B2B audience? Then LinkedIn influencers might be right for your brand. Don’t automatically assume that the largest platform is the way to go. It’s all about where your target audience chooses to spend their time and who they choose to follow.