Why Influencer Marketing Has Gone Mainstream

The internet has opened the door for more everyday people to not only voice their opinions, but also to be heard in larger numbers.

Sometimes commentary from online denizens falls into a cyber void. But in some cases their news and views garner a lot of followers and interest.

When the latter happens, you’ve got an influencer on your hands. And so-called influencers are making their mark on brands, politics, and much more in this digital age in which we’re living.

It seems likely we can expect such individuals to increase their influence in the year ahead. Marketers understand that, and they’re working to corral these folks to help promote their messages and offerings.

According to a recent blog by acorn, which bills itself as the influence company, influencer marketing has gone mainstream. In fact, acorn says, “influencer marketing is now taking precedence over traditional marketing strategies like print and video advertising.”

The blog goes on to note the Tomoson stat that 51 percent of marketers believe they acquire better customers through influencer marketing. It also says that, according to eConsultancy, nearly 60 percent beauty and fashion brands have an influencer marketing strategy, and 21 percent of them expect to invest in one during the next 12 months.

While influencers in some cases are acquaintances of those they influence, that’s clearly not always the case. And that works out just fine for marketers, if we’re to believe the BrightLocal research indicating that 88 percent of customers trust online reviews by strangers as much as they would recommendations from friends.

Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube are considered particularly effective social media channels for influencer marketing, according to the acorn blog. It notes the Bloglovin’ statistic that 59 percent of micro-influencers think Instagram is the best social media platform through which to engage audiences. It also notes that Twitter has said 40 percent of its users have made a purchase as a direct result of an influencer tweet. And it mentions the Google stat suggesting 70 percent of teen YouTube subscribers relate to YouTubers more than to traditional celebrities.