The rise of the Influencer : Why Social Media Content is so important for Selling.

It’s a term that often floats around social media circles and leaves people asking; what exactly is an influencer? And how and why have they become an important business strategy when marketing online? To give a simplified definition, influencers are usually normal everyday people ( so not famous celebrities ) that have grown large followings on digital platforms, such as YouTube, Instagram and Twitter. In fact their follower count can often be bigger than well known soap stars or musicians, as they create content that better transcends the social media platforms they work across.

‘YouTubers’, a term used to describe influencers that predominantly feature on that particular platform, have, over the last decade, becoming increasingly mainstream. Ladbaby, the popular prank channel hosted by Mark Hoyle, is an excellent example of the growth some Youtubers have experienced. Hoyle and wife Roxanne have used their platform to create a string of Christmas number 1 hit singles, raising millions of pounds for food banks in the process. Last year, they even shared the spotlight by teaming up with Elton John and Ed Sheeran. Roxanne now has fashion lines, with clothing “inspired by her ideas” appearing in both In the Style and George at Asda. Not bad for a couple who literally started out by uploading a few videos on Youtube.

Youtube itself is still the biggest video sharing source on the planet, with more content watched there daily than Netflix and Facebook combined. For the likes of Mark and Roxanne, their audience is constantly growing, with over a billion hours of videos watched their every single day. And Roxanne’s experience teaming up to promote fashion labels is typical of the way brands latch onto and use influencer’s status to sell their products. PewDiePie, Zoella, and Smosh, are prime examples of major marketing channels for brands. Scroll through Instagram, and you’ll find influencers selling everything in their stories from beauty products to bicycles. Family influencers will be constantly posting pictures and videos of gifted days out and holiday stays to promote the brand partners that work with them. With endless freebies and great commission rates, it’s work a lot of people would love to pick up. In fact, in a recent poll of young people, 75% said that they would consider being a YouTuber as a career when they grew up, and it was the most popular career choice mentioned. Gone are the traditional aspirations of doctor, teacher, and helicopter piolit. We are now raising a generation of kids that want to become content creators!

So why are businesses turning to YouTube influencers? Well, YouTube influencers are highly influential through their ability to make the viewer feel like they know them; they are your ‘friend’. They feel authentic and genuine, far more so than actors and actresses. The growth of people like well-known cleaning influencer Mrs Hinch was born out of the idea that she was “just a regular Essex girl cleaning the new build she’d just brought with her new husband.” Years later, and her audience has followed her through having two children, moving to a farm, and becoming best friends with Stacey Solomon along the way. The “Hinch Army”, as her followers are known, are fiercely protective of any online criticism Mrs Hinch may encounter; testament to the fact that many have followed her daily for so long, she now feels like a close family friend.

The authenticity factor is so important to an influencer’s ability to sell or recommend a product to their audience. With this comes high audience engagement, and an increasing intent to purchase by 5.2 times. Their perceived accessibility is also important. They aren’t glossy and unreachable like celebrities; they feel, to many viewers, like them.

Despite having less reach, smaller influencers can have an even greater engagement rate and influence, as they truly know their following. This can offer a brand a lower cost and more effective alternative to traditional media endorsement. We all know that the success of a product relies on the relationship with the influencer and the consumer, and brands working alongside influencers is  based very much on that “economy of trust’. If an influencer no longer feels authentic, people will unfollow them and no longer engage with them. If it’s forced, it can put viewers off. This trust is something that a traditional celebrity cannot offer, and, through this, we see the success of influencer marketing. If they believe in a product, their audience will too.

Content creator influencers can really connect with their audience through their ability to story tell. Audience members become invested in their lives through regularly watching and, as I said earlier, feeling as if they know them. This personal association engages with audiences, especially through vlogging, and is a powerful tool that brands can utilise. This outperforms traditional marketing, because the emotive element appeals and inspires consumers.

It is clear that the success of YouTube influencers increase consumer purchasing decisions and so, utilising this strategy correctly in teaming up with them can really benefit businesses.

It has never been so important for businesses to have a strong social media presence and invest in the correct digital marketing strategies in order to drive their sales. At Hellfire Creative, we can advise on all aspects of digital and social media marketing.  We offer an end to end service and know exactly the kind of video content to make in order to make your brand shine on your social media platforms, with or without influencer endorsements.

We also work closely with a number of Youtubers, TikTokers, and influencers from all channels, upscaling their content and in turn helping their audiences grow. Whether you want help shooting professional Instagram stories, or using your following to branch out into podcasting as an additional income and audience stream, we can help you make content to keep you growing.

It’s clear that having great online content is what gives brands the visibility they need to boost sales. Let us help create that content.