Although marketing dates back as far as the late eighteen century, it’s thought that most of the developments have happened far more recently. The creation of the first social media site SixDregrees.com in 1997 sent the social media industry spiralling. Fast forward to 2021 and Facebook holds top spot when it comes to popularity. The invention of the first iPhone in 2007 also played a big part in marketing today. With smartphones allowing access to social media constantly, it’s no wonder these forms of communication became so sought after.
Social media management is still a wildly popular marketing technique. Despite this, influencer marketing is slowly beginning to creep up on us. This area of marketing links both social media and PR. Its main goal is to promote a brand or individual to improve visibility and encourage growth.
At VerriBerri, we are an influencer marketing agency. Although we specialise in many other areas of marketing also, this is certainly one we’re seeing a lot of demand for in recent times. We hope that our decade of experience and multiple awards prove testament to our conscientiousness. What’s more, we keep our pricing affordable and fair. Guaranteeing an impressive ROI on every occasion.
How Influencer Marketing Came to Be
Believe it or not, influencer marketing has quite a history behind how it came to be. As we touched on before, early social media sites are what caused the initial chain reaction. Despite social media thriving in the late 90’s, influencers didn’t really come about until 2005. What happen in 2005 that was so pivotal, you ask? The invention of YouTube.
Although creators on this platform weren’t able to make money out of it in the beginning, things quickly changed. This site welcomed a variety of different people from all different backgrounds, uniting us all over the world. No matter you talent, YouTube offered a space for you to evolve. As more and more people began posting videos, the most popular channels started to build a following. Within this following came community and viewers started to really bond with the person making the content they loved. Naturally, this eventually led to subscribers trusting and valuing the opinion of their peers.
Starting by sharing gaming videos in 2010, influencer PewDiePie holds the title when it comes to the most subscribed channel on YouTube. With over 108 million viewers, it’s fair to say he’s made his money. YouTube isn’t the only platform you can be an influencer on these days, however. 2010 also saw the rise of Instagram which was followed by TikTok in 2016. These platforms have also welcomed influencers who have thrived here.
Influencer Marketing for Brands
In case there was still some confusion as to how influencer marketing works, allow me to compare it to celebrity endorsement. Although not entirely the same thing, if someone’s face is splashed all over a product/brands website, their fans are going to be desperate to get their hands on whatever they’re promoting. A similar thing happens when an influencer talks about a brand they enjoy. Unless their followers get involved by buying said promoted product or service, they’re going to feel left out. This is because of the exclusivity these mini celebrities have built.
When it comes to influencer marketing for brands, you have an array of options. The most popular form is gifting. This involves sending your products to influencers or allowing them to experience your service. Although not inclined to do so, these creators may well then rave about your company on their social channels. Off the back of this, their audience will become more aware of your brand and this is likely to convert into sales.
In addition, other types of influencer marketing include collaborative projects and also brand ambassadorship. You may choose to work with an influencer to come up with a unique range of products or packages. Otherwise, bringing them onboard as an ambassador or spokesperson for your brand will also bring more attention your way. Put simply, influencer marketing allows you to capitalise from their following.
Marketing for Influencers
Of course, we can’t forget about the actual influencers themselves. If you’re reading this and you are a creator looking for more exposure, our influencer marketing agency can help you too!
We have spent years perfecting relationships with our contacts in the journalism industry. This means we have been successful in securing leads for our influencer clients in some top name publications. The reality is, you never quite know who’s going to be reading an article. The more you’re seen by the general public, the more opportunities are created for you. PR works in two ways. It can simply help you to become more popular and build your following further. In addition, it can also help to expose you to more brands looking to work with people in your industry. Either way, influencer PR could be vital in your success.
As well as public relations, we’re also more than happy to help with any other needs you may have. For instance, making graphics for your social media or handling areas of these platforms yourselves. If you’re looking to start your own business, which many influencers do, we can also handle things such as website creation and SEO.
Key Examples
In case you’re still not swayed by influencer marketing, allow me to delve even deeper. Popular workout clothing brand Gymshark is now reportedly worth a whopping $1.45 billion. Starting in the UK, owner Ben Francis was keen to boost his brand by utilising influencers. Through the years, he brought many onboard as long term partners. These included creators such as Steve Cook and MattDoesFitness to name a few. These have proved to be a valuable tool and are responsible for the overall success of the brand. Through them promoting Gymshark’s products, many more sales have been generated off the back of their work. To top it all, it all started by them simply sending out a few samples to try.
Contact Our Influencer Marketing Agency
If our influencer marketing agency sounds like a team you want to work with, why not consider getting in touch? We have the knowhow to get your brand reaching entirely new heights. After a year of so much anxiety, allow us to bring you to the forefront of your industry through our hard work and contacts. To get in touch, simply click here.