Influencers can be an integral part of marketing strategy, particularly for firms selling consumer products, but even B2B firms have successfully used influencer marketing to appeal to customers. When firms use influencers, they often showcase relevant product or service content through concise social media posts, videos, advertisements, or blogs. One of the best ways to inform customers about and promote products and services online is through a mix of influencer marketing and content marketing.
Content marketing “is about creating high-quality content to attract prospects and customers and to convert them into engaged followers who will spread the word about your products and services.” 1 It is an effective way to focus marketing efforts “to attract and retain a clearly defined audience.” 2 This content can be in many forms including infographics, podcasts, videos, social media posts, blogs, advertisements, or commercials – anything that reaches the desired audience with relevant content related to the business and or the customer. 3
A great way to achieve a firm’s content marketing objectives is through influencer marketing.
“Influencers are individuals with specific niches and have a significant online following. As they are viewed by their followers as trustworthy experts in their field, they can effectively impact their audience’s purchasing decisions. Their recommendations or endorsements can help brands expand their reach and generate leads.” 4
Combining content marketing with influencer marketing can best be accomplished with social media and video content. “With over 3.6 billion global social media users, it’s easy to understand why so many businesses invest in social media marketing.” 5 Social media platforms are an easy way for influencers to connect with their followers and share promotional content. On top of that, “69% of consumers say they prefer to learn about a brand’s product or service through video. Additionally, video marketing can boost conversions, improve ROI, and help you build relationships with audience members.” 6 Instagram Reels and TikTok are examples of social media tools for influencers to share video content.
From small business owners to reality television stars, influencers come in all forms but serve the same purpose for promotional and informative marketing strategies. “This year, the [influencer] market is project to expand to a whopping $16.4 billion industry” 7 as more brands look to influencers to market their products and services. This type of marketing has been so successful because influencers “are viewed by their followers as trustworthy experts in their field,” 8 making their opinion highly valuable to potential customers and incredibly useful to a firm’s marketing strategies.
One notable example of an influencer is Kim Kardashian who “has 314 million [Instagram] followers and has used the app to launch various businesses.” 9 This month, Kim Kardashian and Beyond Meat announced that Kim will be Beyond Meat’s Chief Taste Consultant: “Hiring Ms. Kardashian brings buzz and can help reach people who have never heard of Beyond Meat.” 10 For Beyond Meat, a company that “reported a wider-than-expected loss for the quarter ending April 2,” 11 partnering with a macro-influencer like Kim Kardashian can help their product reach new customers and boost sales.
Watch Beyond Meat’s announcement here:
But not all influencers are so well-known. Micro-influencers are people with smaller followings compared to Kim Kardashian and other macro-influencers. Despite their small-scale platform, micro-influencers can be just as powerful because “their audiences tend to be more engaged and are more likely to take action.” 12
“One example is the success we’ve seen in recent campaigns with micro-influencers across both social and paid media. It’s no wonder 90% of U.S. marketers are looking to work with this niche group of influencers today.” 13
These are just influencers on the business-to-consumer side of marketing. Some business-to-business firms have taken on influencer marketing to promote their services. For example, American Express “has done strong work leveraging influencers to appeal to small-business owners” with Twitter hashtags and partnerships. 14 Through these campaigns, they have used a combination of influencers, social media, and relevant content to attract target customers.
https://shortyawards.com/8th/love-my-store-campaign
Effective strategies for reaching, informing, and appealing to customers constantly evolve. Finding the perfect mix of content marketing and influencer marketing with a focus on social media and video content are useful tools specifically for achieving digital promotion objectives.
Questions marketing managers would consider:
- What are the best tools for achieving my company’s digital promotion strategies?
- What content is relevant to both my customers and my business, and what is the best way to share that content?
- Can you think of other examples of B2B companies using influencers to market their services?
- Is influencer marketing a better short-term or long-term promotion tool?
Resources
1 Hurley Hall, S. (22 April 2022). 31 Impressive Content Marketing Examples You Can Use Today. Retyp, LLC. https://optinmonster.com/content-marketing-examples/
2 Content Marketing Institute. (2022). What Is Content Marketing? Informa PLC. https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/what-is-content-marketing/
3 HubSpot. (25 May 2022). The Ultimate Guide to Content Marketing in 2021. HubSpot, Inc. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/content-marketing
4 Santora, J. (29 March 2022). Key Influencer Marketing Statistics You Need to Know for 2022. Influencer Marketing Hub. https://influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing-statistics/amp/
5 HubSpot. (25 May 2022). The Ultimate Guide to Content Marketing in 2021. HubSpot, Inc. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/content-marketing
6 HubSpot. (25 May 2022). The Ultimate Guide to Content Marketing in 2021. HubSpot, Inc. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/content-marketing
7 Santora, J. (29 March 2022). Key Influencer Marketing Statistics You Need to Know for 2022. Influencer Marketing Hub. https://influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing-statistics/amp/
8 Santora, J. (29 March 2022). Key Influencer Marketing Statistics You Need to Know for 2022. Influencer Marketing Hub. https://influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing-statistics/amp/
9 Pisani, J. (25 May 2022). Kim Kardashian Adds ‘Chief Taste Consultant’ for Beyond Meat to Her Résumé. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/kim-kardashian-has-a-new-title-beyond-meats-chief-taste-consultant-11653503011
10 Pisani, J. (25 May 2022). Kim Kardashian Adds ‘Chief Taste Consultant’ for Beyond Meat to Her Résumé. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/kim-kardashian-has-a-new-title-beyond-meats-chief-taste-consultant-11653503011
11 Pisani, J. (25 May 2022). Kim Kardashian Adds ‘Chief Taste Consultant’ for Beyond Meat to Her Résumé. The Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/kim-kardashian-has-a-new-title-beyond-meats-chief-taste-consultant-11653503011
12 Santora, J. (29 March 2022). Key Influencer Marketing Statistics You Need to Know for 2022. Influencer Marketing Hub. https://influencermarketinghub.com/influencer-marketing-statistics/amp/
13 Jansen, K. (4 April 2022). How Influencer Marketing Is Evolving (And Tips To Keep Up). Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2022/04/04/how-influencer-marketing-is-evolving-and-tips-to-keep-up/?sh=47cf3ccb3277
14 Jansen, K. (4 April 2022). How Influencer Marketing Is Evolving (And Tips To Keep Up). Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2022/04/04/how-influencer-marketing-is-evolving-and-tips-to-keep-up/?sh=47cf3ccb3277
Marketing Management 