3 Ways Influencers Can Increase Brand Awareness

Influencer marketing has gained strength as consumers continue to turn to the internet for their social connection, education and shopping needs. In fact, according to Influencer Marketing Hub's benchmark report, the industry raised over $800 million in funding last year and is expected to grow by $16.4 billion this year.

There are many strategic ways to implement influencer marketing to build brand awareness. Influencers are a powerful way to create content that is more personal and targeted to your specific audience. Working with influencers will also allow you to create additional campaigns that can expand your brand's reach.

1. Create personal content

The personal aspect of influencer marketing is what makes this method effective. Consumers prefer to interact with their peers rather than with a company. Therefore, including influencers in your marketing strategies can be an effective way for brands to create meaningful connections with their audience.

“Influencer marketing is successful because it spawns a whole new realm of people-to-people connection and innovative brand creativity,” says Sherri Nourse, co-founder of influencer marketing company Ambition Media. “People trust the advice of family and friends rather than that of third parties and commercial entities. They are naturally inclined to follow and are persuaded by peers with social gravitas exemplified by social proof - followers, likes and shares."

This is also supported by research. According to a survey by Rakuten Marketing, 46% of consumers said that influencer recommendations can help them decide on a product to buy. Moreover, good taste and passion were the two elements used by consumers to determine the authenticity of an influencer. This authenticity encourages 43% of consumers to continue to trust influencers who openly disclose their partnership with a product or brand they recommend.

2. Get to know your target audience

One of the most common tips I've heard new influencers give is to nestle. In other words, new influencers are tasked with becoming extremely knowledgeable about their specific audience and learning the language of their target audience. An influencer's knowledge of a specific group of people becomes the key to their success and the reason some brands are successful in working with them.