Influencers

Influencers are a fantastic new strategy utilized on social media to promote products and personalize companies.  With the new frontier, there is increased visibility for "ordinary people" who succeed in the algorithm.  These people become celebrities on their social media platforms and are bestowed the name "Influencer".  This name is given because of the major reach that they have over their followers.  Companies will use these influencers to personalize them and market their products from “ordinary people” to “ordinary people”.  I know I have personally used meal services, taken skill building classes, and have purchased many planner accessories that many influencers I follow have vouched for.   

Influencers are important to the selling of products in this new social media age.  People are accustomed to seeing the picture perfect “reality” on their platform of choice, and they don’t want to be constantly bombarded with the same impersonal commercials.  Social media feeds are personalized via the algorithm to what sparks each person’s interest.  No two people have identical feeds so the influencers that they are drawn to are different.  In addition to a variety of influencers, companies must adjust how they decide to market.  They must decide which type of influencer they must target, how they want their products to be marketed, and where they want it to be.  

My personal YouTube is populated with lifestyle vloggers and wellness influencers.  The type of companies that I see most frequently promoted by the people I follow are Hello Fresh, Skill Share, Better Help, and Princess Polly.  In addition to these sponsorships, they constantly share what they are wearing, what they are eating, and where they are shopping.  Many times, I will find myself striving to emulate the lives of the people I watch online.  This leads to me looking online at the things they use and giving into the influencer marketing strategy.