In this era of digitalization, and more competition, the credibility of a product has become a top priority for consumers. The awareness and effectiveness of a product as depicted on social media is not enough conviction to get the product as its authenticity now comes first in the minds of the audience. The reason being that the cost-effectiveness of using social media platforms in reaching out to a wide range of audiences for product advertisements is soiled with a lot of manipulations and deceits. Hence, a need for brands to back up their products’ credibility with social media influencers. To simplify the above explanation, You should be familiar with the phrase “ what I ordered for versus what I got.”
Who Is a Social Media Influencer?
Social media influencers are prominent people in the society known for their beautiful craft and good reputation on social media platforms. These people have built a large profile of followers on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and other social media platforms by creating content of interest on different aspects of life like fashion, tourism, entertainment, academics, and health. Companies now leverage their audience capacity in endorsing and promoting their products through reviews, posts, sponsored posts, video ads, and partnerships. In case you are wondering if it is free? Of course not.
Categories Of Social Media Influencers
According to Phonexa, there are four main categories of influencers based on their follower’s capacity. These categories are:
- Mega influencers: Over 1 million followers
- Macro influencers: Between 100,000 and 1 million followers
- Micro-influencers: Between 1,000 and 100,000 followers
- Nano influencers: Fewer than 1,000 followers.
How To Spot A Social Media Influencer
How do you identify a social media influencer? Certain attributes distinguish social media influencers from general social media users. Some of these include:
The volume of audience
They have a large community of audiences from every part of the world that engage with their content. Their community is not streamlined to a particular set of people with the same preference but rather to people who have different interests.
Content Creation and Consistency
They create content that is informative, engaging, and entertaining. Also, they maintain their consistency in creating content that keeps their audience glued to them.
Audience attraction and influence
They possess the skill to attract their audience by creating a trustworthy relationship with them and this makes it easier to influence their decision-making thoughts, preferences, and opinions.
Dedicated and passionate
They are dedicated and passionate about creating content and they take it seriously. That is why they are relevant on social media platforms and are up to date-when it comes to trends.
Brands partnership
They work together with brands to promote their products through sponsored posts, advertisements, or endorsements.
Social Media Infleuncers Vs Marketing Industry
The roles of social media influencers in the marketing industry are;
Connection building
Their volume of network, makes it easier and more effective for influencers to connect a product with a large audience but with a larger probability of reaching the target audience. Brands identify the influencers that are in line with the product that they want to promote and reach out to them for partnership. Since their content generates audience traffic, the marketing industry leverages this opportunity to communicate their intentions to their brands. Unlike the limitations involved in the use of traditional media, social media alters all odds in product publicity.
Shapes audience perception
In accepting a product, audiences tend to believe what they see, and the testimonies from credible sources. The integrity of an influencer shapes the perception of their audience to accept a product. They believe in their testimony and the fact that they vouched for the product. To ensure product visibility in society, brands work with influencers to achieve this goal promptly. They provide them with all relevant information and the influencers in turn communicate this information in ways that are presentable and acceptable to their audience.
Product enlightenment
Knowledge they say is power, influencers do not just pick a product and tell their audience to buy. They ensure they communicate their intentions by enlightening their followers with detailed information on the products. With the spread of fake news on social media platforms, the words of an influencer are perceived to be true because their audience believes that their recommendation comes from the fact that they have used the product.
Brand representation
Influencers stand as the representative or middleman of a product to their audience. Their followers depend on their integrity and trust their recommendations. They ensure the visibility of the product.
