Marketers have long relied on celebrity endorsements to raise brand awareness and boost sales, but with the rise of social media stars, more companies are discovering that brand influencer collaborations are now a more effective method for capturing the attention of consumers. To illustrate why 59% of brand marketers say they plan to increase their influencer marketing budgets in the next year, we’ve compiled five compelling reasons why partnerships with brand influencers are better than those with movie stars, pop icons, models, and other traditional celebrities.
1. BRAND INFLUENCERS DRIVE PURCHASES
A recent survey of 14,000 United States consumers showed that marketing with brand influencers is one of the most effective methods for driving sales. According to a report by ZD Net, marketing research firm Collective Bias found that 30% of consumers are more likely to purchase a product endorsed by a blogger than a celebrity.
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The study also discovered that 70% of millennials (consumers aged 18 to 34) preferred “peer” endorsements (e.g. those from friends, family members, or social media stars) over recommendations from traditional celebrities.
2. SOCIAL INFLUENCERS APPEAL TO MILLENNIALS
Because most millennials grew up in a digital age, this demographic of young consumers are more receptive to and trusting of recommendations from social influencers. A recent survey described by Tech Insider found that 73% of teens and young adults report feeling a genuine connection with a YouTuber (only 45% said the same about a TV or movie star), and ReelSEOreported that 60% of 18- to 24-year-olds would try a product recommended by a YouTuber(compared with less than 50% who would take the same action based on a celebrity endorsement).
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Jay Jay Ghatt is also editor at Techyaya.com, founder of the JayJayGhatt.com and JayJayGhatt.com where she teaches online creators how to navigate digital entrepreneurship and offers Do-It-For-You Blogging Service. She manages her lifestyle sites BellyitchBlog, Jenebaspeaks and JJBraids.com and is the founder of BlackWomenTech.com 200 Black Women in Tech On Twitter. Her biz podcast 10 Minute Podcast is available on iTunes and Player.fm. Follow her on Twitter at @Jenebaspeaks. Buy her templates over at her legal and business templates on Etsy shop!
