In case you haven’t noticed, social media influencers are everywhere.

The term “influencer marketing” increased by 325% in Google searches over 2017 with the biggest platform for influencer marketing found on Instagram.

Who are they though? And what magical hold do they have to make them so, well, influential?

In short, they are everyday people like me and you, only they tend to have a big passion for one kind of thing, be it cooking, fitness, fashion or beauty, and have managed poured everything into that passion to make it a full time career.

But why buy into an influencer to sell your product? Here’s why…

Credibility and social proof

The credibility of a peer endorser depends on the factors of trustworthiness, expertise, attractiveness, and similarity.

They have a perceived power in expertise – focusing on one area, they become an authority on it, which is strengthened by a large number of followers – the notion that others value the opinion of an influencer, and adhere to their judgments, assures viewers that doing so is okay.

Therefore, if the majority is doing something, they must be right.

Attractiveness

Yes, there’s also the matter the matter of attractiveness, a strategy that marketers have already been using for ages , because sadly as humans we are susceptible to attractiveness bias – sorry but it’s true.

Relatability and the millennial crowd

Despite having a large popularity and internet following, influencers are still perceived as mostly normal, down-to-earth people – as opposed to those who are already at celebrity status.

They post about their everyday life, stay connected with their followers, and are able to interact directly with them. Plus, they often share the same age group, demographics, interests, and behaviours of their target audience. Thus backing their credibility.

Using social media influencers as a marketing tactic is a popular and effective method to reach a large audience and increase brand awareness, but don’t jump into this trend haphazardly — take your time to find an influencer that matches your brand and is able to deliver an authentic message to the specific target group you’re trying to reach.

Social media marketing is the new, well, the new marketing – and for small businesses it’s a must have.

With more than three billion people using social media across the world, if you’re not using it, you’re missing out on a fast, effective way to reach almost half the world’s population.

Here’s our top four ways that social media can help you connect, engage, and grow your business:

Get engaged

No we’re not talking put a ring on it, we’re just saying get to know your customers by engaging with them daily. Social media is your channel of communication – you can ask them what they want, what they like, whether they think improvements need to be made, respond to their comments and questions, or just plain have a good natter!

Beep, beep! Boost traffic

Yeah you can direct people to your website, lets face it most people have a social media account that they are likely to check daily (hourly, by the minute?) so this is a great way to send your website their way by putting it right in front of them. You can use social media to direct web sales, encourage people to browse, or just plain boost the SEO of your site itself. Sharing education content gives people a reason to click and visit, providing the opportunity to convert visitors into customers.

Build a brand

Similar to Build-A-Bear, you pick the bits you want to make a cool funky look for your business. You may not have a shop front, you may be a roving handyman, or fitness instructor, how else can you show people what you do and what you represent? A slick logo, a witty tone of voice and a great strategy for reaching the right audience on social media is the best way to promote who you are and what you do.

Access all areas

These days people are scared of picking up the phone and having a conversation. Fact. They aren’t scared however, to slide into your DMs from time to time. They may not want to phone you, and will probably be too scared to just text you directly, but there’s no issues in jumping into your Facebook or Instagram inbox – social media encourages direct contact, that isn’t over personal and is much simpler than email.