Why is Influencer Marketing Important for Small Businesses

Why is influencer marketing important? It’s because it’s the seed, or the start, of ideas that can help growth for the learner or buyer and the company.  

“Hey, where did you learn that?” might be one of the most honest questions friends and strangers might ask you if you’re doing something they haven’t thought of or done before. Your answer might be rooted in your education or hobbies or based on what you’ve read or watched online. The same holds for e-commerce.

You were influenced by something that inspired you or someone who inspired you. Read on to learn more about why you should use influencer marketing.

What is Influencer Marketing?

Influencer marketing can be defined by what it is as much as what it is not. It is not just an endorsement by a celebrity but not necessarily a million-dollar expense. It is, however, the inclusion of someone famous, reliable, and has (ideally) thousands of followers that this person influences.

Why is influencer marketing important? It’s important because it puts you, your product, or your service on the map. It might just be a stopover for some potential customers, while it’s the beginning of a long-term relationship for others. Forbes suggests it helps reduce the time between a first and second purchase.

What are micro-influencers, and why use micro-influencers in marketing? This subset usually has 1,000-10,000 followers and is ultra-authentic. So it might be a smaller pool than the larger influencer bases, but the percentage of people your service or product resonates with may be higher.

Why Use Influencer Marketing

Influencers have built a community of like-minded people that believe in the influencer. So, the market is primed for your product or service. Most influencers will not share your product or service unless they believe in it; it won’t dilute their clout and would benefit their audience. Why is influencer marketing important? It brings people together around your product. 

Whether it’s an Instagram live, TikTok, or Facebook campaign, your product in the hands of someone with access to your target market is a potential golden ticket.

Three Tips for Your Influencer Marketing Strategy

Consider these tips before starting, whether you’re considering a traditional marketing strategy or a micro-influencer strategy.

1. In all things, organize a strategy, plan, and budget, and allocate time to research
2. Decide on your approach to finding influencers – find them organically or work with an agency.
3. Be human and authentic – people talk to people, not robots.

Don’t forget you’ll need a small business marketing plan before you start your influencer marketing strategy.

Small Businesses and Influencer Marketing

So, why use influencer marketing? Businesses make $5.2 ROI for every $1 spent on influencer marketing. There is no doubt about the effect of influencer marketing on e-commerce.

Does influencer marketing work for small businesses? Short answer: Yes. If there is an exact match between the product, service, and influencer (or micro-influencer), business sales will be positively affected.

How does influencer marketing help small businesses? Short answer: Slowly at first. Like anything, the more users and fans you have, the more likely you will gain additional sales and exposure.

Click here for a complimentary video meeting with a professional coach (that’s me) to incorporate your influencer strategy into your overall marketing plan.

Coach Dave