FOLLOWING THE LEADERS

INFLUENCER MARKETING HAS TAKEN THE WORLD BY STORM, AND NEW ZEALAND IS CATCHING UP FAST. GEORGIA MCGILLIVRAY EXPLAINS HOW IT WORKS; HOW TO ENGAGE THE RIGHT INFLUENCER FOR YOUR BRAND.

Influencer marketing has taken the world by storm. Georgia McGillivray explains how it works and how to engage the right influencer for your brand.

Influencer marketing is the process of brands and influencers collaborating, to spread the word and influence purchase decisions about a product or service. This is achieved by an influencer posting via their large social channels to endorse a product, in exchange for products or payment. Social media influencers are passionate social content creators who have a ‘significant’ online following and can ultimately assist brands in influencing purchasing decisions.

Influencer marketing is not a new concept. It dates back to the Palace of Versailles where paintings would feature royals wearing pearls – influencing their peers to purchase pearls too.

The 1900s saw the rise of TV and billboards, and with that came celebrity-endorsed products – for example, Britney Spears promoting Pepsi, David Beckham working with H&M, thereby influencing viewers that Pepsi or H&M was a cool brand to be aligned with.

The Internet allowed for a whole new wave of celebrities to appear, now known as ‘social influencers’. These are not necessarily people who are famous offline, however they have amassed a large following by becoming thought leaders in their industry – whether that be baking vegan cakes, photographing landscapes or practicing karate.