Engage Influencers

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Influencers. Individuals who have a large enough audience that they can sway public opinion or buying trends for or against a cause, brand, or even medium.  MediaPost reports that using influencers or engaging them can mean big dollars...

On Tuesday we reported on findings of the Association of National Advertisers’ just-released “Influencer Marketing” study, which shows that the practice has gained critical mass with the majority of major national marketers, and is growing rapidly.

While budgets are still small, influencer marketing appears to be becoming a strategic part of marketers’ mixes. Today we report on who is handling that new area of expertise. Interestingly, it is coming from a mix of internal teams, outside agencies and platforms or consultancies specializing in influencer marketing.

Overall, the role of identifying which influencers are the best fit for a brand is generally being handled by specialists, while managing ongoing relationships with influencers is split between conventional agencies and internal teams.

In terms of internal expertise, the general marketing team is the top internal resource that is managing influencer marketing, followed closely by social media/community management and public relations teams.

To clarify today’s and Tuesday’s reports, the ANA utilized eMarketer’s definition of influencer marketing as the basis of its survey: “marketing that identifies and activates individuals who can sway the brand preferences, buying decisions, and loyalty of the broader population.” The report also said on social platforms, the term typically describes “the process in which companies compensate celebrities, social media ‘stars,’ or industry experts to create content on behalf of brands or provide endorsements for brands.”