Clockwise from left: Kendra Bracken-Ferguson, Gretel Going, John Gumas, Rebekah Iliff, Brendon Craigie, Randy Hughes, Leila Lewis, Phil Laboon. All photos courtesy of individual members.
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Eight Reasons To Invest In Influencer Marketing

Reading Time: 3 minutes

With so much content on social media – and online in general – it can be difficult to get your messaging to resonate with your target audience. To get the attention of your customers and potential customers, it can help to work with influencers who already have their attention.

Look at your own Facebook or Instagram feed and you’re likely to scroll past some examples of influencer marketing. As influencer marketing grows, eight Forbes Agency Council members explain why smart brands are investing in it.

1. Influencers Are The New Content Creators And Media Channels 

Brands can benefit from working with influencers in a multitude of ways. Influencers can function as content creators and media channels to develop and distribute organic content that builds engagement, cultivates brand affinity and drives traffic. Each influencer has a specific point of view and highly engaged audience that will help amplify brand messaging directly to the desired audiences. – Kendra Bracken-FergusonThe BrainTrust 

 

2. Influencers Own The Audiences You Want To Connect With 

Similar to traditional marketing channels, influencers have audiences you want to get in front of and you need to work with them to do it. Influencers go a step further, however, by adding their own spin to your product’s story, letting their audiences see it through their eyes and positioning your brand in a way that demonstrates how it can (and should) naturally fit into their fans’ lives. – Gretel GoingChannel V Media 

3. Selling Is Dead 

Gone are the days of selling. Prospects typically lose credibility in any company that is trying to sell them. So the marketing challenge becomes selling in a way the target doesn’t feel they are being sold to; a great way to achieve this is by becoming an influencer. Influencers have credibility and believability. Prospects listen to what influencers have to say and take their advice. – John GumasGumas Advertising 

4. A Web Of Influence Is Marketing’s Bloodline 

Effective influencer marketing begins by reaching out to those who are already talking about you. Their passion for your brand should be genuine. Invest in influencer marketing when your brand already has organic fandom. It will ensure that those you work with will continually be your brand champions long after a specific campaign concludes. – Rebekah IliffAirPR 

5. Traditional Marketing Channels Are Dying 

Traditional marketing channels are dying. People just don’t have time to deal with (and no longer have to put up with) these intrusive marketing efforts. Influencers are taking their place. Instead of placing their trust in brands, people are looking towards social influencers to guide their purchasing decisions. Brands that embrace these influencers are set for long-term success. – Phil Laboon, Eyeflow LLC 

6. The Right Influencers Are Trusted By The Public 

With the heavy impact that reviews and ratings from real people have on consumer marketing campaigns, influencers with a big voice are who you should focus on. The right influencers for your next marketing campaign have the ability to sway consumers and make them trust what they have to say about your product or service. – Leila LewisBe Inspired PR 

7. Influencers Can Help Increase Conversion Rates 

Awareness at the top of the funnel is key. But conversion requires support from a third party. Today, no one buys anything without at least checking some reviews. It’s just too easy not to. That means Google can be your friend and your enemy if you don’t create support among third parties. Influencers are a great way to spread positive word of digital mouth. Campaigns that ignore that will suffer. – Randy HughesCarmichael Lynch 

8. Influencers Add Authenticity 

Influencers have conversations with the audiences about things that genuinely interest both of them. If a brand can tap into that conversation through an influencer, it will do so with credibility. This is particularly vital for new or hard-to-reach audiences to really present the brand in the right way from the very beginning. – Brendon CraigieHotwire PR

Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only organization for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Find out if you qualify at forbesagencycouncil.com/qualify.

About Channel V Media

Welcome to Channel V Media (CVM). We’re an award-winning PR and communications agency, founded in 2008.

We build market momentum for Fortune 500 and emerging companies, advising and executing on Communications Strategy, PR strategy, and digital marketing. We specialize in breaking clients into new markets and categories, rising to the top of crowded conversations, and reinvigorating enthusiasm for long-standing companies as they compete in new areas.

CVM builds awareness for companies and their products, develops C-suite leaders into industry visionaries, positions clients to be among the most vocal in high-value conversations, and drives inbound leads.

Some of our clients include Sopra Banking Software, GFT, Penn Mutual, IBM, Bluecore, Grapeshot + Oracle, Fortune & Frame, and others.