We are currently living in a time when it’s impossible to ignore the impact of social media and its creators’ on business. As of 2022, there are over 207 million creators on social media, an explosion in large part due to everyday people’s ability to access large audiences via social media and produce high quality content using their phones.
As the internet has become more democratized, the power has shifted to these “creators” who are made up of influencers, a long time staple of the social media landscape, and content creators, including photographers, bloggers, gamers, podcasters, youtubers, artists, and writers.
In this new era of the internet, why might it be beneficial for brands to leverage creators – and why might they choose to partner with one type over the other?
content creators & influencers: their place in your marketing strategy
Though they are both creators’ in their own right, influencers and content creators are not exactly one in the same. According to Sprout Social, the difference between the two lies in the intent behind their work. Content creators focus on creating original high quality digital content, including product imagery and how-to videos, that are meant to engage and educate their audience. On the other hand, influencers are social media personalities who leverage their status and reach to share sponsored content and influence their followers to do or buy something from a brand. Brands often choose to work with a content creator based on the quality of their content, and will promote a creator’s content from their own channels, or they may choose to promote a product through an influencer due to their vast following or niche audience. Differences aside, content creators and influencers are the backbone of modern commerce and do share one important characteristic- authenticity that creates trust among audiences.
the impact of creators on commerce
Today’s generations would much rather be entertained by a teen dancing on TikTok than follow a famous television or movie celebrity. Their affinity for and trust in everyday influencers has had an astounding effect on commerce and in turn the way that brands reach and engage with consumers.
49% of consumers depend on influencer recommendations on social media
Ad Week, 2022
50% of commerce transactions are being led by creators
Social Media Week
Influencer marketing is the #1 emerging marketing trend in 2022 - Hubspot
Almost half of GenZ (40%) head to social apps such as TiKTok and Instagram to conduct a search (google), a nod to their trust in creator recommendations. The engagement rates creators experience, particularly in beauty, are also exceptional– beauty influencers experience engagement that is a staggering 148% higher than the industry average.
This behavior has coaxed brands to shift priorities from traditional one-sided marketing tactics such as polished TV and print ads to authentic user-generated content curated by content creators or shared by influencers on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
The majority of marketers (74%) plan to invest at least a quarter of their social media budgets on content creator partnerships within the next three to six months.(Sprout Social,2022)
leveraging Influencers: tap into their authentic follower relationship
Content creators and influencers both certainly have their place within a brands’ marketing strategy, but when looking to drive awareness, engagement, and conversion among a qualified new or unique audience, brands should look to leverage influencers.
Within this era of creator-led commerce, tapping into the ever-growing community of influencers will provide brands with a more genuine approach than typical advertising campaigns – keeping in mind, authenticity and personalization are the keys to successful influencer marketing campaigns. This means that for brands, selecting the right influencer is of the utmost importance. Macro and micro influencers play a large role, but if we’ve learned anything, above all else, consumers want to hear from people who authentically use the product on their own and who they can relate to and be inspired by.
influencer sampling campaigns: combine a trusted recommendation with the power of product trial to drive results for your brand
Leveraging influencer relationships can also be an effective, cost-efficient method for sample redemption. Sampling through an influencer partnership allows brands to leverage the influencer’s status, reach, and authentic relationship with their audience to drive trial among new consumers. Not only will the product carry their favorite influencers recommendation, but consumers will have an opportunity to touch and feel the product for themselves (consumers are 4X more likely to purchase a product after trying it!).
abeo can integrate a sampling component into a brands influencer marketing campaign with low-lift from the brand. Through posts and/or stories, influencers can point their following to an abeo landing page to claim a sample of a product they are promoting on behalf of the brand.
who we are
abeo is a digital sampling agency that specializes in creating unique product sampling experiences. Our integrations are channel agnostic, allowing us to activate campaigns at any digital touchpoint as well as drive in-store for retail activation.