Breaking the internet: The unstoppable rise of bloggers and influencers

5 January 2017

In the last five years, the rise of bloggers and social media
 influencers has grown exponentially. With the complete accessibility of the 
Internet and the ever-growing normality of 24/7 connectivity, it’s
 unsurprising that the digital space has changed the consumer journey.
 Today, brands are often judged by their social media first, before the actual product or service. The online presence of a brand has become 
almost synonymous with their success, and the pressure from the
 consumer for interesting and varied content has lead to some amazing and engaging
 campaigns.

With statistics such as “93% of shoppers’ buying decisions 
influenced by social media”, it’s hard to deny the growing importance 
of this route to market to brands and consumers alike.



In recent years a change evident in marketing and social media
 has been the swing from celebrity endorsement to social media 
influencer. Companies are now discovering the potential of influencers 
over that of the traditional celebrity. Seen as real and tangible
 people, accounts with millions of followers have surged in popularity.

 Working with social media influencers also allows a brand to reach a
 new targeted following. Choosing an influencer that reflects a brand's
 particular ethos taps the brand into what could be a huge potential
 market, with influencers maintaining hundreds of thousands of
 followers in one concentrated place.



Subtle product placement, gifting and ambassadorships are fast
 becoming the best way to target the consumer. Social media is visually
 driven, accounts and influencers have an aesthetic to follow and need
 the creative freedom to produce their own content. 

The key to the popularity and reach of influencers is the people on 
social media and their authenticity. The audience likes the idea of a
 one to one connection, an insight into their life and most 
importantly, a personal opinion they can trust. However, an out of place
 sponsorship or blatant advertising often receives criticism from
 followers and moreover a lack of engagement.



With legalities tightening, and the monetisation of popular social
 media accounts, it will be interesting to see the change in landscape
 over the next few years. Here at Brandnation, we're working closer 
than ever with the people forging the way in a digital world to great 
effect.

Images from bottom to top; Kie Willis for Merrell, Freddy My Love for T3 Haircare, Mr Cenz for Merrell, Polishing Colors for Rocket Dog and Liza Prideaux for DenTek.