Influencer Marketing on Social Media 2023

In today’s digital age, influencer marketing has become a powerful tool for brands to reach and engage with their target audience. With over 165 million new voices entering the creator economy since 2020, influencer marketing has gained incredible momentum and popularity among marketers. However, many still view it as a press-related endeavor to increase exposure rather than a content source for eCommerce.

The Power of Influencer Content in Social Commerce

Social commerce, which brings the shopping experience to social media channels, has become a popular marketing strategy. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest now offer in-app product discovery and checkout tools, allowing buyers to research and purchase products promoted by influencers they trust without leaving the social platform.

Consumers spend an average of nearly 2.5 hours on social media apps each day, making social commerce a powerful tool for eCommerce brands. It combines convenience with persuasive social proof, as people tend to mimic the actions of others. Influencer content, which is seen as authentic and trustworthy, plays a crucial role in driving social commerce.

Benefits of Social Commerce for Brands

Brands that embrace social commerce can turn their social media accounts into effective digital storefronts. By creating shoppable galleries and tagging products on posts, eCommerce companies can provide a personalized shopping experience and drive conversions.

In addition to social media, brands can incorporate influencer content and user-generated content (UGC) into other marketing channels, such as email campaigns and website displays. This approach helps to build brand affinity, awareness, and sales, as consumers consider influencer content more authentic and trustworthy than brand-generated content.

Leveraging Influencer Marketing for Social Commerce

To harness the power of influencer marketing in social commerce, brands need to view their brand community as a spectrum, with influencers existing within their customer base. By combining influencer and UGC management, brands can identify potential partnerships and leverage the content created by their community.

For example, women’s apparel brand Windsor nurtures an engaged audience on Instagram and TikTok by consistently sharing influencer-led content and UGC. Windsor uses social listening to identify users actively engaging with the brand’s content and produces their own. By incorporating this content into their eCommerce website, Windsor achieved a 3x increase in conversion rate.

The Value of Influencer Content

Influencers have dedicated audiences who trust their recommendations. Investing in influencer marketing can yield a high return on investment, with businesses making an average return of $6.50 for every $1 spent. Influencer content puts products in context and reaches a wide audience perfectly aligned with a brand’s target audience.

For example, custom map brand Mapiful uses influencer marketing on Instagram to reach niche audiences. Influencers skillfully incorporate Mapiful products into their posts, seamlessly integrating the brand into their content. Brands can recycle influencer content on their marketing channels, extending its reach and impact beyond social media.

Incorporating Influencer Content in Different Marketing Channels

Brands can maximize the impact of influencer content by incorporating it into different marketing channels. Here are some strategies:

1. Shoppable Influencer Galleries

Brands can create dynamic, shoppable galleries of influencer content on product pages, homepages, and more. This allows consumers to discover products in context and promotes purchase confidence.

For example, Alo Yoga reuses influencer content across different teams and channels, lowering content costs and increasing engagement. By managing relationships, campaigns, and content performance through Pixlee TurnTo for Creators, Alo Yoga showcases influencers’ posts alongside their products.

2. Influencer Landing Pages

Dedicated landing pages can showcase content from influencers and brand ambassadors, attracting new customers and giving potential influencers a place to reach out to the brand. These pages can pique the interest of social media-active customers and provide information about the brand’s ambassador program.

For example, yoga apparel brand Kiragrace features an ambassador-focused website page that explains the program and invites interested creators to apply. The page includes original social content from existing ambassadors with their social handles, captions, and links to featured products.

3. Email Campaigns Powered by Influencer Content

Influencer-specific campaign emails catch the eye of consumers who are familiar with the influencer’s social media presence. Brands can incorporate influencer social posts and profile links directly into the email content, leading to more engagement and efficient product discovery.

For example, Alo Yoga showcases celebrity Kendall Jenner in their gear alongside a gallery of other influencers’ posts in an email campaign. The email links directly to the brand’s shoppable influencer gallery.

4. Community-Generated Content

Influencer content, user-generated content, and community-generated content (CGC) work together to drive brand affinity, awareness, and sales. CGC includes ratings and reviews, which provide social proof and show customers the quality and use of a product.

For example, cosmetics brand Morphe partners with high-profile influencers and also incorporates customer UGC and CGC in their marketing strategy. They use Pixlee TurnTo to build website displays and campaigns featuring all types of community-driven content.

The Role of Technology in Managing Social Commerce Campaigns

To effectively manage social commerce campaigns, brands need a technology platform that allows them to track digital assets, collect reviews, publish community content, and manage influencer campaigns in a single location. This enables brands to automate content curation, view content performance, and create custom reports for in-depth analytics.

Pixlee TurnTo integrates influencer marketing with UGC and Ratings & Reviews, providing brands with a comprehensive solution to manage community-driven content. By strategically publishing content through this technology, brands can build an engaged online community and spend less time on logistics and content sourcing.

Conclusion

Influencer marketing on social media is a powerful tool for brands to drive social commerce. By leveraging influencer content and incorporating it into different marketing channels, brands can provide a personalized shopping experience and build trust with their target audience. Community-generated content, such as ratings and reviews, further enhances social proof and customer confidence. With the right technology, brands can effectively manage their social commerce campaigns and maximize their ROI.