Influencer Marketing is the New Face of Advertising

The fitness and beauty industries are worth a combined $3.7 trillion according to the Global Wellness Institute. These markets have grown over 10% in the last two years alone and a lot of that growth can be attributed to the latest trend in advertising; influencer marketing. Social media presents tons of lucrative opportunities for brands to market their products and no industry has capitalized on this more than and fitness and beauty industries.

Traditionally, consumers made purchasing decisions based on the advertisements that they saw or heard. Today, it’s easier to connect with other consumers via social media and make better purchasing decisions by learning about their experiences with a product or service. Consumers want to be talked with, not talked at, and that’s exactly how influencer marketing changes the advertising game.

Marketing through influencers on social media creates a conversation between consumer and influencer where there is a certain level of trust and respect. It’s a simple “word of mouth” advertising magnified in a digital world, as influencers share their opinions with their followers that can sometimes be into the millions. This form of advertising has proven to be the most effective in terms of building brand authenticity and consumer trust. The ‘Nielson Global Trust in Advertising Survey’ revealed that 92% of consumers worldwide trust word-of-mouth and recommendations more than any other advertising form.

However, gone are the days where brands would rely on celebrities or professional athletes for influencer marketing. Today, more and more brands are turning to micro-influencers or everyday people who can simply rock social media to share their brand message. Authenticity is a big concern in creating brand awareness today. What better way to portray an authentic brand than through a real, regular person as opposed to a celebrity or professional athlete?

These influencers act as a mutual friend between a brand and target customers. They are able to share a much more authentic experience with their followers and connect with them on a personal level through sharing pieces of their lives and their fitness journeys on their social platforms; as opposed to a celebrity who’s harder to relate to and who’s endorsements may seem less than genuine. These influencers have a higher engagement with their followers and can spark genuine conversations about a brand through their own personal connections and being proof the product works.

Influencer marketing is especially helpful in niche markets where brands have a hard time finding their perfect customer. With influencer marketing, all of your possible customers are already following the influencer. For brands trying to reach a specific type of a consumer, it’s tremendously helpful to work with an influencer involved in the brand’s specific niche and has followers that are interested in it as well. In the fitness community, this is commonly seen among vegan food and supplement companies working with vegan fitness influencers or CrossFit brands working specifically with CrossFit athletes.

Influencer marketing provides opportunities to influencers and brands alike; helping to increase brand awareness and sales, while helping influencers increase their impact and create lasting relationships with brands in their industry. With the impact this type of advertising is making in the fitness and beauty industry, brands can’t afford to sit this one out – influencer marketing is here to stay.