Social Media Influencers

By Latrisha L. Powe

Influence is defined as a person or thing with the capacity or power to have an effect on someone or something. Marketing is defined as the action or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising. Now enough with the the scholarly definitions and think about social media influencers.

Influencers

Social Media Influencers escpecially on YouTube are difinetly the reason why so many people are breaking the traditional way of living life. People are no longer looking to go to college as much anymore, get married, have children, work a 9-5 job because they learned that with creativity you can make a YouTube Channel and get paid if you have what it takes. I look at a lot of travel vlogs on YouTube to inspire me to fullfill my dream of traveling as well as fashion vlogs to inspire me in my business! I have listened to a lot of vloggers and bloggers who share their stories on how they quit their jobs and started Vlogging/ blogging on YouTube and other platforms and it changed their lives. How many people are in college, finished college, and/or quit their jobs to become a vlogger/blogger because they needed adventure and a new start? SO when it comes down to it people have betrayed social media influencers as being the greatest career goal ever. Almost majority of the world has been inspired by social media influencers and have adjusted their lifestyles to fit in with this ” IN CROWD!” I guess they had a lot of influence …lol!

What do you notice about this type of marketing?

I find this type of marketing cult-like lol because social media influencers have brainwashed so many people into doing this form of marketing that people are risking it all to live this type of life. Social media has really given a false preception of branding…not all but majority of it has. People catfish others and pretend to be spmething they are not just to get followers and money. Building a false self -esteem. I guess Cash Rules Everything Around Me is the motto for these influencers. I have seen so many YouTubers and other influencers start with passion and inexperience and grow…but once they became bigger the passion died …depression kicked in…but they stay in it for the money. When you are truly passionate about something money doesn’t matter…it plays apart …but passion gives purpose. Proverbs 18:16 states, ” A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.” What I’m saying is that your gifts and talents can inspire people when its passionate. Not saying every influencer is not passionate…but a lot of them have shown that it is all about the money. People like money, travel, luxurious lifestyles, sex and entertainment… so if they can make money to do these things they will. It is great that these influencers make millions …but I pray they keep the passion more.

What Strategies are they employing?

Honestly, I believe some of the strategies they use are their natural talents , but honestly it is more about their gift of persausion. What do I mean by that …they get paid and/or free products when they advertise any type of brand that gives them the offer. If they make good and/or bad reviews it helps the consumers as well as the brands make sound decisions. Have you ever been stuck on buying anything and then you go to Yelp and/or YouTube to see a review…to make your decision? Welp! You have a clear understanding of what I am saying friend!

What role do influencers play in marketing?

To be perfectly honestly, you need influencers in marketing! Why you may ask? You may questioned me because I said earlier it should be about passion ..blah..blah…blah. Well, as we are human we have needs, wants, and heart’s desires right? This is a rhetorical question? The brands, influencers, and consumers all work together …because each person has been in each of the three. You may say I don’t own a business, but you are the brand ….your life at some point ( knowingly or unknowingly) has influenced sonmeone in some type of way and you have brought things. BINGO! As I discussed in the beginng of this blog the definitions of inflence and marketing …you can tell they work hand and hand. Without marketing a brand/business will fail. Example: When you are on a job interview you are the brand ( your resume is a piece of paper with your skill sets) how you present yourself determines if your are a fit for the business/company you want to work for. The same for influencers and marketing because social media influencers can create an open door for a company’s brand because it connects them to their target market. Influencers have to be well known and in certain categories that connect with that brand’s target audience. It’s all about the Ninche for the brand and the influencer who connects to that demographic of the potential target market.

How does the use of marketing perspective impact the relationship between the company and consumer?

Interesting enough this type of marketing perspective has a giant impact on the relationship between the company and consumers because if a top influence gives a good and/or bad review on a brand consumers will base their decision upon what that influencer said. For example many women/men and young women/men love clothes and they are always looking for a brand that suits majority if not all their needs. Fashion Nova presented itself to social media influencers which grew them 10.7 million followers on Instagram. YouTube has a lot of fashion hauls for Fashion Nova by top fashion and beauty blogger/vloggers. Fashion Nova is worn by a lot of women,men and celebrities as well as being one of the most searched brands next to Chanel and Gucci. Influencers main goal for brands is to encourage consumers to buy their products as well as help them improve on the product. So if an influencer likes and/or dislikes a brand it helps consumers decide if a brand is for them or not. Just take some time and think who has influenced you to give a brand a chance or not??!!??