In today’s world, being ‘digital’ means many different things. One of the most obvious ways we interact with technology today is through our smartphones, which have replaced many traditional methods of communication such as letters, paper flyers, and phone conversations. However, the power and influence of the internet, social media, and digital marketing extends far beyond just marketing via traditional channels.

The Rising Influence of Digital Marketing

While the term ‘digital marketing’ may still sound somewhat unfamiliar to you, you may be very familiar with the platforms it represents. After all, you use Google and other search engines to find information virtually all the time. When you visit websites, you are often greeted by ‘banners’ or ‘advertisements’ that offer products or services closely related to what you’re looking for.

As a business owner, marketer, or entrepreneur, you may be wondering how exactly you fit into this paradigm. After all, you’re not searching for an iPhone, are you? You may consider yourself to be ‘traditional’ or even ‘legacy’, running business that rely heavily on face-to-face interactions and old-fashioned flyers and newspaper advertisements. However, this paradigm is rapidly shifting, and you may not be prepared for the impact it will have on your business.

The Influencers of 2019

In today’s world, influencers – people or companies that have an immense amount of influence over others in some way – play an increasingly important role in shaping our world. In the case of marketing, influencers can work with brand managers to create marketing campaigns, provide tips and tricks on social media, and even design product packaging.

This emerging field of ‘influencer marketing’ will certainly have an effect on your business. If you’re curious about how exactly this new paradigm will shape your marketing plan, read on. We’ll explore the various ways influencers can help your business grow in the near future.

How to Identify Potential Influencers for Your Business

If you’re curious about how to identify potential influencers for your business, consider looking for people or companies that satisfy 3 conditions:

• they have a large social media following;
• they have the ability to influence others; and
• they can provide you with valuable insights into the world of digital marketing.

When you’re searching for potential influencers, look for individuals who have a relatively high number of ‘fans’ or ‘followers’ on their social media accounts. It’s generally accepted that anyone with over 500,000 followers is considered to be a notable influencer. While it’s not necessarily the case, having a large number of ‘likes’ or’retweets’ certainly makes you seem more influential.

Why Influencers Matter For Your Business

Now that you have a sense of the importance of influencers in today’s marketing landscape, you may be tempted to try to enter this field and gain some influence yourself. While it’s not necessarily a bad idea, you have to consider the pitfalls that come with trying to ‘game’ the system. If you want to succeed in this field, simply follow the path of the experts – people who have already established themselves in this area and succeeded in gaining the trust of their fans.

To put it simply, influencers can help your business in a number of ways. First, they can dramatically improve the way you’re perceived by customers. When people hear your name, they may think of your product or service, and this in turn can increase your sales. Second, influencers can help you gain trust with your audience, increasing the chance that they will take action (i.e., buy your product or sign up for your service) in the future.

Consider the following example. If you’re launching a new product or service and you don’t have many customers yet, it may be difficult to convince people to try your product or service. However, by working with a reputable influencer, you can introduce your product or service to a large audience, demonstrating the advantages of your product or service and building brand loyalty in the process.

As you can see, being ‘digital’ means you are always connected to people and platforms. In the case of marketing, this extends to customers, who have the power to reach out to you with relative ease. From engaging with customers to driving sales, increasing brand loyalty, and gaining trust, the internet, social media, and digital marketing have changed the way we interact with customers and the way businesses operate. Although much has changed, one thing remains the same – the importance of face-to-face interactions and the need for traditional marketing methods such as flyers, letters, and phone calls. With just a few tweaks to your strategy, you can take your business from traditional methods to a whole new level of performance, gaining loyalty and trust from your customers while expanding your reach and influencing more people. What will your strategy be?