Just as marketers were coming to grips with digital advertising, their task is becoming difficult again. According to PageFair, 615 million internet users now block ads on their computers and mobile devices. Google recently turned on automated blocking of intrusive ads for its Chrome browser, which is used by more than half of internet users.
Nor is social media advertising straightforward now that Facebook’s newsfeed algorithm prioritizes posts from friends over brands and businesses. In this climate, it’s no wonder that smart businesses are turning to influencer marketing.
Influencer marketing involves bloggers, YouTube stars and social media celebrities talking about your product or service. Done authentically, it delivers 11 times the return on investment as traditional digital marketing. But it can also be expensive. UK fashion blogger Zoella charges a minimum of $10,000 per post. A Kardashian will cost you half a million.
While results can be good, with the biggest influencers you’re paying to tap a small percentage of their large number of followers. For real engagement, you need a micro-influencer. These are people with specialist interests and smal… Read More