Do influencers actually influence anyone?

Through the psychology of influence, influencers can influence the buying decisions of consumers of all ages.

Influence marketing

is the most effective way to reach the critical audience of millennials and Generation Z. Around 70% of teen YouTube subscribers say they trust the opinions of influencers more than traditional celebrities. Bjorn Mercer, DMA, director of the Department of Communication and World Languages and Dr.

Amanda McClain, member of the Faculty of Communication What are social media influencers and what role do they play in marketing? In this episode, Dr. Bjorn Mercer talks to APU's communication professor, Dr. Amanda McClain, on the growth of social media influencers. Learn about the influence of these parasocial relationships, how someone becomes an influencer on social networks, how they earn money and the difficulties of being a content creator.

Bjorn Mercer is director of programs at the United States Public University. He has a bachelor's degree in music from Missouri State University, a master's degree and a doctorate in music from the University of Arizona and a master's degree, B, A. Mercer also writes music for children in her spare time. By moving away from focusing on generic, renowned influencers with huge audiences and instead focusing on meaningful communities united around common passions and interests, brands can increase the visibility and relevance of their products.

You could say that many beauty influencers promote an unrealistic image of beauty that impairs the body image of young women and men. And when you study communication and study social networks, influencers and so on, authenticity always emerges. Finally, there is a worrying tendency for influencers or brands to fake their dedication to important causes around the world, just to spend a moment in the spotlight. Because it's just another paid thing that The Rock sells and it's not a bad thing, it will influence people, but that's not always the case.

So, when you're thinking about your next influencer campaign, don't automatically target the biggest names in the market. With powerful tools like the Meltwater social influencer platform, you'll be ready to find the right influencer. Since its inception, there has been a constant debate about the viability of influencer marketing as part of the advertising budget. Companies are spending more and more on influencer marketing, and it's fair to guess that's because it works.

Early on, social media influencers started out on channels like YouTube and then on Instagram, posting videos or photos that eventually brought together an important, like-minded audience. And studies show, in fact, that if you go ahead and buy something that an influencer has recommended to you, you're happier about it. For major brands, partnerships with famous influencers have become an indispensable part of their marketing strategy. In a recent study, the Digital Marketing Institute found that “not only do 49% of consumers rely on recommendations from influencers, but 40% have bought something after seeing it on Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

If TikTok places you on its discovery page, if Instagram places you on the discovery page, that could undoubtedly influence it. Therefore, if you are a nanoinfluencer and have less than 1000 followers, you can partner with big brands such as Dunkin' Donuts, Aerie, Chanel or even other types of brands, but they can pay you small amounts depending on the number of followers you have, or they can pay you if they are a smaller brand in terms of products. .