{"id":7252,"date":"2022-01-27T13:13:09","date_gmt":"2022-01-27T13:13:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vistaprint.co.uk\/hub\/?p=7252"},"modified":"2023-02-16T06:24:45","modified_gmt":"2023-02-16T06:24:45","slug":"influencer-marketing-small-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vistaprint.co.uk\/hub\/influencer-marketing-small-business","title":{"rendered":"Influencer marketing for small businesses: How it works and how to get started"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

These days, influencer marketing is one of the most buzzworthy strategies in the marketing world. Partnering with influencers can be a great way to raise brand awareness, get your products and\/or services in front of a new audience and drive real results for your small business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But if you\u2019re new to the world of influencer marketing, it can be hard to know where to start. How do you create an effective influencer strategy? How do you find and connect with small business influencers? And what\u2019s the best way to drive real results with your influencer campaigns?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a dive into all things influencer marketing \u2014 what it is, how it works and, most importantly, how to capitalise on it for your small business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is influencer marketing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Influencer marketing is a social media marketing strategy<\/a> that connects influential social media users with brands. Influencer marketing helps brands increase their awareness and reach through influencer endorsements, mentions and content placements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When influencer marketing first gained traction, it was mostly limited to celebrities with millions of social media followers\u2026which meant that brands needed a huge budget to take advantage. But today, brands are finding just as much success by engaging \u2018micro-influencers\u2019. Micro-influencers are social media users with smaller \u2014 but extremely engaged \u2014 audiences, generally 1,000\u201310,000 followers, though this can vary. This strategy is significantly more accessible and affordable, and has allowed small business owners to get into the influencer marketing game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does influencer marketing work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a brand\/influencer relationship, the business will offer influencers compensation \u2014 whether that\u2019s a per-post payment or free merchandise \u2014 in exchange for coverage on their social media channels. Influencer marketing uses social proof in order to drive results. Because the influencer has a certain level of trust and engagement with their audience, their followers are more likely to make a purchase or engage a business based on their recommendation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what does influencer marketing look like in action? Let\u2019s say you just opened a new fitness studio \u2014 and you want to get the word out in your community. First, you should identify any local influencers in the health and wellness space. Maybe there’s a personal trainer in your area with an engaged Instagram audience of die-hard fitness enthusiasts, or an up-and-coming activewear designer who just opened a boutique down the street. Reach out and see if they\u2019d be willing to partner on creating content \u2014 and then offer them an incentive to create that content. This could be a complementary membership to your fitness studio, free merchandise or a cash payment every time they post about your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the benefits of influencer marketing for small businesses?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using influencer marketing to promote your small business has a number of benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n