4 Obvious Signs Your Business Stands To Benefit From Influencer Marketing - Forbes

Remember the time when it seemed like every major brand would hire a well-known actor or athlete to plug their products on TV? Associating a brand with a popular celebrity was often viewed as an easy trick for boosting sales.

While many companies still do this (Shaquille O'Neal seems like he's in every other ad on TV sometimes), this model never really had much in it for the little guy. As with so many other things, however, the internet has leveled the playing field with the rise of influencer marketing.

Social media influencers come in practically every niche — and at different levels. Even someone whose followers number is in the thousands, rather than millions, could qualify as an influencer whose opinions influence others' purchasing decisions.

With influencer marketing, even solopreneurs and small businesses can leverage the authority and trust of these individuals for their benefit.

1. Your Online Audience Is Stagnant

Love it or hate it, there's no denying that social media has become an essential part of doing business. Sharing relevant content can go a long way in earning the trust of your target audience, as well as nurturing leads to eventually become paying customers.

Sometimes, though, your own efforts aren't going to be enough. If your audience doesn't seem to be growing, and worse yet, doesn't seem to be engaging with your own content, it's time to call in the help of an influencer.

When a social media influencer shares your brand on their account, they instantly expose you to thousands of people who might otherwise never have discovered you. This doesn't mean that everyone is automatically going to become a new follower. But chances are good that an influencer's post will provide an influx of followers to your own accounts.

2. You Can Easily Identify Influencers Relevant To Your Niche

Online influencers aren't limited to fashion and travel bloggers. You can find influencers in almost every niche imaginable, from nutrition to business consulting. Getting actively involved in relevant online communities will go a long way in helping you find relevant influencers with whom you could partner.

As Regina Tsvyrava, COO of HypeFactory, explained to me in a recent email conversation, however, you shouldn't get hung up on the idea of needing to find influencers with only millions of followers.

She explained, "Someone with only a few thousand followers could still be a quality influencer who has a big impact on your business growth. The key is finding someone who has significant influence and engagement with their audience, no matter the size. The combination of macro and micro influencers is important, as sometimes, these micro-influencers can be even more effective for your brand, because the smaller audience size means their followers are more likely to see and respond to their content."

3. You Need To Stand Out From Homogenous Competitors

Let's face it: as much as we like to think of our businesses as something truly unique, they're probably not. Even service-oriented businesses are often viewed as a commodity, where the only real differentiators a customer looks at are the price and the online reviews.

Think of the services you use. When you're hiring someone to mow your lawn, is there really anything that stands out to you besides the price?

If your own niche faces a similar problem, you have to find other ways to stand out. Trying to undercut your competition on prices is only going to force you to work harder to turn a profit.

Partnering with an influencer, on the other hand, serves as an immediate way of distinguishing yourself from the competition. Even a single social media post can cause your brand to be associated with an influencer's attitude and lifestyle. By helping create an emotional connection to your business, your target audience will be far more likely to remember you.

4. You Need To Increase Trust

Some services are inherently more trust-based than others. If you spend $1 on a box of tissues and they're no good, that's no big loss. As a result, we don't worry too much about these decisions. Spend $1,000 on a marketing consultation that doesn't deliver, however, and you'll be feeling that loss for a while.

The customers of service-oriented brands tend to take longer before making a decision, in part because they feel like they need to thoroughly research their options first.

The problem, of course, is that they aren't necessarily going to trust what you have to say. You can throw all sorts of marketing and case studies their way, but to really gain their trust, you need to generate third-party word of mouth.

Influencer marketing does just that. Influencers are trusted figures within your niche. When they recommend your business, their audience is going to trust them. This is because influencers aren't going to endorse a brand they don't genuinely like, as this would hurt their relationship with their audience. An influencer's testimonial could be key to overcoming the trust barrier.

Start Using Influencers Today

Influencer marketing represents a major shift in how we traditionally view advertising. You don't have to get Kim Kardashian or Chris Hemsworth to endorse your brand to get real, meaningful growth. By working with influencers who are relevant to your target audience, you will increase brand trust and awareness, grow your own social media following and increase sales.

No matter what niche you work in, there will be influencers who can make a difference for your growth. By working with a trusted voice, you can uncover amazing opportunities for your business.