Why Influencers Are Out and Ambassadors Are In — And How They Can Help Your Business Grow
Influencers, despite their title, do not influence like they used to
By | Patrick Frank | www.entrepreneur.com
Over the past two decades, social media has become the number one way to grow any business or brand. Whether through acquisition, organic growth or a viral hit, it has become where we consume content and where companies can directly connect with our wants and needs. Several trends have come and gone regarding how businesses have leveraged social media, but nothing has stood the test of time like the pay-to-post strategy — until now.
As influencers have gained in popularity, their numbers have skyrocketed, not to mention those who have found ways to game the system and cheat their way to “influential status.” On the surface, the strategy seems straightforward and sounds like a secure way to highlight your brand to the audience who matters the most.
However, the value of the influencer has rapidly diminished over the past couple of years. Especially since the most recent transition in the market, all eyes have been on profitability, and paying to post with no results is no longer an option.
So, where do we turn if not to influencers? Instead of focusing on your top-of-funnel awareness, focus on bottom-funnel conversion and profitability to queue affiliates and ambassadors. More popular than ever, these individuals are not here for a quick buck and a post — they are here to be champions of the brand and to help you succeed.
The social media minefield
We are no longer in the era where the strategy can simply be to make a decent product, pay influencers, sell out and repeat the process. We are in an era where that idea is saturated. You will need to get creative with your approach and every dollar you spend, especially when launching a new brand or product.
