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Industry-wide studies on consumer behavior from the Cohley Insights team.
If your product isn’t being seen by people, it’s hard to drive consistent sales. Modern marketers know that if you’re looking to capture people’s attention, you have to have a presence on social media. And with millions of people following fashion influencers on social media, utilizing their audience is a popular way to get your product in front of people. But does partnering with fashion influencers really work?
Before you reach out to someone with a social media following, it’s important to understand the different types of influencers and how each one can help your brand. If someone is selling a product online, it’s likely that they’re either an influencer or a brand ambassador, and understanding the difference is an important step in developing your marketing strategy.
An influencer is a person who has grown a large, engaged, and enthusiastic following on social media. Their audience reacts regularly and well to their posts, which (due to social media algorithms) causes the post to show up frequently on people’s feeds everywhere.
Influencers often gain their following due to their knowledge, excitement, and frequent posting about a certain topic or niche, drawing a like-minded following, and making their account a place people will be watching. If their niche coincides with your brand, that makes them a prime candidate for a partnership.
Chiara Ferragni is a fashion influencer with 23 million followers on Instagram
A brand ambassador is a person who will promote a brand to their network. Their job is to represent the brand in a positive and public way and to help the brand reach a new audience.
Companies will often set up a program that allows loyal customers to become brand ambassadors in exchange for discounts, bonuses, and more. This way, an enthusiastic customer can share their love for a brand and get some goodies in return, and the brand is exposed to a wider audience.
Check out our blog post to learn more about the differences between influencers and brand ambassadors!
Katy Perry is a brand ambassador for Harley Davidson
With the social media landscape growing and evolving by the day, there are thousands of influencers to choose from — how do you know which one fits the style and aesthetic of your fashion brand? A study showed that 30% of professionals claimed that influencer identification was their main challenge in developing an influencer marketing plan.
Cohley specializes in connecting our network of influencers with the brands we work with. Every influencer that we partner with is dependable, motivated and looking to get you the best results for your business.
If you want to find one on your own, that’s possible too! Head over to popular social media sites and start exploring. Check who’s posts are popular in the hashtags related to your business and the “Explore” page.
78% of fashion brands are working with fashion influencers or have plans to do so. Fashion brands everywhere are aligning with influencers as consumers crave authenticity. Influencers provide customers with a feeling of trust — the same way that word of mouth advertising influences customers, influencer marketing can have the same effect.
People follow fashion influencers to find ideas and information regarding the fashion world. Since fashion is such a visual artform, it’s hard to vouch for it with words. You need to see an item on someone, envision yourself wearing it, and be convinced that it’s something that could take your look to the next level. With a fashion influencer, you’ll be getting a first-hand glimpse of what the clothing will look like, along with an endorsement from a trusted source.
There are plenty of advantages to working with influencers — especially when it comes to the fashion industry.
The trust is already there. The reason someone is following a fashion influencer is because they trust their judgment in style and want to see what they’re wearing next. When your products end up on those pages, you’ll be viewed by an audience that is open to it and less skeptical than they would be with typical advertisements.
It’s easy to build and grow campaigns. There are many fashion influencers out there, you’re guaranteed to find one that works for your brand. After testing out the campaign and getting positive results, it’s easy to scale budget, reach out to larger influencers, and get results.
You’re directly targeting your audience. When you find the right influencer, you make direct contact with your target audience. With different forms of media, it’s hard to know what people are paying attention to — but it’s a safe bet they’re paying attention to people they follow.
Despite the ROI influencer marketing can provide a fashion brand, they don’t come without their own set of downsides.
Prepare for some back and forth. Some influencers get offered brand partnerships on a daily basis. It may take time to strike a deal, which can affect marketing plans.
A scandal could be bad. Once you publicly work with an influencer, you’ll be tied to them for the foreseeable future. Whether it’s fair or not, you’ll be tied to everything they do — good or bad. There have been many instances where a brand has been forced to publicly cut ties with an influencer after they’ve had a public flub. Be wary of who you partner up with, and be sure to do your research on the influencers you reach out to.
For those who aren’t well-versed in the world of social media, partnering with an influencer can seem like a daunting task. That’s where Cohley can help you! We can help pair you with the right fashion influencer for your brand and leave you with a mutually beneficial relationship that promotes your product and gets your brand in front of the right audience. Check out some of our case studies and find out what Cohley can do for your fashion brand!