Every business is online these days. Online marketing is a huge thing that includes influencer marketing. Influencer marketing is a huge industry, especially when it comes to promoting products through social media. Even though the word “influencer marketing” came into existence recently, the concept has been there for a long time. So when did influencer marketing start, and how did it evolve? It really has come a long way from the 18th century.
Before one gets in when did influencer marketing start? One should know what influencer is marketing. The term influencer marketing means marketing a product or service of a company by a famous personality. A famous personality can be anyone ranging from a movie star, sportsperson, or a businessman himself. Since people have more followers or reach to common people, these people are hired by companies and made to market their products or services in hopes of more brand recognition of sales.
So how did influencer marketing evolve, and when did influencer marketing start? Given below are a few cases of how influencer marketing slowly took place, shaped, and entered the modern world. Here is how influencer marketing evolved and when did influencer marketing start.
Evolution of influencer marketing and When Did Influencer Marketing Start?
- The royals:
In the early days, the royal people system still used to be there, and these royals were considered elites among other people. The royals consisted of the king, queen, their children, and the family. These royals used to use products that were considered are premium for common people. Due to this reason: they did influencer marketing for that product unknowingly, which resulted in those products becoming very expensive. It is how influencer marketing started. After the companies realized this, they started to use royals and paid them more for officially promoting their products.
- The fictional characters:
Another kind of evolution that took place in influencer marketing was using fictional characters. There are fictional characters who have a huge influence over people all over the world. For instance, many companies used Santa Claus to brand their products during Christmas so: that sales would increase. Just like Santa, many companies used other fictional characters creatively so that their products will create more brand awareness and achieve the campaign goal.
- Endorsements:
Endorsements are more modern where unlike fictional characters, such as Santa and others, real celebrities used to market the product. These products were usually marketed by movie stars and other people who were considered famous and had the power to reach millions of people. The promotion was done usually during the live sessions and movie promotions. Celebs were also seen promoting certain brands by actually using them in front of the crowd.
- Television:
Television is much more recent where people know how the ads work. Influencer marketing is the same as endorsements by celebs just on television. Although on television, the advantage brands receive is that one ad can be shown numerous times on TV. Whereas in endorsement, only live movements can be catchers by people, and if they miss it, the campaign can go wrong.
- Modern influencer marketing:
It is the last type of influencer marketing and the latest one. Here, as one knows, the ads one sees on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and other social media platforms are a form of modern influencer marketing. If one follows any superstar, one will usually find them promoting some products or services in their feed because that particular company has hired that superstar to promote their product.
Factors involved in influencer marketing
- Influencers:
The most crucial aspect of influencer marketing is influencers. Without influencers, not many companies would be able to market or promote products over the internet, including on social media and websites. Influencers are usually the bread and butter of influencer marketing: as the name suggests. There are many kinds of influencers, but all of them are big only in a specific niche.
- customers:
Why do companies usually conduct influencer marketing? Most of the time it is to increase sales or brand awareness. But without customers whom will the companies market the product to? Therefore, apart from influencers customers play an equal role in influencer marketing. Therefore, customers or potential customers are the primary targets for the companies.
- Creative:
Another aspect of influencer marketing is creativity. How will influencers attract an audience and potential customers? It is done by some creative or posts, which are posted on social media. People love seeing creativity, and no one would buy a product if the marketing promotions directly says to buy it. It’s all subconscious.
- Ambassadors:
Ambassadors are just influencers who have contracts with a company. These types of people usually have a long-term contract with just one company and usually become a market face of that particular company only. Therefore, these ambassadors are only allowed to market for that one company only.
- experts:
Experts are just people who are experts in online marketing. These are the people who decide on the campaign and how it will be executed, including on which social media platform.
- Affiliate marketers:
Affiliate marketers are people who are somewhat affiliated with the marketing campaign. These affiliates are usually just the tools markets use to promote the product or services.