Marketing is all about social media, but the days of using paid advertising to promote brands are coming to an end. Influencer and ambassador marketing is the lucrative way brands reach their markets and develop a coveted following.

For brands looking to start doing influencer or ambassador marketing, the news couldn’t be better. There is a huge selection of influencers and ambassadors that you can get involved with your brand. Here are a few reasons why influencer and ambassador marketing is one of the best ways to build your brand and increase sales.

1. High Return on Investment

On average, influencer and ambassador campaigns bring in $6.50 for every $1.00 spent. That’s a 6.5X percent return on investment.

2. Higher ROI Than Traditional Marketing

While 650% sounds great, it sounds even better when compared with traditional methods of spreading the word. Influencer marketing has an ROI 11X times higher than banner ads.

3. Increase in Purchase Intent

Brands routinely use social media to promote themselves, but influencer marketing software can make that channel more lucrative. Purchase intent increases by 2.7 times when consumers are exposed to brand tweets, but that rises to 5.2 times when the brand tweets are combined with influencer content.

4. Social Media Drives Purchases

The in-store experience and company website are important when consumers decide what to buy, but the largest factor driving a consumer relationship with a brand is word of mouth. According to one survey, 74 percent of people rely on word of mouth when deciding what to buy.

In comparison, some other well-known factors are lower: 64 percent YouTube, 61 percent Twitter and 56 percent Facebook or Pinterest. Interestingly, search only accounts for 51 percent, clearly demonstrating the increasing power of social media when it comes to digital marketing.

5. People Rely on Influencers

Consumers still rely on friends to make purchase recommendations, but influencers hold almost as much sway when it comes to what people choose to buy. While 56 percent of people rely on friends to recommend brands, 49 percent also rely on influencers.

6. Trust Advertising Is Growing

HubSpot found that 90 percent trust brand recommendations from friends and family. Friends, relatives or trustworthy people have a better chance of convincing someone to buy than does traditional advertising.

7. Social Media Starts the Purchase Process

Influencers have such a large reach because consumers now go to social media for advice on what to buy. Eighty-six percent of women look at social media before they make a purchase. Influencers tell them what’s out there.

8. Influencers Have a Wide Reach

Social media is essential for brands that want to grow revenue. But the benefits of influencer marketing don’t stop there. A small group of influencers can increase brand awareness and revenue through referral sales, Amazon product reviews, social media posts and followers, and blog posts.

Influencer marketing is an effective way to build brand awareness and increase sales. Ambassadors add an authentic, trustworthy voice to your brand that is more effective than traditional advertising.

Businesses who want to learn more about an ambassador marketing platform for Shopify, WooCommerce and Amazon Seller Central can contact us today.