Utilizing both influencers and brand ambassadors can be a valuable marketing tool to increase brand awareness and help you gain new customers. People greatly value recommendations from their network and in today’s constantly shifting social media landscape, it’s essential to have as many advocates of your brand working on your behalf as possible.
While influencers and brand ambassadors serve many of the same purposes, there are several key differences between the two that are frequently overlooked. To an extent, all brand ambassadors act as influencers. However, not all influencers are necessarily brand ambassadors.
Who Are Influencers?
Influencers have a dedicated audience and often a substantial social media following. They have the power to affect purchase decisions due to their reputation, authority, or knowledge in a particular space.
Not exclusive to any brand, influencers may work with several companies to share products in an authentic way through their social channels or blog. Influencers span across several categories including micro-influencers who may be popular in niche markets, content creators such as bloggers and YouTubers, and industry experts.
It’s important for companies to take note of how influencers are interacting with their brand and how they are talking about it and its competitors. Social monitoring tools can be useful for gauging sentiment in both positive and negative directions to find new opportunities for growth.
All About Brand Ambassadors
Brand ambassadors are paid partners who endorse a specific brand. Ambassadors are often brand experts and are viewed by their audience as credible authorities on a certain topic. Brand ambassadors play an essential role in company promotion because they offer an authentic human touch. Customers are more likely to resonate with a brand they can put a face to.
Brand ambassadors often have an already established online presence and may have an extensive following or social network. Because of this, they can also be considered influencers, since they can easily reach a large number of people.
Brand ambassadors should be carefully selected based on your brand’s goals and consumer sentiment. They should share authentic messages about your company and avoid presenting anything too sales-focused in order to maintain their credibility with your audience.
How to Find & Implement Influencers and Brand Ambassadors
The best way to elevate the presence of your brand is to seek out the right people to represent it in a positive and authentic way. By finding and activating an influencer or brand ambassador who connects with each segment of your audience, you can effectively engage with and tell specific stories to each group.
It may be necessary to have multiple influencers and brand ambassadors promote your company since no one person can speak to the individual needs of every potential customer. Potential brand ambassadors may already be active within your company’s niche and may be fans of your brand. By identifying and recruiting the right people, you’ll be well on your way to maximizing your brand’s reach and boosting your marketing efforts through the use of influencers and brand ambassadors.