Influencer marketing has become a staple in the marketing strategies of small and large businesses alike. The practice of partnering with individuals to promote and support your brand became popular in the mid-2010s on YouTube, and grew to become a 10 billion dollar industry by 2020. The value of influencer marketing continues to grow.

Today, influencer marketing is one of the primary ways consumers make purchasing decisions. It’s been reported that some consumers trust the opinion of their favourite influencers over their own friends and family. This speaks to the power of influencer marketing and the overwhelming value of social proof in the online space. 

It’s not just large brands using influencer marketing either. More and more small and medium sized businesses are incorporating influencer and affiliate marketing into their business plan to support growth, expand brand awareness, and attract a new consumer base.



Types of Influencers

When influencer marketing first became popular, it really focused around mega influencers and star power. But just like how it’s not just large brands dominating the influencer space, it’s not just celebrities influencing the purchasing behaviours of the average consumer. There are different types of influencers, including:

• Mega/Celebrity - 1M+ followers
• Macro - 100K-1M followers
• Micro - 10K-100k followers
• Nano - >10K followers

Micro influencers in particular are growing in popularity. They have the ability to blur the line between personal content and marketing, staying relatable while talking to their target audience. There is also the consideration of affordability. Compared to macro influencers, and certainly celebrity influencers, micro influencers offer brands the opportunity to reach a larger, localized customer audience, often without a massive budget requirement. 

Benefits of Influencer Marketing

• Increased brand awareness: An influencer will support your brand by getting your products or services in front of a new group of potential customers. 

• Audience targeting: Getting your product or service in front of more people is important, but it’s crucial to make sure you’re reaching the right people. When you partner with an influencer in your niche or with interest in your industry, you’re reaching people who would actually use your products and engage with your business. 

• Authenticity + trust: Online marketing is all about showing, not telling. When your audience sees a real person they trust using your products, it creates credibility for your brand. 



• Higher conversions through social proof: People want to live and behave like people in their circle. This extends to trusted public figures like influencers. For many people, their favourite influencers are part of their daily lives. They want to use the products they recommend and live in a similar way. Partnering with the right influencer will create social proof around your products or services to make it a reliable choice for your target audience.
  

Creating an influencer strategy

We love a good influencer partnership. But the partnership has to make sense. An influencer strategy is necessary to ensure you and your influencer partner are getting the most out of your agreement. When crafting an influencer strategy, consider these key points. 

• Clearly define your goals: We create influencer agreements for our clients that clearly outline the terms and goals of the influencer partnership. At this stage, you should be able to answer questions like:
• Is the partnership paid or are you gifting product/services?
• How many blogs, posts, reels or stories is the influencer required to produce?
• Is this an ongoing partnership or a one-off project?
• Is there an affiliate component where the influencer earns commission from any sales they help produce?

By being clear about your expectations, you can create an influencer agreement that ensures the partnership is mutually beneficial and both you and your influencer partner are aligned. 

• Determine campaign goals and messaging: Before you reach out to influencers for a partnership, you should determine what your desired outcomes are. 
• What message are you trying to deliver to your potential customers? 
• What is the call to action? 
• Do you have a dollar amount or number of sign ups you expect to receive from this partnership? 

These should all be laid out in your influencer agreement. 

• Research Influencers: Creating a strong influencer partnership relies on choosing an influencer who has a clear interest in and understanding of your industry. While an influencer may have a strong following, that won’t help you if their community has no interest in what you have to offer. Finding an influencer in your niche will help you tap into a new consumer base for your business and produce a loyal, engaged following for your brand. 

• Influencer Outreach: Once you have determined who you’re going to reach out to and what your goals and expectations are, it’s time to reach out to your potential influencer partners. We recommend creating a canned message that can be customized to the influencer. Keep the message short with some details about who you are, what you offer, and how you would like to partner with them. Invite them to learn more about the collaboration on a call to make the experience more personal and professional.
  

Is Influencer Marketing in Your Future?

Influencer marketing is an amazing way to help your business reach potential customers. The benefits are endless if you partner with the right influencer for your brand. We understand that navigating the world of influencer marketing can seem overwhelming, and our experienced team is here to support you. 

We’ve helped brands in a variety of industries, including apparel, men’s and women’s accessories, and food and wine, leverage influencer marketing. Not only have they seen engagement improve online, but they have experienced tangible growth and increased interest in their businesses. 

We take on a limited number of influencer marketing clients each year and are now onboarding for 2026. If influencer marketing is in your future, let’s chat. Send us an email to hello@thesmallsocial.com to book a discovery call and learn more.