Shopping is a really interesting science. In the age of the influencers, the retail industry has definitely boomed.
It’s true, influencers INFLUENCE consumers (GASP!). I know, it sounds like a really simple concept, but in fact, there’s a lot more to it. I wasn’t kidding when I said there was a science behind it. I recently wrote about
a few trends I was influenced to buy
, and it got me thinking more and more about influencers in the digital space. Actually, the more I think about it, digital AND retail space.
In 2012 when I first started my blog, no one was really sold on influencers. Brands didn’t have full blown budgets to dedicate to influencers, and the general public certainly did not care if someone posted their OOTD religiously or not. Fast forward to 2018, and MAN HOW THE TIDES HAVE TURNED. While there are definitely still haters out there, influencers are here to stay whether people like it or not.
Influencers are “real” people
I think the main reason why people connect with influencers so much is that fact that they are normal humans. Sure, celebrities are great, but people
trust
influencers more. Of course you get the few instances that causes the general public not to trust certain influencers, but for the most part, they do trust us. If I had to trust an influencer over a celebrity during a campaign, I would 100% choose the influencer every time. From a consumer perspective, it’s always really cool to see how creative influencers get with their brand collaborations. From an influencer perspective, seeing creative posts always makes me want to push myself harder, and think outside of the box when it comes to my own collaborations.
Brands look to influencers
Not only are brands coming to influencers for campaigns, but they’re also looking at influencers from an inspirational point of view. Courtney of
Mimosas & Manhattan
gave us an inside look from her job in Product Development at Macy’s last week. One of the biggest things that stood out to me (and her) was the amount of influencer inspiration on their concept boards. I thought this was so cool. Both Courtney and I work in similar fields (I work closely with our Product Development and Design teams), so I often see the same type of concept boards. I also work really closely with our Marketing team, and always find it SO interesting to hear about how much we depend on influencers to get the word out about our latest products. If you didn’t think influencers are the real deal, this should help you believe!
Proof is in the pudding
And if you still don’t believe me, let’s just look at the numbers.
This article from WWD is unreal
.
Just from the platform
LIKEtoKNOW.it
, influencers drove OVER ONE BILLION DOLLARS in sales. How freakin’ crazy is that? I don’t know about you, but I cannot even comprehend just how much 1 BILLION dollar is. Just insane. Not only does this mean that influencers are making a pretty penny in commissions, but it also means that the retail (e-comm) industry is getting a nice little boost in sales. I also remember reading
this interesting article
that examined some other ways influencers impact brands, sales, and consumerism.
The influencer world is new, exciting, and extremely fast-paced. When you think about it, it’s really interesting to explore just how influential some people are. People from all over the world are influencing others in totally different parts of world. What are some interesting observations you’ve come across about influencers and the digital space?