The power of influencer marketing in a changing consumer world

By Aurelia Butler-Ball

This article shows the increasing power of influencer marketing and the role it can play in helping businesses not only survive but thrive in the retail sector.

Although the furniture maker, Still & Bloom, was found by chance by Olivia Bowen and is now benefitting from daily customer orders through its Instagram account, it’s clear that retailers need to look at influencer marketing as a part of their sales mix.

This point is backed up by the article’s reference to the growth in the so-called ‘micro influencer’. The influencer with the most followers is not necessarily the best influencer to talk about your product. Rather, an influencer who has a smaller but more engaged audience, whose values are aligned with those of your business, is usually the most powerful tool to build product credibility and increase sales.

There are however many issues that that businesses need to think about before embarking on a influencer campaign. To achieve a successful partnership, brands will need to identify the right type of influencer, and ensure there are appropriate contractual obligations and restrictions in place to offer both parties sufficient protection.

Our expertise

Irwin Mitchell recently published a new report which looks at how new buying behaviours are shaping consumer businesses. The report can be downloaded from here.

Irwin Mitchell works with influencers, agents, platforms, podcasters and other content creators. To meet our influencers team click here. 

Say the word "influencer" and you may well hear audible groans - they don't always enjoy the best of reputations. However for some people, influencer work has been a lifeline during the pandemic.”