The Science of Influencer Marketing

Influencer Marketing remains a hot button topic. But what does it all mean for you and affiliate?

I’m a gamer off hours; there’s nothing I love more than a good FPS, with a great storyline. However, I don’t have the time to play every game that enters the market, so I rely on reviews from a few gaming sites that I trust. The process of trusting these review sites to recommend games I would enjoy, in a sense is the amplification hypothesis at work.

What is the Amplification Hypothesis?

Don’t let this scientific name scare you away, this theory is something that’s been a part of marketing for ages. Simply put, it states that a person would hold a persuasive position, if said person is confident, and certain about the information he or she presents.

We could compare this to the trust we have in medical professionals. Their position of certainty is what allows us to consult them when we are ill. Can you imagine visiting a doctor who seemed nervous about giving you a flu shot?

How Does this Tie to Influencer Marketing?

To understand how the certainty theory ties in with influencer marketing, we would have to look back at what influencer marketing is. Influencer marketing is a type of marketing that uses leaders/popular personalities to drive your brand’s message to its possible consumers. On affiliate platforms influencers rule the Content world. With trendy articles and social content, they present helpful tips, “how to” guides, and immerse you in a fairytale-like lifestyle with their travels and escapades. They aren’t all directly related to bringing in revenue. Rather they sit at the top of the sales funnel, by creating a presence for your brand.

Remember, the influencer you pick needs to instill a certain level of trust in their audience. Just like the doctor, we aren’t going to pay much attention to an influencer that doesn’t exhume confidence in their field.

How Will this Help Me in Affiliate?

This theory serves as a guideline for advertisers on how to pick the right influencers for your brand. It is tempting to accept all influencers that fall within your brand’s category, but this would hurt your brands image in the long run.

Here’s a few things to keep in mind with influencers in affiliate marketing:

• Bigger is Not Necessarily Better: The size of an influencers following does not directly correlate with success for your brand. An influencer could have a large following, but there could be very little engagement with content on their page. You could say that the quality of their following is better than the quantity of followers.
• Put Yourself in the Customer’s Shoes: If you were your ideal customer, would you trust this influencer or care what they had to say?
• Set Clear Goals at the Beginning: Always have clear goals on the outset, for you and your influencer. With those guidelines, the influencer can accurately create campaigns that aim towards achieving your goals.
• Communication is Key: As with any successful relationship, success hinges on open, honest, and frequent communication between both parties.

And don’t forget to maximize our resources and expertise! Content Certification can automate and simplify influencer recruitment. Our dedicated Content team is available for consults and questions—and our VIP Content Service provides fully managed campaigns with top influencers to maximize sales and brand awareness.

These are just some of many methods to recruit and succeed with the right influencers. Stay tuned as we discuss others in future blogs.