Passed on 7 April, 2025
5. Influencers
In this lesson, you’ll learn how influencers can boost brand visibility, connect with targeted audiences, and drive engagement.
✅ Learning objectivesBy the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:Understand the role of influencers in marketing.Recognise different types of influencers and partnerships.Identify the benefits and challenges of influencer marketing.
Learning objectives
By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:
Understand the role of influencers in marketing.
Recognise different types of influencers and partnerships.
Identify the benefits and challenges of influencer marketing.
Influencer overview
Let’s explore the world of influencers to understand how they play a crucial role in shaping trends, driving engagement, and influencing purchasing decisions. You can connect with influencers directly or find them through influencer agencies.
What do influencers do?
Influencers use their online presence to connect with audiences, shape brand perception, and boost engagement through authentic interactions. Influencers create a trusted bridge between businesses and customers, amplifying messages in relatable ways.
How influencers are categorised
Discover how influencers are grouped by their audience size and impact.
Nano influencers
Followers: 1K – 10KNano influencers have small, highly engaged audiences with close relationships, leading to high trust and authenticity.Best use: Ideal for smaller budgets or high-engagement campaigns.
Nano influencers have small, highly engaged audiences with close relationships, leading to high trust and authenticity.Best use: Ideal for smaller budgets or high-engagement campaigns.
Nano influencers have small, highly engaged audiences with close relationships, leading to high trust and authenticity.Best use: Ideal for smaller budgets or high-engagement campaigns.
Best use: Ideal for smaller budgets or high-engagement campaigns.
Best use: Ideal for smaller budgets or high-engagement campaigns.
Micro influencers
Followers: 10K – 100KMicro influencers have a wider reach while still maintaining a personal connection. They are known for high engagement, and their followers trust their recommendations.Best use: Also great for reaching niche audiences with a wider reach and a moderate budget.
Micro influencers have a wider reach while still maintaining a personal connection. They are known for high engagement, and their followers trust their recommendations.Best use: Also great for reaching niche audiences with a wider reach and a moderate budget.
Micro influencers have a wider reach while still maintaining a personal connection. They are known for high engagement, and their followers trust their recommendations.Best use: Also great for reaching niche audiences with a wider reach and a moderate budget.
Best use: Also great for reaching niche audiences with a wider reach and a moderate budget.
Best use: Also great for reaching niche audiences with a wider reach and a moderate budget.
Macro influencers
Followers: 100K – 1MWith a large following, macro influencers boost brand visibility. Though engagement may be lower than that of nano or micro influencers, their reach is impactful.Best use: Driving mass awareness and reaching diverse audiences, often requiring a higher budget.
With a large following, macro influencers boost brand visibility. Though engagement may be lower than that of nano or micro influencers, their reach is impactful.Best use: Driving mass awareness and reaching diverse audiences, often requiring a higher budget.
With a large following, macro influencers boost brand visibility. Though engagement may be lower than that of nano or micro influencers, their reach is impactful.Best use: Driving mass awareness and reaching diverse audiences, often requiring a higher budget.
Best use: Driving mass awareness and reaching diverse audiences, often requiring a higher budget.
Best use: Driving mass awareness and reaching diverse audiences, often requiring a higher budget.
Mega/celebrity influencers
Followers: 1M+Mega influencers and celebrities provide massive reach. Their influence is aspirational but may feel less relatable to everyday consumers.Best use: Running global campaigns and creating high-visibility promotions, typically with a substantial budget.
Mega influencers and celebrities provide massive reach. Their influence is aspirational but may feel less relatable to everyday consumers.Best use: Running global campaigns and creating high-visibility promotions, typically with a substantial budget.
Mega influencers and celebrities provide massive reach. Their influence is aspirational but may feel less relatable to everyday consumers.Best use: Running global campaigns and creating high-visibility promotions, typically with a substantial budget.
Best use: Running global campaigns and creating high-visibility promotions, typically with a substantial budget.
Best use: Running global campaigns and creating high-visibility promotions, typically with a substantial budget.
Types of influencer partnerships
Learn about the various ways businesses can collaborate with influencers. Depending on campaign goals and budget, each partnership type offers unique benefits.
Paid partnerships
Collaborate with a paid influencer to create content that aligns with your business goals and their personal brand.Key benefit: Ensure messaging aligns with business goals.
Key benefit: Ensure messaging aligns with business goals.
Key benefit: Ensure messaging aligns with business goals.
Sponsored content
Sponsor content where an influencer discusses your product, with light guidelines.Key benefit: Reach new audiences with content that feels genuine and engaging.
Key benefit: Reach new audiences with content that feels genuine and engaging.
Key benefit: Reach new audiences with content that feels genuine and engaging.
Product gifting
Send free products for an influencer to try and share their thoughts with followers, without financial payment. It’s crucial to check local rules to make sure you follow advertising laws.Key benefit: Encourage authentic, word-of-mouth marketing with a lower upfront cost.
Key benefit: Encourage authentic, word-of-mouth marketing with a lower upfront cost.
Key benefit: Encourage authentic, word-of-mouth marketing with a lower upfront cost.
Affiliate marketing
Provide influencers with unique links or codes, so they can earn a commission for each sale they generate.Key benefit: Easily track performance and identify which influencers are driving the highest impact for your campaign.
Key benefit: Easily track performance and identify which influencers are driving the highest impact for your campaign.
Key benefit: Easily track performance and identify which influencers are driving the highest impact for your campaign.
Brand ambassadorships
Partner with influencers long-term to represent your brand, products, or services across social media sites, including different campaigns and activities, like hosting events.Key benefit: Build strong brand loyalty with consistent, long-term representation.
Key benefit: Build strong brand loyalty with consistent, long-term representation.
Key benefit: Build strong brand loyalty with consistent, long-term representation.
Stay on top of influencer marketing trends
Trends can change quickly, so it’s important to know how to stay updated. Use tools like Google Trends to see what people are searching for, check out influencers on social media sites, and keep track of trending hashtags. Understanding what’s popular helps you stay informed and spot opportunities.
Benefits of influencers
Influencers can provide a wide range of benefits, whether you're looking to promote a product or find new customers.
Influencer marketing benefits
Explore how influencers can help drive sales, increase awareness, build trust, and engage your audience.
Brand awareness
Increase brand reach by leveraging influencers to introduce it to new, untapped audiences. Their established trust helps amplify visibility and foster recognition.
How Google’s influencer approach drove campaign success
See how Google partnered with Aref, a friendly influencer, who helped build stronger connections with audiences.1
What did we find?
We found that people were searching for answers to everyday questions, such as ‘how to exercise at home’ or ‘how to build a resume.’ They preferred trusted, personal voices over impersonal content or results.
What did we do?
We introduced Aref, a relatable vlogger answering popular ‘how-to’ questions in a fun, engaging way. The campaign featured 14 short videos shared on platforms like YouTube and social media, using both paid and organic promotion to reach a wider audience.
What were the results?
The campaign boosted brand awareness by 15%, increased search queries by 14%, and saw a 29% rise in ‘how-to’ searches.
Considerations when partnering with influencers
In this section, we’ll uncover some considerations you should take into account when working with influencers.
Influencer marketing challenges
Influencer marketing offers many benefits, but it also comes with its own set of challenges. Understanding these can help you navigate potential obstacles and make more informed decisions when working with influencers.
Risk management and regulations
Navigating influencer marketing requires understanding and complying with regulations, which can vary across regions. Contracts and clear expectations help mitigate risks and ensure smooth collaborations.
Regional variations
Regulations vary by region. For example, some countries require clear labelling of sponsored posts or disclosures for gifted products. Knowing and adhering to local laws helps support compliance and minimise legal issues.
Disclosure of partnerships
In many regions, influencers must disclose paid partnerships clearly to comply with advertising regulations. Transparency is crucial.
Contracts and expectations
Establishing contracts with influencers helps ensure both parties are aligned on campaign goals, timelines, and deliverables, reducing the risk of misunderstandings.
Review process
Include a review process in your agreements, requiring influencers to share their content— including captions, tags, and hashtags—for approval before posting. This ensures the final post aligns with your expectations and allows for necessary adjustments.
Research influencers
Thoroughly research influencers before collaborating to ensure they align with your brand values. This helps avoid potential reputational risks and ensures a better fit for your campaign.
Tips for success
Let’s dive into the key tips for successful influencer partnerships.
Top tips to keep in mind
Keep these tips in mind to make your influencer partnerships more effective and impactful.
Check your knowledge
Let’s see what you’ve learned about the world of influencing.
Make a match
Match the influencer type or partnership type with its correct description.
Small, engaged audience, ideal for budget-friendly or high-engagement campaigns.
correct
Influencers are paid to create content following specific brand guidelines.
incorrect
A long-term partnership where influencers represent the brand consistently.
incorrect
Show Answer
Show Answer
Almost.Nano influencers have small, engaged audiences, ideal for budget-friendly or high-engagement campaigns. In paid partnerships, influencers are paid to create content following brand guidelines. With affiliate marketing, influencers use unique links or codes to earn commissions for each sale.
Nano influencers have small, engaged audiences, ideal for budget-friendly or high-engagement campaigns. In paid partnerships, influencers are paid to create content following brand guidelines. With affiliate marketing, influencers use unique links or codes to earn commissions for each sale.
Lesson complete
You’re now equipped with a solid understanding of influencers. Head to the next lesson to learn how toAvoid social media pitfalls.
1Think with Google:Putting a friendly face on marketing: How to help people searching for answers
1Think with Google:
Putting a friendly face on marketing: How to help people searching for answers