Influencers

Instagram is one of the leading social media networks for digital influencers. The rise to digital fame has led to the terms “Insta-famous” and “Insta-celebrity” where digital influencers have risen to popularity through Instagram alone. The visual based platform boasts high engagement, 10 times higher than Facebook, 54 times higher than Pinterest and 84 times higher than Twitter. Additionally, it is a prime place for brand awareness with 60% of users saying they learn about a product or service on the platform.

YouTube is a leader in long form video content. The nature of the platform provides the perfect environment for influencers to create deep connections with their viewers. YouTube is key to reaching young audiences with 70% of teenage subscribers trusting influencer opinions over traditional celebrities and 4 in 10 millennials saying their favourite YouTube creators understand them better than their friends.

Snapchat is a network for raw, behind the scenes footage in real time. The Snapchat community has one of the highest participation rates with 400 million Snapchat stories created per day and 10 billion video views. Influencers on snapchat typically have audiences that follow them on multiple social networks and their followings on Snapchat are some of the most engaged users.

TikTok (formally known as Musical.ly) is an up and coming social network with an appeal to tween and teenage users. TikTok users are loyal followers and the network has more than 133 million monthly active users. As the number one musical video community in the app scene, TikTok provides brands a fun, entertaining space to promote their products to a lucrative millennial market.

Bloggers are powerful storytellers. They build their followers by creating content that speaks to their loyal audience. Engaging bloggers is a great way for brands to have their brand story told through compelling, long form content. Similarly to YouTube, bloggers have the ability to explore the brand's product or service in more detail than one can through an Instagram post or 10 second Snapchat clip.

Podcasts are a popular place for brands to jump on sponsorships opportunities. Podcast influencers (also known as hosts) are entertaining, engaging, and can provide a powerful voice for brands. The platform allows for real and honest conversations which fosters one of the most important influencer marketing qualities - authenticity.

As one of the oldest and biggest social media platforms, Facebook is a great way for brands to reach a wide target market. Influencers on Facebook are not just famous people and celebrities, they can also be influential pages and/or groups. Facebook is a great platform for viral content including popular videos, memes and other relatable content.

Twitter influencers are a great way for brands to start a conversation around a certain topic. With limitations to 280 characters per post, Twitter is a popular channel for important cultural and political conversation. It also captures a large audience in the foodie and sports niches.

Pinterest is a popular avenue for brands looking to foster creativity and inspiration. Popular themes on the platform include fashion, weddings, cooking and home décor. Pinterest is a great way to drive new users to relevant landing pages such as brand websites and/or influencer blogs.