Influencer Marketing Hit the Mainstream in 2016 (Report)
86 percent of the marketing professionals surveyed have used influencer programs, and 95 percent said influencer marketing is an effective part of their overall strategy.
Influencer marketing has been the buzzword for 2016, and it dominated the digital marketing conversation this year. Going into 2017, it’s clear that the market will mature and techniques are likely to change again. A study from content marketing agency Linqia examines the future for influencer marketing in 2017.
According to the report, 2016 is the year influencer marketing went mainstream. Of the 170 marketers surveyed by Linqia, 86 percent said they already work with influencers, and nearly 94 percent reported that influencer marketing was an effective part of their overall marketing strategy.
Indeed, marketers are sold on the benefits of influencer marketing. 89 percent are happy with the authentic brand content created by social media influencers, 77 percent cite brand/product engagement as key benefits and 56 percent report traffic to websites and landing pages as a key payoff.
While one of the biggest challenges the survey participants anticipate in the coming year, the return on investment for influencer marketing efforts has been documented this year. Despite the perceived challenges, marketers are already investing heavily in influencer campaigns and planning to invest even more in 2017, according to the Linqia study. 68 percent currently spend about $25,000 or more per program, and almost 58 percent plan to spend $50,000 or more next year.
For more insights–including social site participation and the effectiveness of different pricing models–check out the full study.
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