Chapter One: Influencer Marketing

In today's society, social media has a significant impact on what products are popular and what trends are in. The people who create this impact are online influencers, whom consumers follow for their recommendation's and reviews. Influencer marketing, a popular type of social media marketing, can be seen as either paid or earned media, which is a key aspect of Chapter 1. These two types of media, while very different, are both important.

There are various types of influencers, including brand ambassadors. Brand ambassador programs, according to the article "6 Reasons Your Company Could Benefit From a Brand Ambassador Program", are marketing campaigns that put a company's message in the hands of ambassadors with specific goals in mind, such as building brand awareness. This can sometimes include compensation in the form of free products, but does not always include payment, which would be earned media. Influencers, on the other hand, usually have contracts with the brands they represent that specify their compensation and the actions that influencer needs to take. This would be seen as paid media. 

According to the article "What is Earned Media (and How It Related To Influencer Marketing)", consumers feel that paid promotions and advertising aren't very trustworthy, which is why influencer marketing is so powerful in today's society. They usually prefer genuine reviews and recommendations from friends and family, as well as recommendations from the influencers they closely follow and trust online. 

Reflecting on my own experiences with recommended products, I am also generally influenced by those I follow online. I have bought multiple hair products, beauty products, clothing items, and tried certain restaurants based on what the influencers I follow recommend. While I have sometimes been disappointed by these recommendations, I have also loved, and repurchased, multiple products recommended to me by influencers. 

Influencer marketing plays a crucial role in building brand recognition and increasing sales, and it's definitely here to stay. 

References: 

Edify app by Stukent. (n.d.) https://edifyapp.stukent.com/EFY-ESMM/CC-D950D4

Jacks, C. (2023, September 14). What is earned media (and how it related to influencer marketing). HireInfluence, Inc. https://hireinfluence.com/blog/what-is-earned-media/#:~:text=Earned%20Media%20for%20Better%20Credibility,-Both%20earned%20media&text=The%20difference%20is%20that%20influencer,connect%20with%20the%20target%20audience.

Rivera, A. (n.d.). What is a brand ambassador program?. Business News Daily. https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/11023-brand-ambassador-program.html