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Influencer marketing has really ramped up over the years and is now the leading marketing strategy in 2023, reported by HubSpot. Influencer marketing expands upon word-of-mouth advertising on social media since they have hundreds, thousands, or millions of followers. According to HubSpot, “In 2022, the influencer market in the U.S. was valued at a record 16.4 billion.” HubSpot also reports that influencer marketing is used by 1 in 4 marketers! That's huge! Let's dive into this more.
What is Influencer Marketing?
Influencers promote products or services in exchange for either payment or free product from the brand. There are three categories of influencers: macro, micro, and nano. Macro influencers have about 100,000 to 1 million followers and have a broader audience than the other two. Micro influencers have around 1,000 to 100,000 followers, and they usually have more niche content. Finally, nano influencers have less than 1,000 followers and are very niche. Nano influencers usually promote brands just for free product, no pay.
Gen Z and Millennials are Persuaded by Influencers
According to HubSpot, “72% of Gen Z and Millennials follow influencers on social media.” HubSpot also reports that 50% of Millennials trust influencers’ reviews of products, and 33% of Gen Z-ers actually purchased a product from an influencer’s review within the past three months. This shows that Gen Z and Millennials really value influencers' opinions and recommendations. Shopping is now based on influencer promotion so let's take advantage of that.
Influencer Market is Perfect for Branded Merchandise
With so many influenced by influencers in buying decisions, influencers are an obvious sector to start catering to. How do you create branded merchandise for influencers?
1. Work with brands to create influencer boxes for the influencers they work withOne word: kitting! Put together a box (branded, of course) of branded merchandise for the particular brand you are working with. Apparel is always a good option so influencers can wear your brand out and about for more visibility. Branded items specific to the industry would also be great. Here are some examples.
Check out Zagwear’s custom kitting capabilities for more ideas!
2. Create branded merch for influencers’ personal brands
Influencers sell their own merch to their followers. With 72% of Gen Z and Millennials following influencers, it’s a large market! People love merch, whether it's hoodies, t-shirts, hats, etc. Here are some ideas.
Reach out if you'd like to get started on branded merchandise for influencers! We are ready with innovative ideas to create memorable product experiences just for you.
