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Do you follow any influencers on social media? I guarantee you do. Whether they are a YouTube creator or a celebrity on Instagram, you are bound to have some sort of connection to an influencer. Because of this, you’ve been exposed to some type of lifestyle branding as well. Now, what is lifestyle branding and what does it have to do with influencer marketing? In this article, we will go over both concepts, their relationship, and how you can utilize them to your advantage.
Definitions
To understand what influencer marketing and lifestyle branding have to do with each other, we must define them. So, let’s start with influencer marketing. When talking about influencers, the keyword is “influence.” This is because an influencer is a person, or an organization, that has a certain amount of authority in the social media community that they are a part of. In the marketing world, influencers are a hot commodity because they have the power to impact whether a product will be purchased through their words and actions. So, influencer marketing is when a business sponsors an influencer to endorse their products to their audience. Influencers are often popular on YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, and other social media platforms. They can be bloggers and celebrities as well.
Next is lifestyle branding. A lifestyle brand is a brand that promotes a certain style of living to the customer. This kind of branding seeks to inspire and motivate people to buy products or services that help them achieve the advertised lifestyle. You want your customers to look at your product or service and say, “Hey, if I get this, my life will be just like that!”
A good example of a lifestyle brand is Nike. What do you think of when you think of Nike? For instance, they have the Air Jordans, a shoe specifically designed with all-star basketball player Michael Jordan in mind. They also have popular athletes starring in most of their commercials, which highlight sports being performed. Additionally, they sponsor certain teams and have been the main apparel maker for the NBA and WNBA in the past. So, when you think of Nike, you think of athletes. Whether you are training for a marathon or just got a gym membership, when you watch a Nike commercial that inspires you to purchase their apparel, you are buying into the lifestyle of an athlete. And that is the point of a lifestyle brand.
The relationship
Now that we have gone over the definitions of influencer marketing and lifestyle branding, it is time to get into the relationship they have with each other. Going back to the definitions, you already have an idea as to how these two concepts mesh. As you can see, a lifestyle brand is nothing without the promotional aspect. You don’t need an influencer to promote a lifestyle brand, but when so much of your branding relies on inspiring human emotion, an influencer can be quite a bit of help. Without a human touch, your business is just a business promoting itself. 92% of consumers trust word-of-mouth above other forms of advertising, so what better way to reach your customers than through a person who has a lot of social authority?
Influencer marketing is a more effective strategy than traditional marketing in that it gives you a more positive reputation and builds your brand’s credibility. An average customer is much more likely to trust an influencer over a business not only because they trust them, but also because they connect with them. An influencer is an idealized version of who the customer wants to be. Whether an influencer posts carefully curated photo ops on Instagram or more candid TikTok Storytimes, part of their social authority is due to their enviable lifestyle. But even with this enviable life, people connect with them over a brand because of their humanity and charisma. An influencer can directly interact with their audience in a way that a business cannot.
An influencer can directly respond to their audience, especially micro-influencers. Brands utilize micro-influencers ten times more often than mega-influencers because it is easier for them to engage with their audience, which is more important than just a follower count. Micro-influencers also tend to have lives that look more accessible, which adds to their credibility. For example, a celebrity driving a figure-eight in a car commercial is going to have less influence than a micro-influencer telling a story about how the same car protected them and their child in an accident. In this case, the micro-influencer is more authentic because they are more of an average person with a relatable, emotional story. This quality is invaluable for lifestyle branding because it gives potential customers a more candid and sincere look into an attainable future. A micro-influencer also has more reach with whatever their niche is so, once you’ve identified your customer profile, finding a micro-influencer with social authority over those customers will be infinitely more effective than hiring an influencer with a broad audience. You will be making sure that the lifestyle you are offering with your product or service will reach the right people.
A few things to keep in mind
So, you’ve hired an influencer; what next? Well, to start, you’ll want to give your influencers something to work with. Do you have something new and unique to share with an audience? People spend an average of two hours and 25 minutes scrolling through social media, but only spend seconds looking at each post. Think about what you have to offer that would make people stop scrolling and pay attention, and then work with your influencers.
An important thing to note is that influencers are content creators, not content promoters. You must give them some level of creative freedom. They don’t need your product or service to grow their following, and if you restrict them, they are bound to find someone else who doesn’t. Make sure to have a good relationship with your influencers. Listen to their creative vision, send them samples of your products, or offer your services to them so they know what they’re promoting. You want to make sure that they are happy with both you and your product; that is particularly important.
Final thoughts
Overall, an influencer can add an element of authenticity and candidness to your lifestyle brand that no other form of advertising can replicate. If you are making sure that your influencers are happy and making effective content, and that you are marketing within your niche, you will be successful. So don’t be afraid to try out influencer marketing for your lifestyle brand!
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