As we have seen, Influencer Marketing is a product of the Social Media.

  All the social media platforms are mediums for

Influencer Marketing too.  Facebook being the oldest social media platform in vogue is the most preferred mode for
Influencer Marketing.

This was followed by Instagram, while Twitter, Linked-In and Youtube are also increasingly patronized for social media
marketing

Based on the types of content or the mode used for communication, influencers can be divided as follows:

Bloggers:

Bloggers are people who write regularly on a website or online on any matter ranging from politics to sports to health
and fitness.  Bloggers own the blogs that they post in and share views, interests and information.  Original and creative
content is posted in the blog and supplemented with graphics and pictures shared in social media. Bloggers have built up
a sizeable following in specific sectors and have the most authentic and active relationship with their fans.

Vloggers:

A Vlogger is a person who creates and uploads a Video Blog.  A vlog is nothing but a blog with video as a medium and
contains anything related to the vlogger’s personal life or any other activities.  The difference in blogging and vlogging is
that in a Blog, people write about something, in a vlog, people film the same.  Vlogging has received a boost since the
advent of YouTube and has spawned a large community.  Vlogging is not only about entertainment, it can deliver serious
content.  Since pictures are more effective than the written word, vlogging has distinct advantages over blogging.

Podcasters:

Podcasts are digital audio files containing discussions about a certain topic or event.  They are generally transmitted as a
series of episodes and can be downloaded on to the personal device. Podcasters work as influencers for sponsors of their
episodes.

Celebrity:

As we have seen in the first section of this week, celebrities are the original influencers.  They were there when audio
was the only mode, they were there when TV came, and they are still there in the era of social media.  They still
command a lot of attention, although, we might say, it is waning a bit due to the multiple influencers out there in the
social media.

We can say, influencer marketing grew due to celebrity endorsement. However, compared to other influencers, celebrity
influencers are the most expensive, and obviously, most impactful.
 Key Opinion Leaders:

Industry experts, academics, journalists or professional advisors are also major influencers and are important for brands. 
Industry experts or professional advisors become influential due to their knowledge and expertise of the subject matter
and likewise academics.  Journalists become influencers due to the fame attached to their magazines or newspapers.

Instagrammer:

A person attracting Instagram audience with high-quality photo content.

The choice of social media preferred for marketing is also dependent on the profession.  Although not a general rule, it is
an accepted fact that most businesses or professionals use Linked in, Models or fashionistas prefer Facebook, Actors use
Twitter and Technicians use Pinterest or Instagram.

Of the mentioned modes, YouTube has emerged as a preferred channel as it allows free content uploading feature and
has created many online celebrities. 

So, what makes an influencer?

Ø  Is it their social or professional reach?

Ø  Is it their accomplishments or status?

Ø  Is it their persona, their subject knowledge or experience?

It can be one or a combination of these. There is no formula to follow. But we can follow the Cialdini test to get some
answers:

Ø  Does the person have authority to speak on the subject?

Ø  How trustworthy is the person?

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