Over the past few years, influencers have become key figures on the digital landscape. True 2.0 icons, bloggers, youtubers and Instagrammers are shaping a new way of communicating and consuming. They are at the heart of a more human, more authentic marketing approach, based on proximity and trust. But who are influencers really, and how can a brand forge effective partnerships with them? To answer these questions, Effinity’s Influence team hosted a conference at the Salon E-Marketing de Paris, accompanied by Chloé Penderie, aka La Penderie de Chloé, a lifestyle influencer followed by over 90,000 followers on Instagram.
Influence in France: a growing phenomenon
Today, influencers are omnipresent on the web. They share their passions, opinions and discoveries with communities that are sometimes highly engaged. In France, 60% of blogs regularly mention brands, and some 80,000 photos are published every day on Instagram. This volume testifies to the power of influence marketing.
This phenomenon also translates into sales. In fact, 30% of Internet users who visit a blog make a purchase following a recommendation. On YouTube, 22% of viewers go on to visit a brand’s website, and 12% make a purchase. Working with influencers means investing in a powerful conversion lever.
Who are today’s influencers?
There’s no such thing as a typical profile. While the majority of influencers are still women, with backgrounds in fashion, beauty or lifestyle, diversity is becoming increasingly widespread. Some creators specialize in niche areas: sports, tech, home, travel, parenting… We’re seeing the rise of profiles such as thematernity influencera category much sought-after by brands targeting families, childcare or baby food.
While some, like Chloé Penderie, live exclusively from their online activity, many still have another profession on the side. Nevertheless, all of them invest a great deal of time and energy in content creation: social network management, article writing, video editing, community management, subscriber response… A job in its own right, often underestimated.
An essential point to remember: closeness to the community. The influencer is not an inaccessible celebrity; he or she cultivates an image of “someone like you and me”. This “girl next door” phenomenon reinforces the authenticity of the message and encourages audience identification.
Why do brands rely on influence?
For Justine Hervé, of Effinity’s Influence team, there are several reasons for this craze. Firstly, influencers enjoy a genuine relationship of trust with their audience. Their recommendations have a greater impact than traditional advertising. What’s more, their passion shines through in their content, adding a human and sincere dimension.
Another advantage: speed and flexibility. An influencer campaign can be set up in a matter of days, with content in a variety of formats: article, story, Instagram post, YouTube video, etc. As Chloé Penderie explains, her blog receives “over 50,000 unique visitors a month”, in addition to her presence on social networks. It’s a complete ecosystem that can make a brand shine.
How to choose the right influencer?
The number of subscribers is not everything. A successful collaboration depends above all on the alignment between the brand’s values and the influencer’s universe. It’s often better to work with a highly committed micro-influencer than with a star with millions of followers but little commitment.
This is where influencer sourcing. Identifying the right profiles, analyzing their audience, their tone, their type of content: all this requires precise tools and cutting-edge expertise. Effinity has strengthened its capabilities in this area, enabling brands to target the right ambassadors.
Once the influencer has been identified, the next step is to establish contact. Here again, there are a number of best practices to follow in order to capture their attention. If you’re wondering how to approach an influencer effectively, it’s essential to carefully craft your message, explain the added value of the partnership and respect their editorial independence.
Responsible influence: a growing challenge
With the rise of influencer marketing, expectations around transparency and ethics are growing. Influencers need to make it clear when content is sponsored, and brands need to ensure they are working with profiles that respect best practice.
Effinity is committed to this approach, encouraging designers to adopt a professional posture. A responsible influencer knows the rules, respects obligatory mentions and adopts a rigorous approach to collaboration. For brands, this guarantees sustainable, credible and legally compliant campaigns.
What tools do you need to collaborate effectively?
To run a successful influencer campaign, you first need to develop an appropriate communications strategy. This involves mastering social networks, of course, but also using specific tools.
Effinity has designed a platform that brings together brands and influencers. It enables direct exchange, simplified campaign management and performance tracking. This type of environment is essential for professionalizing collaborations and measuring their impact.
But not all companies have the resources or expertise in-house to structure these actions. That’s why it can be a good idea to call on the services of an influence agency. The agency will assist the brand in selecting profiles, defining objectives, implementing operations and reporting results.
Working with an influencer is not something you can improvise. It’s a profession in its own right, with its own codes, rules and best practices. With the right tools, the right profiles and the right support, brands can turn influence into a strategic lever for development. Far from simple product placement, influence is above all a matter of passion, consistency… and performance.
