Influencer Vs. Celebrity - What’s The Difference?

Think about your favorite celebrity. Have they been in a commercial? Have they worked with a well-known brand? The answer is likely to be yes. A highly effective marketing strategy now includes using well-known individuals to increase brand influence. For a while, celebrities were the only ones paid to do this, but now, there is a new type of celebrity known as an influencer. Influencer marketing is on the rise and we’re going to dive into the differences between using influencers and celebrities for brand promotion. 

Celebrity marketing allows a brand to break through time, space and language barriers to appeal to a global market. Many of these individuals are admired worldwide for their talent and can reach a large range of audiences. Although celebrities have mass appeal, this usually means they don’t apply to a niche audience. Their collaboration with a brand, will likely not be based on knowledge or expertise of the product. This creates a one-way communication channel. A celebrity is just the face of a brand, not a point of contact to learn more about the important details. Due to this, the brand likely comes up with the story and idea for promoting the product, while the celebrity just plays a role. Although effective, it can take a lot of time away from those who have to create promotional material. Celebrities also typically cost a lot more to utilize, due to their status. 

This is where an influencer comes in. Influencer marketing exploded around 2009 when YouTube personalities began gaining large followings. Brands took notice, and worked with bloggers to promote their brand. The results were impactful. 

Influencers are “ordinary” people who create an online persona. They’re seen by their audience as authentic and they use this to attract a large follower base. Typically, an influencer is positioned as an expert in a specific niche or industry, and they hold a lot of knowledge about this area. Watching or reading material from influencers provides an outlet for very natural talking points. The influencer usually has personal experience with the brand and provides a communication hub between the business and consumer. Having experience with content creation, influencers can participate in creating promotional content and often create it all on their own. This saves businesses time and money. 

If you’re looking to get your brand to consumers in an authentic and engaging way, look no further. Influencers are here to stay. Although they may not always have as vast of an audience as a celebrity, their expertise allows them to have a more profound impact on their followers. They save companies time and money, and are a great resource for learning more about your audience. Consider utilizing this resource for your next promotional campaign!