Influencers and Brand Ambassadors: what are they?

The industry of social media referral marketing is increasingly becoming more and more popular, with brands plugging so much money into influencers and brand ambassadors that it is predicted to be worth between $8-10bn in 2020.

Paying for influencers and ambassadors to shout about a brand online is a very effective way to attract new customers. However, since 2014, the price per Instagram post has increased by a surprising 1,127% according to the latest figures in the Izea Influencer Marketing Costs report.

CEO & Founder at Social Chain, Stephen Bartlett, recently commented that:

Influencer marketing is on track to become an $8 billion industry in 2020. Instagram influencer partnerships are by far the best performing platform for brands to reach new audiences quickly, with an average engagement rate of 3.21%, compared to 1.5% across all social platforms. Recent analysis by Fohr shows that nano & micro influencers (those with between 0 and 50k followers) have the highest engagement rate, regardless of their genre, audience or topics. As influencer marketing becomes increasingly popular, with good reason of course, feeds are becoming saturated with sponsored posts and brand partnerships. Faced with potential advertising-fatigue, consumers are looking for friend-like creators, that they can build deeper, genuine connections with, as opposed to mainstream ‘celebrities’ with millions of followers.

And those price increases aren’t exclusive to Instagram either, with costs for sponsored content going up across the board. According to the marketing firm, YouTube videos saw the most significant increase in charges since 2014, jumping 1,495% from $420 to $6,700 in 2019.

So, with it being such an expensive industry to approach, it’s crucial to public relations that we understand the world of influencers and brand ambassadors. PR Week published an interesting article recently, well worth a read.

Both the terms influencer and brand ambassador are used interchangeably. They both work in similar ways, with both social media presences working to grow the online following and customer base of a brand. However, there are a few key differences to be aware of.

The power of Influencers

Social media influencers are people or accounts that have a substantial following and are happy to promote your products to their followers if it aligns with their brand values. They typically work by using products or services in their day to day life and documenting everything before sharing it on their social channels.

A brand’s relationship with an influencer is likely to be short term, with the brand paying per post or for a series of posts. However, with influencers only working with compatible brands, the audience will be relevant, making it a good investment as businesses will be reaching a highly targeted audience base.

Some of the most popular influencer niches include makeup and beauty products, with figures such as Zoella receiving payment to review or showcase an item on her social media or YouTube channels.

Influencer marketing is an excellent way to expand your brand’s reach as it is a more authentic way of targeting and approaching new consumers. Compared to traditional advertising, customers often see it as a more trustworthy recommendation as it will be coming from an online figure they respect or idolise.

With this type of social presence, it’s also important to be aware of the different types of influencers. Not all boast millions of followers. Instead, some are micro-influencers; these are people with less than 10,000 followers but are an authority figure in their niche and possess a very high engagement rate.

Victoria Ross, Head of Marketing at Curvy Kate, says:

Influencers are an invaluable part of our marketing strategy. Consumers want to hear from influencers who they actively engage with or who are an authority in their niche. Through influencers we can reach a large target audience quickly and in a personal way.

Influencer marketing can also come with a hefty price tag. Some of the most significant influencer accounts can charge thousands per post, so it is vital that you find someone with the same brand values and who are followed by your ideal consumer.

Em Smyth, AKA The Em Edit is a well-known body confidence model and influencer who works with brands like Curvy Kate, provides further insight into the role of influencers in the current market:

Turning 30 was a bit of a turning point for me; Eat/Sleep/Work/Repeat was not at all what I’d signed up for, so I turned to blogging as a creative outlet. Over the past three years, this spur of the moment decision has somehow seen me representing a host of multi-national brands, plus size modelling, hosting a panels and featuring in not one but TWO TV adverts, both times in my underwear…







In summary: I became an influencer in the same way as so many people, completely by accident!







As an influencer on a smaller scale than many, the need to express myself through written content whilst maintaining a genuine and relatable relationship with my audience, has always remained a priority, and I’ve found that the brands who both recognise and work with me for those reasons are the ones whose campaigns subsequently soar. Brands like Simply Be, Navabi and Curvy Kate invest in influencers they know their customers relate to and the brand loyalty that follows is phenomenal.







I’d be lying if I said that fitting the work I do as an influencer around my day job, family life and all the things that we, as adult humans, do was easy. However, this role offers women, in particular, the opportunity to monetise skills which would previously have been seen as hobbies. It allows care-givers to build communities of support and recognition. It allows people a career whilst still having a voice and showing the world what they are all about. Long may it continue!

The power of brand ambassadors

Think of brand ambassadors as a brand cheerleader. They are real people who genuinely love your business and its products or services. They also want to see your brand succeed and will be experts in everything you do, working by casually promoting or mentioning your brand when relevant.

These aren’t likely to be famous people with large followings. They will, however, be respected within your industry, an authority point for your target audience or known within your sector. For example, a chef will be a fantastic ambassador for a brand of kitchen utensils. The options for ambassadors can span from your employees to loyal customers.

They’re the ideal representative to incorporate into your marketing mix. Because the relationship will be more organic, their influence on their followers will be valuable, and it will be more like conversing with a friend and receiving a genuine recommendation.

On top of this, they’re also more economically friendly, with incentives and small fees working as an adequate motive for many.

Influencers vs ambassadors

Ultimately, both influencers and ambassadors have their pros and cons. Influencers are the ideal choice for brands who can spend more on their marketing and are looking to reach a wider audience.

On the other hand, ambassadors give businesses the chance to build a more organic community around their brand over a long period. There may not be as much of an extensive reach, but the followers targeted will be more likely to convert into a sale.

Overall, they will both work towards the same objectives: promoting your brand. They’ll share your products and services but in a more authentic fashion that works as a trustworthy recommendation to their followers.

Are you looking to work with influencers and brand ambassadors to help you do better?

Get in touch today. With years of experience in managing social media activity and building meaningful relationships with the online authority figures in a range of sectors, we can give you the boost you need to expand your audience via authentic recommendations.