Influencer marketing has rapidly become a key strategy offering brands a way to reach wide and diverse audiences. However, as the field grows and becomes more complex it’s easy to get mixed up with some strategies. For instance, there is a lot of confusion between influencers' and ambassadors' roles: what’s the difference?
Let's dive into what separates these two important figures in the marketing landscape.
Understanding Influencers
Influencers are social media personalities with a significant following. This category includes personalities on platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok, where they create content that connects with their audience. We've already covered the roots of influencer marketing and why it's grown so rapidly.
To sum it up, influencers have the power to affect buying decisions because of their authority, expertise, or connection with their followers. Take, for example, the Adidas Members Week Campaign. The company hired 19 Twitch streamers to promote its Members Club, creating special content about it during their streams and on platforms like Discord and X.
This type of promotion was time-bounded, and once it's over, influencers are free to return to their regular content.
It's good practice to reconnect with the same influencers if the initial collaboration goes smoothly, fostering long-term relationships. However, each agreement is tied to specific campaign objectives and clear briefs, distinguishing influencer partnerships from ambassadorships. Let's dive into what ambassadorship means and how it differs from influencer marketing.
Brand ambassadors — what’s they are about?
Brand ambassadors represent a more niche role than influencers. They are usually passionate users with deep expertise in a specific product, aiming to build a closer connection between a brand and its community.
A brand ambassador serves as a representative of a company's brand. The term itself comes from the Latin word "ambactus," which means servant, reflecting their role in supporting a business in meaningful ways.
Here are some key aspects that distinguish brand ambassadors:
- A deeper understanding of business goals: ambassadors usually have a more profound knowledge of a company's goals and internal processes.
- Real influence on the product and brand image: they often contribute ideas that influence product development and company strategy.
- Long-term cooperation: ambassadorships generally last at least a year, allowing for a more consistent and ongoing partnership.
- Profit sharing: not necessary but they may have a direct link between their payment and business results or other ways to measure their impact.
Brand ambassadors are not necessarily influencers or celebrities. They can also be internal employees, company management, or other informal brand advocates.
Which Is Right for Your Brand?
Choosing between an influencer marketing campaign and ambassadorship depends on your brand's goals and resources. While a small-scale influencer marketing campaign can be executed within weeks and with minimal resources, ambassadorship is a more extensive commitment, typically lasting at least a year.
Before committing to an ambassadorship, consider starting with smaller influencer campaigns to see if using media personalities aligns with your marketing strategy. Influencer campaigns offer more flexibility and can be adapted quickly, while ambassadorship involves a deeper relationship with your brand.
Read more about how to choose the “right” influencer for your campaign.
Determine what you want to achieve with your marketing efforts. If you're looking for short-term impact or want to reach a broad audience quickly, an influencer campaign might be suitable. If your goals require consistent and ongoing engagement, ambassadorship might be a better fit.
Ambassadorship requires longer-term dedication from both parties, so be sure you are ready for the commitment.
When selecting an ambassador, take your time to ensure they align with your brand's values and goals. Get to know each other and brainstorm together to create a collaborative partnership. An ambassador should feel like part of your team, providing valuable feedback and helping your company grow.
Need help finding an ambassador or running an influencer marketing campaign?
Get in touch with TrapPlan, and they'll guide you through the process.
