“People do not buy goods and services. They buy relations, stories and magic.” Seth Godin’s line explains why influencer marketing works: a credible creator presents a product within their daily life to an audience that trusts them. But the sector has changed a lot over the years: more professionalism, more rules, more focus on results and less room for improvised collaborations.
In this guide we look at how influencer marketing works today, how to choose the right influencers, which rules to follow and how to measure results.
What influencer marketing is
Influencer marketing is a collaboration between a brand and a content creator with a loyal audience on one or more digital channels, aimed at promoting a product, a service or a brand value. Unlike a traditional celebrity endorser, an influencer:
- expresses a personal opinion, not just an advertising message;
- integrates the product into their content and lifestyle;
- uses their own language and formats, often more credible for their audience.
Types of influencers
| Type | Indicative audience | Strengths |
|---|---|---|
| Mega and celebrity | Over one million followers | Huge reach, instant awareness |
| Macro | 100,000 to 1 million | Good balance between reach and specialisation |
| Micro | 10,000 to 100,000 | Niche audience, high engagement |
| Nano | Fewer than 10,000 | Very close relationship with the community, low costs |
Numbers are not everything: micro and nano influencers often generate more trust and engagement than very large profiles.
How to choose the right influencer
- Brand fit: values, style and content must be compatible with yours.
- Real audience: check the audience’s age, location and interests, not just follower count.
- Genuine engagement: are comments and interactions authentic? Be wary of sudden growth and suspicious activity.
- Content quality and the ability to present a product naturally.
- Past collaborations: too many different brands, perhaps competitors, reduce credibility.
- Professionalism: respect for rules, deadlines and agreements.
Rules to follow
Advertising must always be recognisable as such. In Italy:
- sponsored content must be clearly labelled, for example with #adv or #ad, as required by the Digital Chart of the Italian Advertising Standards Institute;
- the communications authority AGCOM has introduced guidelines and a code of conduct extending to influencers with large followings obligations similar to those of audiovisual media, on advertising transparency and protection of minors;
- the brand is also responsible for the accuracy of messages: product claims must be true and verifiable.
How to set up a collaboration
- a clear goal: awareness, traffic, sales, content for the brand’s own channels;
- a shared brief with key messages and constraints, leaving creative freedom to the creator;
- a written agreement on content, timing, usage rights, exclusivity and fees;
- tracking tools: dedicated links, personal discount codes, landing pages.
How to measure results
- reach and views of the content;
- engagement: comments, shares, saves;
- traffic and conversions through dedicated links and codes;
- growth of the brand’s community;
- cost per result, compared with other channels.
Ongoing collaborations almost always work better than one-off posts: the audience perceives a genuine relationship between creator and brand.
FAQ
How much does an influencer collaboration cost?
It depends on audience size, engagement, format and content usage rights. With micro and nano influencers you can start on modest budgets.
One big influencer or many small ones?
A large profile can help with instant awareness; for engagement and trust, a network of micro influencers who match your target often performs better.
Does influencer marketing work in B2B?
Yes, through industry experts, professionals and creators active mainly on LinkedIn and YouTube.
Want to launch an influencer campaign?
E-Business Consulting designs and runs influencer marketing campaigns as part of social media marketing strategies: creator selection, briefs, contracts, monitoring and results measurement, also combined with Facebook and Instagram campaigns. Get in touch with us for a conversation.
