One of the most effective ways to gain new customers is through a brand ambassador program or an influencer program. Both of these programs are effective, as people tend to trust their network more than traditional ads. However, the difference between an influencer and a brand ambassador is quite confusing.
Many companies use the terms brand ambassador and influencer interchangeably. These two essentially serve the same purpose. They each help grow a company’s customer base by sharing their products with their audience. However, there are differences between the two.
What are Brand Ambassadors?
A brand ambassador is someone who genuinely loves your brand and is passionate about it. They actively use your products and services, and they are committed to helping you grow.
They can help spread the word about your products through word-of-mouth. Although they aren’t always associated with a particular celebrity, brand ambassadors are usually experts in their field. They can help promote your brand in various ways.
A dentist or a fitness instructor can be a credible brand ambassador for your product. A fitness instructor might be an effective one for Lululemon. Although a brand ambassador can be considered a noted authority, they can also be a regular customer, employee, or partner. They can help spread the word about your brand regardless of their status.
Most brand ambassadors will continue to promote your brand on various platforms, such as social media. They will also regularly attend events and trade shows, and they prefer to speak with others one-on-one instead of using a script. This is very important for your marketing efforts as brand ambassadors are usually able to interact with their target audience informally.
Although they might receive free products or money for their services, brand ambassadors are not required to work hard in exchange for their services. They are more likely to help you succeed without compensation.
One of the best features of a brand ambassador program is that they can create content for free. They will usually share their thoughts on your brand and promote its various products. They’ll use their unique perspective about the products to connect with their audience.
What are Influencers?
An influencer is someone with a large following on social media and a substantial reputation who promotes your brand. They use their platform to show others how they can use your products. They do this by sharing their personal experiences and opinions.
Unlike brand ambassadors, influencer relationships are short-term. They’re usually only able to promote a product once or twice a month. You choose an influencer based on their following, reputation, and ability to reach a specific target audience. For instance, an influencer with a large following might be the best choice for your product.
Examples of influencer marketing campaigns include a beauty YouTuber sharing a cosmetic company’s products or a social media athlete sharing clothes from a fitness apparel company. Influencers typically expect to receive some type of incentive in exchange for promoting a product. This could be money, free products, or discounts. However, they only promote products that they like and think would work well with their brand.
Types of Influencers
Micro-Influencers
A micro-influencer has a smaller following than a larger one, with the least amount of reach. They are usually more engaged with their followers and have high authority in their niches, such as parenting, fashion, or food.
Macro-Influencers
Although they have a large following on social media, macro-influencers have less than a million followers. They have medium engagement and reach.
Celebrities
The celebrity category includes social media stars with a large following. However, they usually have low engagement with their followers due to their lack of response to questions and comments.
The type of influencer you choose will depend on the reach of your brand and the average engagement that you want them to have with their followers.
Final Thoughts
For your brand, recruitment of influencers and brand ambassadors can be done for various reasons. For instance, brand ambassadors are usually the best choice because they already love your products.
Both influencers and ambassadors can help meet the main objective of your company, which is to share the products or services that you offer with their audience. Having both of them established in their respective fields can help attract new customers.
