Influencer strategies worth watching.

JKBuild’s building materials expert Jen Candlish recently spoke at IBS 2024, educating attendees on the 5 steps to building success with influencer marketing. In her session, she covered how influencers have changed, growth within social media, the benefits that influencer marketing can hold and, most importantly, how building materials brands can use influencer marketing to get noticed. 

Influencer marketing isn’t just for B2C brands anymore.

Influencer marketing is a hot topic, even among building materials brands. With the advantages that influencer marketing has created, it’s no wonder why it’s grown in popularity. Over the last few years, we’ve seen the value that it brings to B2C brands. Now that the influencer space has grown and changed so much, it’s time for B2B brands to tap into this incredible opportunity. From reviews to reels, brands are utilizing influencers to expand their reach with new audiences, boost engagement on social platforms and enhance brand loyalty and trust.

“Influencer marketing has opened up a lot more opportunities for brands fuelling brand trust and connection that, in the past, just wasn’t available.”
– Jen Candlish

With more brands getting involved with influencers, we often get asked “But can it work for me? Can it work for those within the building industry?” And the answer is an emphatic “yes.”

“The influencer space has changed so much; we’re not talking about celebrity-level influencers anymore. We’re talking about micro influencers, nano influencers, even content creators. Having so many different people within this space means there’s something (or someone) out there for everyone out there.”
– Jen Candlish

But it’s not a “one size fits all.” With so many different types of influencers within the social space, it’s important to consider what sort of objectives you’re looking to achieve and what you’re hoping to build on.

Influencer strategies worth watching.

Even though celebrity influencers are still prevalent online, thanks to social platforms like TikTok, the world of influencers has exploded. From macro to nano, there’s a wide range of people connecting with their established communities. So, what are some social influencer examples? Here’s the rundown: 

Celebrities/Macro Influencers: The most commonly known strategy, celebrities or macro influencers, achieve broad appeal. They have the largest online communities (100,000 – 1 million) and therefore the largest reach. Their established reputation helps to position them as an authentic resource. 

Mid/Micro Influencers: Typically ranging from 10,000 – 100,000 followers, mid or micro influencers have created a niche for themselves and have built a carefully curated network and audience. These influencers can be a great strategy for tapping into an audience that’s already established.

Nano/Community Influencers: Nano or community influencers typically have a smaller following, around 10,000 followers or fewer. Since they’re great for bringing genuine authenticity, real reviews or experiences of brands and products, building materials brands use these influencers most often.

Content Creators: As Jen says, “All influencers are content creators, but not all content creators are influencers.” So, what’s the difference? Influencers’ primary focus is building a following or community. Content creators craft compelling or inspiring content for specific brands – not their own following. They also create content to help brands fill their social feeds with information their communities will value. If you’re looking to create some interesting or much-needed content surrounding your building materials products, a content creator could be a great ally. 

Industry Experts: Industry experts can benefit building materials brands by educating the online community in the topics they know best. Whether they’re a researcher, architect, designer, etc., industry experts come with a solid reputation and expertise. Their credibility goes a long way in establishing connections and providing users with the information they want. 

Internal Experts: More building materials brands are using internal experts as part of their marketing strategies because, as Jen says, “Who knows your brand better than those who are inside your organization?” Internal experts can provide online users with thought-leadership content and sound advice they’ll appreciate and value. 

Along with these different types of social influencers, content types have also changed. From videos to link sharing to live streams, the way that people prefer to consume content is constantly expanding and changing. This means that whether you want to dip your toe or completely dive in, building materials brands have more opportunities to get noticed than ever before.

So, how do you even get started with an influencer marketing program? How do you make the right connections? The right decisions? Our blog post, 5 steps to building success with influencer marketing, has everything you need to know.