The Role of Influencer Marketing in Lead Generation

If your business is doing the same old thing and continually getting inadequate results, it’s time for change. The digital age is now upon us. And while the old ways of running marketing campaigns can work in some situations, you’re making a mistake by ignoring digital marketing.

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Consumers are a fickle bunch and are becoming more skeptical of direct advertisements. They’re more likely to be convinced to make a positive purchasing decision by relying on personal recommendations and sources they find authentic and dependable. This considerable shift in consumer behavior has contributed to the increasing importance of influencer marketing.

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Statista reports that the worldwide influencer marketing segment was worth $21.1 billion as of 2024. That's more than triple since 2019. It adds that the influencer endorsement market continues to mature as a sector and that the size and worth of influencer marketing platforms continue to grow each year, making strategic partnerships between brands and creators increasingly profitable. Marketers in the know are leveraging the power of the movers and shakers on social media to communicate their unique value propositions to consumers.

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Influencers with a strong social media presence and sizable list of online followers can be help move the needle on the lead generation front. But how exactly does influencer marketing drive lead generation? Keep reading to learn more about how influencer marketing impacts lead generation -- and how Marketer.co can help you maximize your influencer marketing strategy.

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What is Influencer Marketing?

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Influencer marketing is a type of social media marketing. There were 5.56 billion internet users globally as of February 2025, which makes up 67.9% of the worldwide population. Meanwhile, the number of global social media users comes in at 5.24 billion, making up 63.9% of the global population. That’s reason enough for every business to develop online marketing strategies. Failing to do so means losing out since your rivals are likely already targeting people online.

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Businesses pursue influencer marketing because it enables them to reach a wider target market through trusted sources who come with loyal followers. That can lead to higher engagement and conversion rates versus traditional marketing. For influencer marketing to work effectively for your business, the influencer and the influencer’s audience should be part of your company’s target demographic so that endorsements are impactful and yield results.

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Types of influencers include:

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• Mega-Influencers: Celebrities and public figures with follower count in the millions
• Macro-Influencers: Influencers with between 100,000 to 1 million followers
• Micro-Influencers: Influencers with between 10,000 to 100,000 followers
• Nano-Influencers: Everyday consumers with south of 10,000 followers who have loyal audiences

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Which type of influencer your company works with will depend on what you’re looking to achieve and how much you want to invest. That’s where working with Marketer.co, a business specializing in cutting-edge lead generation strategies, can help you come on top. We specialize in helping businesses ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies with their influencer marketing and other digital marketing strategies.

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Ways That Influencer Marketing Generates Leads

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There are at least five ways that influencer marketing generates leads. Here’s an overview:

1. Establish Trust and Authenticity
   
   • People are more likely to transact with brands recommended by influencers they trust.
   • Influencers create authentic content that their audience can relate to.
2. Targeted Audience Engagement
   
   • Brands can focus on influencers whose audiences are a natural fit.
   • Unlike traditional advertising, influencer marketing enables companies to zero in on niche demographics, potentially improving conversion rates.
3. Driving Traffic to Landing Pages and Websites
   
   • Influencers can share unique promo codes or direct calls to action that direct their followers to a business’ landing pages or websites.
   • Engaging social media posts, YouTube videos, and other content can drive organic traffic and encourage would-be customers to make buying decisions.
4. Generating High-Quality Leads
   
   • Influencers regularly engage with their followers, so their recommendations translate into higher-quality leads compared to cold calls or generic advertising.
   • Influencer audiences often have a genuine interest in the promoted offering.
5. Elevating Social Proof and Brand Awareness
   
   • When a respected influencer uses and recommends a product, this show of confidence can in turn boost consumer confidence.
   • Influencer partnerships can establish brand authority and recognition.

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Best Practices for Influencer Marketing in Lead Generation

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With more than 50 million influencers worldwide, businesses have plenty of options to work with. But that doesn’t mean your company can succeed with just any influencer. It’s important to do your homework and find an influencer with followers that are natural fit for your brand.

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The truth is that the right fit matters and can make or break your digital marketing strategy. Depending on who you ask, businesses should invest between 5% and 10% of revenue on digital marketing. When earmarking that amount on anything, you need to know what you’re doing. Otherwise, you might fritter away financial resources on strategy doomed to failure.

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Here are some things to consider to ensure you get maximum impact when using influencer marketing for lead generation:

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1. Find the Right Influencers

• Select influencers whose values and audience are a good fit with your brand.
• Consider engagement rates rather than just the number of followers influencers have.

2. Create a Clear Campaign Strategy

• Choose specific objectives for the digital marketing effort, such as increasing website traffic or boosting sales, so you can more easily assess results.
• Determine the type of content to be used -- whether blog posts, Instagram posts, or TikTok or YouTube videos.

3. Run Special Promotions

• Give influencers discount codes to share with their followers so it’s easier to track leads and conversions.
• Entertain options like giveaways or contests to encourage lead generation.

5. Track and Measure Performance

• Employ UTM parameters, which are snippet codes you can attach to the end of a URL, to assess the performance of content and campaigns.
• Key metrics to track include:
  
  • Click-through rates
  • Cost per lead
  • Engagement (likes, comments, shares)
  • Conversion rates

6. Establish Long-Term Relationships with Influencers

• Long-term collaborations create authenticity and credibility.
• Ongoing promotions by the same influencers build trust and boost brand loyalty.

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Mistakes to Avoid When Pursuing an Influencer Marketing Strategy

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When developing an influencer marketing strategy, you’ll want to avoid missteps. Making any of the following mistakes will lead to wasted time, effort, and valuable financial resources:

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1. Choosing the Wrong Influencers

• Teaming up with influencers who aren’t a logical fit with your brand’s core values and whose followers aren’t part of your target demographic is a no-no. You’ll be doomed to low engagement and ineffective digital marketing campaigns.

2. Ignoring Authenticity

• Authenticity is key. Don’t make the mistake of prioritizing finding the highest-profile influencer than on ensuring the influencer is the right one. Otherwise, your campaigns may appear inauthentic or forced -- which won’t go over well with prospective clients.

3. Failing to Set Clear Goals and KPIs

• You won’t be able to ascertain the performance of influencer marketing campaigns without measurable objectives like conversions, engagement rates, or brand awareness.

4. Failing to Track Performance and ROI

• In addition to setting clear goals and KPIs, your business must stay on top of key metrics, such as click-through rates and sales. Otherwise, it’ll be hard to ensure a good ROI.

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Develop Your Influencer Marketing Strategy with Marketer.co!

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Influencer marketing has become a reliable driver of lead generation -- giving companies another way to find, reach, and engage with their target demographics. But understanding the importance of influencer marketing and developing a winning strategy that yields measurable results are two separate things.

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At Marketer.co, we have the expertise to ensure you get results, including a measurable ROI. Get in touch today to learn how we can help -- whether you’re a startup, a Fortune 500 enterprise, and somewhere in between -- to develop an impactful influencer marketing plan.