Influencer marketing has been around for a long time. We used to refer to it as celebrity endorsements or paid actors. In recent years, it’s evolved to include people online who have followings that match your ideal audience, whether those followings are a few thousand or a few million. The larger the following, the higher the potential fees for endorsements or promotions.
Traditionally, influencer roles were pretty straightforward: deliver a message about a company, product, or service to their loyal fans—and get paid. Sometimes, the influencer created their own message; other times, guidelines and specifics were provided for them to follow. Content could be as simple as a tweet or social media image and text or as elaborate as a full-blown video demonstrating how to use the product.
That approach has helped move the needle for many businesses. But I have a prediction about where influencer marketing is headed in 2025.
Influencers Will Be Someone Different
Compare the number of followers a company has to the person behind the company. It’s not uncommon to see a huge difference in their follower and engagement numbers. Why is this important? A few reasons:
- People like to interact with people rather than faceless companies.
- They’d rather see the (local) business owner demonstrating a new product or explaining services than watch a paid actor do it.
This paves the way for another important shift in 2025: authenticity.
Authenticity Matters
Why is authenticity going to play such a big role this year?
We have bots interacting with us at nearly every level, from website chats and customer service bots to AI phone answering services and AI avatars. People are craving something real—someone real.
They want to be out to dinner or walking down the street and recognize the owner of the business that just fixed their heater or air conditioner. That recognition goes beyond “ABC fixed my heater” and becomes something more personal:
- “See that person over there? They own XYZ Local Business. They were at my home last week and fixed my air conditioner.”
- Friend: “How do you know who he is?”
- You: “I saw his videos where he explained how often to replace filters. He also mentioned he loves hiking and has three kids, and I felt I could trust him. Plus, his kids go to the same school as my daughter.”
That level of connection is nearly impossible to replicate with a paid influencer or local actor.
What Does This Mean?
It means there’s a significant opportunity—especially for local business owners—to create content that shares a bit of your personality and personal life. This allows potential customers to form a connection with you, almost like a person they know. When they or their friends need your product or service, they don’t just say, “I used XYZ, and they did a good job.” They say:
“I know the owner, not personally, but through watching their videos and reading their content. They started their company because of XYZ, they support Big Brothers Big Sisters, and I trust them.”
The Time Is Now
There’s an old saying in advertising that still holds true, even 70 years later:
“See what everyone else is doing, and do something different.”
In other words, zig when the market is zagging.
Many are turning to AI and automation to create content. That means the opportunity to stand out by being the face and personality behind your brand has never been better.
Get in front of the camera. Show how much you enjoy going to your kids’ soccer games or coaching the team. Give people a glimpse of who you are—how you work with kids, talk to parents, and engage with your community. That is authentic influence.
Post images of you (and, if they’re comfortable with it, your family) on a hiking trail. Share your love of the outdoors. These genuine moments will attract people who appreciate your values and your interests. As the saying goes, “birds of a feather flock together,”—and in marketing terms, that’s a major opportunity.
Influencer Next Steps
– Start sharing images on your personal account that show you doing things you enjoy.
– Create videos demonstrating how you train your staff or how you interact with customers in their homes.
– Don’t stage these moments; document them. Show people who you really are.
Be the influencer of your company. By being genuinely you—and sharing that with your audience—you become the true influencer your business needs in 2025 and beyond.
Let’s talk! Reach out to SwingPointMedia now and start embracing AI in your marketing strategy.
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