What’s the difference between influencers and brand ambassadors?

What’s the difference between influencers and brand ambassadors? Brands use a very common strategy to promote a particular service or product on social media in digital marketing. This uses people with a certain fame and reputation to obtain better results. This way, brands can improve their visibility, range, and engagement.

 

These people can be influencers or brand ambassadors.

 

But what is each one? How are they different? Which one is better to promote?

 

Let’s define each and determine which is more appropriate.

 

What is an influencer?

 

An influencer is a person who lives in digital media, especially social media. They stand out for their personality and, most times, credibility. Their main goal is to influence the decisions of people and their behavior. In other words, they convince people to buy a product or service through reviews.

 

They are well-known people and have a high number of followers and audiences. However, the latter isn’t a mandatory requirement. After all, there is a category for every kind of influencer according to their followers:

 

• Nano-influencers: those who have between 1,000 and 10,000 followers.

 

• Micro-influencers: those with between 10,000 and 50,000 followers.

 

• Mid-level influencers: between 50,000 and 500,000 followers.

 

• Macro-influencers: with a balance between 500,000 and 1 million followers.

 

• Mega-influencers: They range from 1 million to 5 million followers.

 

• Famous influencers: they have over 5 million followers. Some famous influencers are Kim Kardashian, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Serena Williams.

 

As you can see, you don’t have to have millions of followers to be an influencer. What matters is the trust your audience has in you. Only in this way will they listen to what you recommend. But what makes up an influencer?

 

What makes up an influencer?

 

• Creativity.

 

In this case, you must be creative to offer original and innovative content. Talk about exciting and different topics related to your field. For example, you can talk about the best wardrobe combinations if you’re a fashion influencer. Your goal is to entertain your audience so that they stay with you.

 

• Authority over the audience, Difference between influencers and brand ambassadors.

 

This means the ability to influence the decisions of your followers. It determines whether people trust you enough to buy a product or service.

 

 

• Relationship with the brand.

 

Similar to the last point, it consists of how well you know and trust the brands you promote. If you don’t want to risk your image and reputation, you should only work with proven and verified products and services.

 

• Assertiveness, Difference between influencers and brand ambassadors.

 

You must be assertive and sure of yourself when talking about a product or service. If your audience sees you unsure of what you’re talking about, they won’t listen to you.

 

• Responsibility.

 

This point is very important as it makes you accountable for what you post on social media. It’s all about an influencer’s commitment to the brand and its followers.

 

• Sociability, Difference between influencers and brand ambassadors.

 

It would help if you had a level of social relationship to communicate with your followers. This way, you’ll gain new followers and develop empathy with the public.

 

• Engagement.

 

This point refers to the level of rapport that the person has with the public. However, it also includes the level of activity that they maintain in their platforms. As a rule of thumb, the greater it is, the higher the engagement.

 

• Visibility, Difference between influencers and brand ambassadors.

 

It’s closely related to the number of followers a person has, which, although it was commented, isn’t a determinant to be considered an influencer. The higher the number, the greater visibility of its content.

 

 

The importance of an influencer

 

Many strategies in the digital marketing world will make your business grow and strengthen. Among the most common, we find that the use of influencers isn’t a mandatory requirement.

 

Indeed, a company can stand out without the presence of these people. However, including them can speed up the process of visibility and positioning of your company.

 

It’s a fact that hiring influencers creates very positive and effective results in campaigns.

 

After all, the people who identify with and follow this character will associate the company or brand with high credibility and reputation.

 

 

What is a brand ambassador?

 

A brand ambassador is a person, famous or not, responsible for representing a brand, its products, or services in a positive, reliable, and conscious way to increase sales. Brand ambassadors can be famous people, recognized in a particular medium or market, and ordinary people such as employees of the same company or even frequent customers.

 

Among its features are:

 

• Knowledge of digital marketing.

 

They shouldn’t be experts in the field but rather have the basic notions. In other words, they must understand what they are doing and their goal. This way, they can ensure their commitment to achieving the objectives.

 

 

• Engaging personality, Difference between influencers and brand ambassadors.

 

Whoever works as an ambassador must have a dynamic, proactive, reputable, communicative, and empathic personality.

 

• Leadership.

 

It’s also essential to demonstrate natural leadership skills, capturing people’s attention while building trust and confidence.

 

• Professionalism, Difference between influencers and brand ambassadors.

 

Here the presence of high levels of morals, ethics, and values ​​is required in conjunction with the commitment to the brand.

 

• Presence in digital media.

 

Although a brand ambassador doesn’t need several followers as high an influencer, the ones they have must be potential clients and go hand in hand with the brand’s values.

 

• Relations, Difference between influencers and brand ambassadors.

 

The main objective is to sell but through solid relationships with the followers or public.

 

The importance of a brand ambassador

 

Let’s talk here about the valuable contribution that a brand ambassador gives to a company.

 

In short, they’re people who participate as essential agents in the development and positioning of a brand, combining digital marketing knowledge, leadership, and charisma is a successful formula for attracting customers and positioning a product or service.

 

Besides, they offer a first-hand experience by being shown many times using the promoted product or service, which builds trust in the viewer.

 

Communication is much more effective and truthful because ordinary people are often in constant contact with the product.

 

 

What differentiates a brand ambassador from an influencer on social media?

• Influencer: must be a well-known or famous person.

 

• Ambassador: it can be a well-known personality and a common person, clients, and even company employees.

 

• Influencer: You must have a certain number of followers to be considered as such.

 

• Ambassador: You do not need a minimum number of followers to work with a brand.

 

• Influencer: must have the ability to create content to promote the product.

 

• Ambassador: must know about digital marketing, but it is not a requirement that they generate the content to be displayed.

 

• Influencer: they usually charge an amount in exchange for the service.

 

• Ambassador: You can receive remuneration or products as a form of payment.

 

• Influencer: the means of action for promotion is mainly focused on social networks.

 

• Ambassador: the field of work is broader because they can participate in offline activities, such as organizing events classes, among others.

 

Recommendations

 

The choice of one of these figures will depend on your goals and your budget.

 

Whichever option you choose, keep in mind they must follow the mission and vision of your company. This way, they will be able to represent your product correctly. Besides, remember that whoever you choose will be the image of your business for a certain period.

 

Stay in touch with us by subscribing to our monthly newsletter and staying up to date with all topics related to digital marketing.