Social Influence Marketing
Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 4:34 am
In America, they have been used to it for a while: celebrities who are paid to send a tweet into the world. In our down-to-earth polder country, we are not yet so keen on it. Nevertheless, social influence strategies are springing up like mushrooms. 'We' have discovered that the opinion of an influential consumer is worth something. But doesn't this principle go against everything that 'social' stands for?
Social influence marketing
The meaning of social influence is clear: “the effect that the words, actions, or mere presence of other people has list to data on our thoughts, feelings, attitudes, or behavior,” according to Wikipedia . And one has more influence than the other. It's that simple.
This age-old principle has also penetrated the online marketing world. Traditional relationships have changed enormously, especially with the advent of social media. Previously, as a company, you could still afford to send out unqualified messages. The gullible consumer trusted you at your word.
But as a result of digitalisation, among other things, knowledge is much more accessible and the market has become much more transparent. We are no longer easily fooled and we now also know what others think of the message. And the critical consumer is increasingly guided by this. Word-of-mouth has taken on a different dimension with the arrival of social media.
Facts don't lie
The facts don't lie either. Research by Nielsen shows that the opinions of complete strangers online are considered much more reliable than the information on company websites. So a rat race has emerged for the favors of the influential consumer. And organizations are increasingly prepared to pay a lot for this.
Social influence marketing
The meaning of social influence is clear: “the effect that the words, actions, or mere presence of other people has list to data on our thoughts, feelings, attitudes, or behavior,” according to Wikipedia . And one has more influence than the other. It's that simple.
This age-old principle has also penetrated the online marketing world. Traditional relationships have changed enormously, especially with the advent of social media. Previously, as a company, you could still afford to send out unqualified messages. The gullible consumer trusted you at your word.
But as a result of digitalisation, among other things, knowledge is much more accessible and the market has become much more transparent. We are no longer easily fooled and we now also know what others think of the message. And the critical consumer is increasingly guided by this. Word-of-mouth has taken on a different dimension with the arrival of social media.
Facts don't lie
The facts don't lie either. Research by Nielsen shows that the opinions of complete strangers online are considered much more reliable than the information on company websites. So a rat race has emerged for the favors of the influential consumer. And organizations are increasingly prepared to pay a lot for this.