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Abstract

History will remember 2020 as the year of change. COVID-19 flipped the world upside down, the United States endured a political hurricane, and the word ‘influencer’ became a cuss word.

Originally used as a term to describe a valued opinion, ‘influencer’ quickly became an Urban Dictionary-defined stereotype for wealthy, attractive, and entitled social media personalities. During the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, several white influencers used the protests as a deluded attempt to appear in support of the movement when it was apparent they were only there to get an ‘Insta-worthy’ picture. While those situations taint influencer’s reputation, the industry is skyrocketing — it’s projected to be worth over $15 billion by 2022.

Social media is changing the way we live our lives. Whether you dread Facebook group chats or want to become the next TikTok star, social media is likely a factor in your personal and professional life. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have become breeding grounds for a new type of celebrity — social media influencers.

These influencers are online personalities with an audience who value their content, opinions, and recommendations across a long list of genres and niches. Large brands and corporations across virtually any industry turn to social media influencers to endorse their products online. As brands and large influencers continue to figure out how to leverage the marketing tool, micro-influencers’ impact on small markets such as Winnipeg, Manitoba have fallen under the radar.

Over the last three years, the influencer marketing industry started to grow significantly in Winnipeg. In this white paper, local social media influencers with varying sizes lent their industry knowledge outlining how to generate partnerships with brands and discussed their impact on local businesses. 

This white paper provides:

• An influencer’s guide to building relationships with local businesses and corporate brands
• Tips and tricks used by a various Winnipeg-based influencers

Continue reading to discover why influencer marketing shouldn’t be conisdered a bad word, and instead, an active part of your next marketing campaign.

Download a PDF of the white paper: