--- title: Why Influencer Marketing Is Essential To Your Content Marketing Strategy description: While often thought of as separate strategies, influencer marketing plays a complementary and invaluable role in content creation and distribution. image: https://www.readynorth.com/hs-fs/file-2477689678-jpg/Blog_Post_Images/blogger-relations.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://www.readynorth.com/blog/why-influencer-marketing-is-essential-to-your-content-marketing-strategy#main-content) Close - Industries - [Manufacturing](https://www.readynorth.com/industries/manufacturing) - [Professional Services](https://www.readynorth.com/industries/professional-services) - [Associations](https://www.readynorth.com/industries/associations) - [Other](https://www.readynorth.com/industries/other) - HubSpot - [Our Approach](https://www.readynorth.com/hubspot/our-hubspot-approach) - [Marketing Hub](https://www.readynorth.com/hubspot/marketing-hub/) - [Sales Hub](https://www.readynorth.com/hubspot/sales-hub) - [Service Hub](https://www.readynorth.com/hubspot/service-hub) - [CMS Hub](https://www.readynorth.com/hubspot/cms-hub) - [Integrations](https://www.readynorth.com/hubspot/integrations) - Digital Marketing - [Foundational Strategy](https://www.readynorth.com/digital-marketing/foundational-strategy/) - [Content Marketing](https://www.readynorth.com/digital-marketing/content-marketing) - [Lead Generation](https://www.readynorth.com/digital-marketing/lead-generation) - [Website Optimization](https://www.readynorth.com/digital-marketing/website-optimization) - [Reporting](https://www.readynorth.com/digital-marketing/reporting) - [Pricing](https://www.readynorth.com/point-pricing) - Resources - [Guides](https://www.readynorth.com/resources/guides) - [Blog](https://www.readynorth.com/blog) SEARCH CONTACT E-MAIL: [info@readynorth.com](mailto:info@readynorth.com) [GET STARTED](https://www.readynorth.com/contact-us) [![Ready North (RN) Logo_BlueOrange_Trademark](https://www.readynorth.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Ready%20North%20(RN)%20Logo_BlueOrange_Trademark.png?width=800&height=269&name=Ready%20North%20(RN)%20Logo_BlueOrange_Trademark.png)![Ready North Logo_AllWhite-1](https://www.readynorth.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Ready%20North%20Logo_AllWhite-1.png?width=1078&height=363&name=Ready%20North%20Logo_AllWhite-1.png)](https://www.readynorth.com/) - Industries - [Manufacturing](https://www.readynorth.com/industries/manufacturing) - [Professional Services](https://www.readynorth.com/industries/professional-services) - [Associations](https://www.readynorth.com/industries/associations) - [Other](https://www.readynorth.com/industries/other) - HubSpot - [Our Approach](https://www.readynorth.com/hubspot/our-hubspot-approach) - [Marketing Hub](https://www.readynorth.com/hubspot/marketing-hub/) - [Sales Hub](https://www.readynorth.com/hubspot/sales-hub) - [Service Hub](https://www.readynorth.com/hubspot/service-hub) - [CMS Hub](https://www.readynorth.com/hubspot/cms-hub) - [Integrations](https://www.readynorth.com/hubspot/integrations) - Digital Marketing - [Foundational Strategy](https://www.readynorth.com/digital-marketing/foundational-strategy/) - [Content Marketing](https://www.readynorth.com/digital-marketing/content-marketing) - [Lead Generation](https://www.readynorth.com/digital-marketing/lead-generation) - [Website Optimization](https://www.readynorth.com/digital-marketing/website-optimization) - [Reporting](https://www.readynorth.com/digital-marketing/reporting) - [Pricing](https://www.readynorth.com/point-pricing) - Resources - [Guides](https://www.readynorth.com/resources/guides) - [Blog](https://www.readynorth.com/blog) E-MAIL: [info@readynorth.com](mailto:info@readynorth.com) [GET STARTED](https://www.readynorth.com/contact-us) Quick results for "{search\_term}" ![Ready North Who We Serve](https://www.readynorth.com/hs-fs/hubfs/2023%20Website%20Redesign/Ready%20North%20Who%20We%20Serve.png?width=300&name=Ready%20North%20Who%20We%20Serve.png) #### We Love Clients with High Growth Goals We primarily work with clients in the manufacturing / industrial, professional services, and association industries.  Don't fit in the industries listed above? 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[VIEW BLOG](https://www.readynorth.com/blog) #### [Digital Marketing Resources](https://www.readynorth.com/resources/guides) We are committed to advancing the industry through collaboration. Check out our resource center filled with templates, tools, ebooks, and more. [GET RESOURCES](https://www.readynorth.com/resources/guides) ![](https://www.readynorth.com/hs-fs/file-2477689678-jpg/Blog_Post_Images/blogger-relations.jpg?width=300&name=blogger-relations.jpg) [Taylor Radey](https://www.readynorth.com/blog/author/taylor-radey)February 24, 20152 min read # Why Influencer Marketing Is Essential To Your Content Marketing Strategy [Previous](https://www.readynorth.com/blog/brandscaping-with-puppies) [Next](https://www.readynorth.com/blog/the-inbound-marketers-comprehensive-event-checklist) *The following is a guest post by Lauren Jung. Lauren is the ![lauren_bio_photo_copy](https://www.readynorth.com/hs-fs/file-2485828880-png/Blog_Post_Images/lauren_bio_photo_copy.png?width=120&name=lauren_bio_photo_copy.png)co-founder of [TheShelf.com](http://www.theshelf.com/), an influencer marketing platform that enables brands and agencies to connect with the most relevant influencers. You can connect with her on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/shelfinc) or [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenjung).* In the last 10 years, the vast majority of businesses have adopted content marketing strategies to attract, inspire and educate their customers. Even as the digital marketing landscape changes, content continues to play an incredibly powerful role for B2C and B2B companies alike.   While often thought of as separate marketing strategies, influencer marketing plays a complementary and invaluable role in content creation and distribution. “74% of global marketers reported they will use ‘influence marketing’ as part of their marketing strategy in the next 12 months,” according to [Social Media Today](http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Influencer_Marketing_eBook.pdf). Here’s why you should integrate influencer marketing into your content strategy in 2015. ![blogger-relations](https://www.readynorth.com/hs-fs/file-2477689678-jpg/Blog_Post_Images/blogger-relations.jpg?width=490&name=blogger-relations.jpg) ### Brand Awareness Content marketing isn’t just about production; it’s also about distribution. As Arthur Hilhorst ([@arthurhilhorst](https://twitter.com/arthurhilhorst)) says, “[Creating remarkable content is the first step](http://www.onalytica.com/blog/posts/why-influencers-are-essential-to-content-marketing-success) to an effective strategy but if nobody actually interacts with your content it’s a lost effort.” That’s where earned media comes into play. While content marketing through one’s own channels is essential for long-term growth, earned media – like influencer marketing – quickly expands your reach and garners new and relevant eyes for your business. ### Trust and Credibility Independent website publishers are viewed as trustworthy sources of information, and your customers are far more likely to rely on them for buying recommendations. In fact, a recent study by [Technorati](http://technorati.com/report/2013-dir/) confirms that blogs are now the third most influential digital resource for discovering new trends and products, right behind retail and brand sites. If an influential blogger in your niche recommends your product, it adds insta-credibility to your business. Influencers are transparent and authentic with their readers. Authentic promotion in turn resonates with people and can create real results for your business. ### Customer Conversion The same study by Technorati reports that consumers review blogs before making purchasing decisions; the report found that blogs rank higher than Twitter for shaping perceptions and higher than Facebook for assisting in purchase decisions. Sharing your content through influencers in your industry is one of the best ways to humanize your business, connect with new customers and increase conversion by at least a [3x-10x higher rate](http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Influencer_Marketing_eBook.pdf). As companies experiment with influencer marketing, they are finding that these real individuals move more product and are quickly adopting this new endorsement model to boost customer conversion and retention in the long term.  ### Working Influencer Marketing Into Your Content Marketing Mix When it’s all said and done, influencer and content marketing are really working toward the same goals—increased awareness, trust and credibility, conversion and retention, just to name a few. While your own content marketing efforts are essential to your business, adding influencers into the mix amplifies that message in an authentic way and gets your brand story out to a larger, more passionate audience. As a result, influencer marketing can play a meaningful role for your content marketing efforts in 2015. [![marketing performance blueprint webinar ](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/883/5329a01b-ccee-4711-ac47-e3821f1dee0e.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/883/5329a01b-ccee-4711-ac47-e3821f1dee0e) *Image Source: [markus spiske](https://www.flickr.com/photos/markusspiske/14598406680) via Flickr Creative Commons* ![avatar](https://www.readynorth.com/hs-fs/file-1377880184-jpg/Site_Pages/Library/Blog/PR-Blog-Taylor.jpg?width=290&name=PR-Blog-Taylor.jpg) [Taylor Radey](https://www.readynorth.com/blog/author/taylor-radey)Taylor Radey is the director of marketing and a senior consultant at PR 20/20. She joined the agency in April 2013 with a background in digital and content marketing. She is a 2009 graduate of the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, where she received a Bachelor of Science in Journalism, with a focus in public relations. [Full bio.](https://www.readynorth.com/story/the-team/taylor-radey) [mailto:taylor@pr2020.com](mailto:taylor@pr2020.com) COMMENTS ## RELATED ARTICLES [![power theme logo](//883.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/883/raw_assets/public/@marketplace/maka_Agency/POWER%20THEME/images/logos/power/pwr-img_logo_power-white.svg)](https://www.readynorth.com/) An inexpensive, quick and easy way to build beautiful responsive website pages without coding knowledge All rights reserved ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "Organization", "address" : { "@type" : "PostalAddress", "addressCountry" : "United States", "addressLocality" : "Cleveland", "addressRegion" : "Ohio", "postalCode" : "44115", "streetAddress" : "812 Huron Road" }, "email" : "info@readynorth.com", "knowsLanguage" : "en-us", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.readynorth.com/hubfs/BF.com/Brightfind_Primary_Logo.png" }, "name" : "Ready North", "url" : "https://www.readynorth.com/blog/why-influencer-marketing-is-essential-to-your-content-marketing-strategy" } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "abstract" : "While often thought of as separate strategies, influencer marketing plays a complementary and invaluable role in content creation and distribution.", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Taylor Radey" }, "dateModified" : "February 24, 2015 1 PM", "datePublished" : "February 24, 2015 1 PM", "headline" : "Why Influencer Marketing Is Essential To Your Content Marketing Strategy", "image" : "http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/883/file-2477689678-jpg/Blog_Post_Images/blogger-relations.jpg", "inLanguage" : "en-us", "keywords" : "[Content]", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@type" : "WebPage" }, "name" : "Why Influencer Marketing Is Essential To Your Content Marketing Strategy", "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.readynorth.com/hubfs/Ready%20North%20(RN)%20Logo_BlueOrange_Trademark.png" }, "name" : "Ready North" }, "text" : "The following is a guest post by Lauren Jung. Lauren is the co-founder of TheShelf.com, an influencer marketing platform that enables brands and agencies to connect with the most relevant influencers. You can connect with her on Twitter or LinkedIn. In the last 10 years, the vast majority of businesses have adopted content marketing strategies to attract, inspire and educate their customers. Even as the digital marketing landscape changes, content continues to play an incredibly powerful role for B2C and B2B companies alike. While often thought of as separate marketing strategies, influencer marketing plays a complementary and invaluable role in content creation and distribution. “74% of global marketers reported they will use ‘influence marketing’ as part of their marketing strategy in the next 12 months,” according to Social Media Today. Here’s why you should integrate influencer marketing into your content strategy in 2015. Brand Awareness Content marketing isn’t just about production; it’s also about distribution. As Arthur Hilhorst (@arthurhilhorst) says, “Creating remarkable content is the first step to an effective strategy but if nobody actually interacts with your content it’s a lost effort.” That’s where earned media comes into play. While content marketing through one’s own channels is essential for long-term growth, earned media – like influencer marketing – quickly expands your reach and garners new and relevant eyes for your business. Trust and Credibility Independent website publishers are viewed as trustworthy sources of information, and your customers are far more likely to rely on them for buying recommendations. In fact, a recent study by Technorati confirms that blogs are now the third most influential digital resource for discovering new trends and products, right behind retail and brand sites. If an influential blogger in your niche recommends your product, it adds insta-credibility to your business. Influencers are transparent and authentic with their readers. Authentic promotion in turn resonates with people and can create real results for your business. Customer Conversion The same study by Technorati reports that consumers review blogs before making purchasing decisions; the report found that blogs rank higher than Twitter for shaping perceptions and higher than Facebook for assisting in purchase decisions. Sharing your content through influencers in your industry is one of the best ways to humanize your business, connect with new customers and increase conversion by at least a 3x-10x higher rate. As companies experiment with influencer marketing, they are finding that these real individuals move more product and are quickly adopting this new endorsement model to boost customer conversion and retention in the long term. Working Influencer Marketing Into Your Content Marketing Mix When it’s all said and done, influencer and content marketing are really working toward the same goals—increased awareness, trust and credibility, conversion and retention, just to name a few. While your own content marketing efforts are essential to your business, adding influencers into the mix amplifies that message in an authentic way and gets your brand story out to a larger, more passionate audience. As a result, influencer marketing can play a meaningful role for your content marketing efforts in 2015. Image Source: markus spiske via Flickr Creative Commons", "url" : "https://www.readynorth.com/blog/why-influencer-marketing-is-essential-to-your-content-marketing-strategy", "wordCount" : "776" } ```