The rise of the student blogger
Influencer marketing may seem like a relatively new concept to many, however there is evidence that dates this approach back as early as the 1920’s.
When The American Tobacco company set out to challenge the common belief that smoking was for men, and men only, they enlisted the help of the female company secretary, recruiting her as the new face of the global brand.
After carrying out a series of publicity stunts that challenged the stereotype, promoted gender equality and supported the fight for equal rights, the brand successfully altered the perceptions of the time and ultimately changed the future of Tobacco smoking forever.
Since this expert demonstration of the impact harnessing the power of an influential individual can have, influencer marketing has only gone from strength to strength.
However, as the world has shifted online, so have its influencers.
Whereas previous generations looked to companies to inform their purchasing decisions, today’s consumers look towards their fellow consumers.
Although the kings and queens of Social Media still remain a popular go to for the latest news on what’s hot and what’s not, there is quickly becoming a new ‘it girl’ in town. Welcome the student blogger.
It may surprise you the number of students out there writing their own blogs, building their social followings and somehow still managing to study, but what exactly makes these student influencers so influential?
Often referred to as Micro influencers, these students tend to have smaller sets of audiences but more importantly, a higher level of engagement in comparison to the coveted Instagram guru (Hammond, 2017).
In addition to this, student bloggers have also secured a high level of authenticity and trust within their social following, after all students trust students.
Micro influencing particularly thrives within the student market due to the social nature of students. News of the latest restaurant openings and social hangout hotspots spreads like wildfire between these interconnected individuals, with each student blogger keen to be the first to discover the newest craze on campus.
As the always ‘broke’ student stereotype becomes a thing of the past, it is now time for brands to realise that students are more than willing to spend their money on the brands they love, but instead of seeking the less genuine ‘sold to’ approach adopted by many of the well-known social influencers, they are now on the lookout for the trusted recommendations of the always honest and relatable student blogger, seeing them quickly becoming the new gateway into the student market.
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