Hummingbirds vs. influencer marketing platforms
Influencer marketing platforms and agencies typically have a library of influencers that they work with. When a brand approaches them, they will reach out to the influencers to see if they can secure a sponsored post or two for the brand.
In contrast, Hummingbirds is a digital platform that connects brands with local people in their target locations who have already expressed interest in creating content for the brand. Those “real people” are called hummingbirds — they’re everyday people who enjoy creating social media content, can be found talking about things in their own community and whose friends and followers are their actual friends they bump into at the grocery store or at a local festival.
Keep reading to learn how working with Hummingbirds is different than influencer marketing.
what is influencer marketing?
According to Sprout Social, “influencer marketing is a type of social media marketing that uses endorsements and product mentions from influencers.” There are multiple tiers of influencers including mega, micro and nano influencers.
how does influencer marketing work?
There are four main ways to work with influencers.
Cold outreach: If businesses have the time and resources, they can reach out to influencers themselves and negotiate deals for a sponsored post or two.
Influencer marketing agency: There are numerous agencies that play in the influencer space. They often form relationships with influencers and act as the middleman between the influencers and brands.
Influencer marketing platform: There are hundreds of platforms where you can source influencers and work directly with them in their software.
Influencer outreach: Although less common, some smaller influencers, such as nano and micro influencers, might reach out directly to brands that they want to work with.
are hummingbirds influencers?
Hummingbirds are not traditional influencers, but they are local influencers.
Hummingbirds believes that everyone has influence and the influence we tap into is localized. When brands like WeWash, Lola’s Fine Hot Sauce, and Hilton work with hummingbirds, they drive offline, local behavior.
five ways hummingbirds can influence consumer behavior for place-based brands
DRIVE LOCAL BEHAVIOR
Hummingbirds is active in multiple cities, but each city operates independently. This allows them to activate people with influence in one location to drive consumer behavior in that particular area. This can mean driving people to a grocery store to purchase a CPG product. It can also mean influencing peers to try out a MedSpa, a oil change brand, or a gas station. The key to Hummingbirds impact is the online to offline behavior created through social sharing.
MORE AUTHENTIC
COO and cofounder, Charise Flynn, is spot on when she says, “Hummingbirds are our friends, neighbors, family, and favorite baristas sharing their experiences on social media because they genuinely love showcasing brands they believe in. It brings a refreshing and relatable perspective that modern-day consumers respond to.” This authenticity is often lost when social media is a full-time job (and your paycheck) instead of a hobby. When more posts are sponsored than not, it feels like a social media account is a billboard rather than your friend’s feed.
CREATE LIFETIME CUSTOMERS
Working with traditional influencers can be highly effective for online, nationwide brands. Many influencers choose to work with brands that their audience will like, but there must be a paycheck attached. By contrast, hummingbirds do not receive compensation from brands. They express interest in working with brands that they’re personally excited to try in their own community.
They also work with brands because they want to support businesses in their community, try new things, and have fun! Several customers reported high retention rates of hummingbirds who experience their brand and come back as a paying customer for months or years to come. Talk about a significant ROI.
BRING THEIR NETWORK WITH THEM
Some traditional influencers, like travel influencers, will go places and share about it after. However, many talk about a product or service in their home or studio. By contrast, hummingbirds get out in their local community. They often bring friends or family with them on campaigns to experience and enjoy new things. Not only do many hummingbirds become repeat customers, their guests do, too.
SMALLER CONSIDERATION PHASE - MORE TRUST
Ninety-two percent of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family over other forms of advertising. When a person learns about a brand from someone they trust, they catapult through the buyer's journey and arrive at the decision phase where they want to try the brand, too.
hummingbirds create results
Are you ready to drive consumer behavior for your place-based brand? Schedule a discovery call to learn more about working with Hummingbirds.
