What are peer influencers?

Influencers come in all shapes, sizes and flavors. In this blog, I’ll tell you more about a special category of influencers: peer influencers. What kind of influencers are these? What makes them so successful? And are there any disadvantages to working with peer influencers? I tell you everything you need to know.

The power of peer influencers

Peer influencers are in a class of their own in the influencer world. They do not have thousands of followers, do not lead the dream life of aspirational influencers, and certainly cannot live on brand deals and sponsorships. They are ordinary people. Your family, your friends, your colleagues, the members of your gym: they can all be peer influencers. And that is exactly what makes peer influencers so incredibly effective.

In fact, study after study shows that the people close to us have the most influence on us. And that’s not surprising at all. They are authentic and trustworthy. Suppose you want to start running. Then you need good shoes. Who do you let influence you more at such a moment? Your good friend who has been running fanatically for years, or by Kim Kardashian who just happens to have a brand deal with Nike?

You are more likely to trust your fit friend’s advice. You know him, you know you can trust him, and you know he really has a passion for running, too. Maybe Nike should send a pair of free running shoes to your friend. That might be more profitable than the few tons they have to pay Kim Kardashian.

The disadvantages

So peer influencers have a huge influence on their followers. But of course, collaborating with peer influencers also has a few drawbacks. First, peer influencers don’t have the reach of an aspirational or authoritative influencer. So if you want to fix a lot of brand awareness or reach, you don’t need to turn to peer influencers.

In addition, finding the right peer influencers can be quite tough. They are not affiliated with an influencer agency, do not have their contact information publicly posted on their accounts, and are difficult to look up due to their low number of followers. So partnering with a peer influencer can be rewarding, but it can also take a lot of work.

Examples of peer influencers

The equal

By “the equal” I mean someone in whom you can recognize yourself. Think, for example, of a colleague with the same taste in music as you. The moment he has discovered a new artist, or is enthusiastic about an album, you naturally open your Spotify immediately. So someone like that with a specific interest can be a good peer influencer, because he or she probably has more people with that interest in his or her network.

The Connoisseur

We all have some real connoisseurs in our network. A friend who always knows about the latest fashion trends, a colleague who knows everything about cars, or an uncle who is a fantastic cook. The moment such a connoisseur recommends something to you, you know you can trust him or her. For example, that good, fit friend with his running shoes is such a true connoisseur.

The popular

Although “peer” is the English word for “equal,” we may well look up to some of our peers. We may even be jealous. After all, among our “peers” are always a few people who can go on vacation three times a year, who always looks good, or who have a “le-gen-da-ric” party every weekend. They are sort of mini aspirational influencers. We want to be them and we want to have what they have. That, of course, is a particularly good starting point for an influencer.

Which type of peer influencer is best for your brand depends entirely on your brand, product and marketing goals. Want custom influencer marketing advice? Then get in touch with the experts at Hulc. They can help you further.

Other types of influencers

Peer influencers, of course, are not the only kind of influencers. There are much better-known types of influencers, such as “aspirational influencers” and “authoritative influencers. The best influencer marketing campaigns combine all the different types of influencers. So let’s take a brief look at those other two types as well.

Aspirational influencers

Aspirational influencers live lives that “normal people” can only dream of. Expensive clothes, distant travels and toned bodies fill their social media and blogs. They are often macro or mega influencers. Everyone wants to be them and wants to have what they have. That is exactly what makes aspirational influencers so effective.

Because of their huge following, aspirational influencers are perfect for generating more brand awareness, or for skyrocketing your brand’s reputation.

Authoritative influencers

Authoritative influencers have to be knowledgeable. They are people who have real expertise. Because they focus on a specific niche, they often have fewer followers than aspirational influencers. But, of course, they do have more followers than the average peer influencer.

Thanks to their expertise, they have a great influence on their followers. They can be perfect for teaching people more about your product or brand, or for reaching a certain segment of your target audience.

Finding influencers through Hulc

Whether you’re looking for peer, aspirational, or authoritative influencers: you’ll find them through Hulc. We have over 3,700 bloggers and influencers in our database who are eager to promote your brand, product, or service to their followers. Want to know how it works? Then take a look at Hulc.io. There we explain further how we can help you find the perfect influencers.