The Complete Influencer Marketing Glossary of Terms

Influencer marketing has come a long way in recent years. From a niche marketing tactic to a multi-billion dollar industry, the growth of influencer marketing has been nothing short of remarkable. According to a report by Business Insider, the influencer marketing industry was set to be worth $15 billion by 2022, up from $8 billion in 2019. This growth has been fueled by the increasing popularity of social media platforms, as well as the growing trust that consumers place in influencers.

However, as influencer marketing has matured, so too has its jargon. Brands and influencers alike may find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of terms used in this field. From “micro influencers” to “affiliate marketing,” the world of influencer marketing can seem like a minefield of unfamiliar terminology. That’s why I’ve put together this complete influencer marketing glossary of terms, to help you navigate this exciting industry.

Influencer Marketing Glossary

Affiliate Marketing – A type of marketing where the influencer earns a commission on sales made through their unique referral link.

Brand Ambassador – An influencer who has an ongoing relationship with a brand, and promotes their products or services on a regular basis.

Branded Content – Content created by an influencer that promotes a brand or its products, often in partnership with the brand.

Call To Action (CTA) – A message or instruction within an influencer’s content that encourages the audience to take a specific action, such as visiting a website or making a purchase.

Campaign – A series of coordinated marketing activities, including influencer partnerships, designed to achieve a specific marketing goal.

Content Creator – A person who creates digital content, such as videos, blog posts, or social media posts, often in partnership with brands.

Conversion Rate – The percentage of people who complete a desired action, such as making a purchase, after clicking on an influencer’s content or promotion.

Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) – The cost of acquiring a new customer through an influencer marketing campaign, often used to measure the ROI of influencer partnerships.

CPC – Cost per click, or the cost of each click on an influencer’s content.

CPM – Cost per mille, or the cost of 1,000 impressions.

Click Through Rate (CTR) – A metric used to measure the number of clicks on a link compared to the number of impressions it receives, often used to evaluate the effectiveness of influencer campaigns.

Engagement – The level of interaction an influencer receives from their audience, including likes, comments, shares, and direct messages.

Engagement Rate – A metric used to measure the level of interaction and engagement with an influencer’s content, often calculated as the total number of likes, comments, and shares divided by the total number of followers.

Hashtag – A word or phrase preceded by the “#” symbol, used to categorize and group social media content.

Impressions – The number of times an influencer’s content is displayed to users.

Inauthentic Engagement – Artificial or fake engagement on an influencer’s content, typically achieved through the use of bots or other fraudulent practices.

Influencer – An individual who has a following on social media, and who is able to influence the opinions and purchasing decisions of their followers.

Influencer Contract – A legal agreement between a brand and an influencer that outlines the terms of their partnership, including deliverables, compensation, and other expectations.

Influencer Fee – The amount of compensation paid to an influencer for their services, typically negotiated in advance and based on factors such as audience size, content quality, and campaign deliverables.

Influencer Fraud – The practice of buying fake followers or engagement in order to inflate an influencer’s metrics.

Influencer Incubator – A program designed to help influencers learn how to increase their influence, impact and income, through a combination of 1:1 coaching and group coaching.

Influencer Marketing Agency – A company that specializes in influencer marketing services, such as influencer discovery, campaign management, and performance tracking.

Influencer Marketing Budget – The amount of money allocated by a brand or agency for influencer marketing activities, including influencer fees, campaign costs, and platform fees.

Influencer Marketing Platform – A software platform used by brands to find and connect with influencers, manage campaigns, and track performance, such as Onalytica.

Influencer Marketing Strategy – A plan that outlines how a brand will use influencer marketing to achieve their marketing goals, including target audience, influencer selection, and campaign execution.

Influencer Network – A group of influencers that a brand or agency works with on a regular basis to create content and promote their products or services.

Influencer Outreach – The process of reaching out to influencers with a proposal for a potential partnership or collaboration.

Influencer Partnership – A collaboration between a brand and an influencer, often involving sponsored content or other forms of promotion.

Influencer Persona – A representation of an influencer’s personality, values, and interests, used to better understand their audience and inform influencer selection.

Influencer Pitch – A proposal made by an influencer to a brand or agency, outlining how they can promote the brand’s products or services in exchange for compensation.

Influencer Relationship Management – The process of building and maintaining relationships with influencers, often involving ongoing communication, collaboration, and feedback.

Influencer Score – A metric used to measure an influencer’s overall effectiveness, based on factors such as engagement rate, reach, and follower demographics.

Influencer Targeting – The process of identifying the most relevant influencers to partner with for a specific campaign or brand, based on criteria such as audience demographics, interests, and engagement rates.

Influencer Terms And Conditions – A set of guidelines and requirements outlining the terms of a brand-influencer partnership, including compensation, content guidelines, and campaign deliverables.

Influencer Tiers – A categorization of influencers based on their following size, which can vary depending on the platform and industry. Common tiers include nano, micro, macro, and mega influencers.

Influencer Verification – A process of confirming an influencer’s identity and authenticity, typically done through a third-party verification service.

Key Performance Indicator (KPI) – A measurable metric that helps track progress towards a specific goal, such as engagement rate or click-through rate.

Macro Influencer – An influencer with a larger following (typically 100,000 to 1 million followers), who may have a wider reach but may not have as high engagement as micro-influencers.

Mega Influencer – An influencer with a massive following (typically over 1 million followers), who has a wide reach and high potential for exposure.

Micro Influencer – An influencer with a smaller following (typically 1,000 to 100,000 followers), who often has a highly engaged audience.

Nano Influencer – An influencer with a very small following (typically less than 1,000 followers), who may have a highly engaged audience within a niche community.

Performance Metrics – Data points used to measure the success of an influencer campaign, such as engagement rate, conversion rate, and return on investment (ROI).

Product Placement – The inclusion of a brand’s product in an influencer’s content, either organically or through a paid partnership.

Reach – The total number of people who see an influencer’s content, often measured by the number of impressions or views.

Return On Investment (ROI) – The amount of profit or revenue generated from an influencer marketing campaign, compared to the amount invested in the campaign.

Social Listening – The process of monitoring social media conversations and mentions of a brand or product, often used to identify potential influencers or evaluate the success of influencer campaigns.

Social Media Influencer – An individual who has a large following on social media and has the ability to influence their followers’ opinions, behaviors, and purchasing decisions.

Social Media Influencer Marketing – The practice of using social media influencers to promote products, services, or brands to their followers.

Social Media Platform – A digital platform where users can share and consume content, including photos, videos, and text, such as Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube.

Sponsored Content – Content created by an influencer in partnership with a brand, where the brand compensates the influencer for promoting their product or service.

Sponsored Content Disclosure – The requirement for influencers to disclose when a post or promotion is sponsored or paid for by a brand, in accordance with advertising guidelines and regulations.

Sponsored Post – A social media post created by an influencer in partnership with a brand, where the brand compensates the influencer for promoting their product or service.

User Generated Content (UGC) – Content created by fans or followers of a brand or influencer, often used in influencer marketing campaigns to showcase real-life experiences and product usage.

Vanity Metrics – Metrics such as follower count or likes that may appear impressive but do not necessarily reflect the true impact or value of an influencer’s content.

Whitelisting – A process where a brand grants an influencer permission to post sponsored content directly to the brand’s social media account, often used to increase the reach and visibility of the content.

Wrapping Up

Influencer marketing has grown into a powerful marketing tool, but with that growth has come a proliferation of jargon and terminology that can be overwhelming for both brands and influencers. By understanding these terms, brands and influencers can better navigate this exciting industry and create successful campaigns that reach and engage their target audience.

As the industry continues to evolve, it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and terminology. By doing so, brands and influencers can continue to build authentic, meaningful relationships that drive business growth and deliver real value to their audiences.

So whether you’re a seasoned influencer or just starting out in the world of influencer marketing, this glossary of terms is a valuable resource to help you understand the language of this dynamic and rapidly-evolving industry.