Infographic: How Influencers Took Over Holiday Marketing

Black Friday is almost here. And before everyone starts relentlessly supporting capitalism in a few days, The Shelf, which helps companies with influencer marketing, has released a beast of an infographic aptly titled “Holiday Marketing and How to Sell More Stuff.”

With dozens of data points, the infographic shows how digital influence has changed the way that marketers think about the holiday season. For example, 90 percent of customers trust an online review more than info from a salesperson, and offers shared by influencers convert up to 10 times higher than deals sent out by a brand.

And yes, influencer marketing does get results. The Shelf reports that every dollar spent on influencers yields a return of $6.85. The ROI is even better when you consider verticals like retail/apparel, where every dollar spent on influencers yields a whopping $10.48.

Influencer marketing is just one of the ways that digital content is helping drive sales. Eighty percent of shoppers use digital channels to engage with a brand and its products before going to a store, and even that relationship is changing, since Cyber Monday now yields approximately $2 billion in sales. And if brands aren’t active on visual platforms like Instagram and Pinterest, they’re only going to fall even farther behind.

Take a look at the infographic below for more information on influencer marketing and holiday advertising strategies.