Do Social Media Influencers Still Need a Website?

The term “influencer” is thrown around a lot in 2019. In fact, in the last couple of years it has become part of our collective vocabulary. If you have been avoiding the internet for the past five years or so and need to catch up, an influencer is simply an “influential person” on the internet. These people are approached by brands to promote or sell their products and services, and this is influencer marketing.

The original influencers are celebrities giving product endorsement, which as we all know has been common for decades.

The difference now is, that anybody can set out to be an influencer, and given the right set of circumstances and the right personal brand, can become extremely successful. In fact, the most successful influencers of recent years have been ordinary people who discovered a knack for creating online content that would prove to be extremely popular. You only need to look at the incredible success story of house-proud newlywed turned national treasure Sophie Hinchliffe, aka Mrs Hinch, for an example of just how powerful influencer marketing is.

The phenomenon is on the rise. More than two thirds of US retailers now use influencer marketing. In the UK, the average spend of a retailer’s marketing budget on influencer marketing is now at least 10%, and that is set to increase.

It is true that the majority of influencers operate primarily (and often exclusively) on social media. This is obviously a huge help in cutting their own personal costs due to the fact that social media is (mostly) free. So the question we want to ask today is, do influencers need a website? Would they see a benefit from it given that most of their business is conducted through social media accounts?

Having a website can definitely help influencers expand, monetise and reach bigger audiences. A website is essentially your own personal space. You’re not restricted by the limitations of social media posts and, should the worst happen and the social media platform you’re on one day disappear in to obscurity (we’re looking at you, Myspace) you’re not going to lose all your hard work and followers.

Having a website also gives you credibility, it stands you out from the crown as a legitimate brand. Not only will this attract more fans and followers, it will also attract businesses who may wish to use you as a resource. With a personal website, you are showing yourself as having a serious and professional presence and as a credible candidate for a successful collaboration.

A website is also a great way to actually measure the reach and influence you have over visitors in a way that is not as possible on social media. You can derive much more effective analytics from a website than you can a social media profile so this can then help you to plan your next moves and your growth.

So what should an influencer even have on a website? Given that the majority of an influencers content will still be on their social media accounts, the question of what to actually include on a website can be a difficult one to answer. The most obvious thing to add on the website is links to all the social media accounts. This will help your followers who have found you on one platform , easily follow you on another. You should also make sure your persona or your personal brand really comes across on your website, including a good biography of yourself. Make sure the site is optimised for SEO to allow new followers to find you easily. And lastly, don’t forget contact details for yourself that can be used by any brand that wishes to partner with you.

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