Whilst we all know the important role influencers and bloggers play in brand advocacy and public perception, we could be forgiven for sometimes grouping the two together. But they are in fact very different, and as the digital era continues to evolve, it’s important to understand what exactly those differences are.
The easiest way to distinguish a blogger from an influencer is to visualise both through a venn diagram – as separate circles, overlapping in the center.
To make matters confusing, depending on the following of a blog, it may overlap quite significantly with the influencer circle, due to having achieved influencer status through their blog (think Leandra Medine of The Man Repeller, Nicole Warne of Gary Pepper Girl and Chiara Ferragni of The Blonde Salad).
The key difference with bloggers is that they don’t solely rely on social media to hold their content. A general rule of thumb for distinguishing a blogger is, if you know someone exclusively by the name of a website but would be hard-pressed to think of their name on the spot, they're most likely a blogger.
Unlike bloggers, influencers don’t have a blog (or they might have created one after garnering a social media following). Influencers are the ‘IT Girls’ or ‘Socialites’ of the digital generation. They’re who brands want at their parties and front row at their fashion shows. The essence of an influencer is to ‘be seen’. Their lives are interesting and in turn their followers seek to emulate various aspects of it, from fashion and diet to fitness and places to go to - hence why the power of an influencer is invaluable to brands.
Both bloggers and influencers have their merits, and it entirely depends on the brand and campaign goal, which one you decide to align with.
When the idea of a social influencer first surfaced, it was all about who possessed the highest reach versus quality engagement. Increasingly, more brands are partnering with influencers who may not have tens of thousands of followers but instead a loyal following and generate high quality engagement.
Following in the footsteps of The Bloggers Club in New Zealand, there are now numerous agencies that have popped up to cash in on the influencer phenomenon. They help influencers to monetise their online presence and understand the digital market. Some traditional modelling agencies have now added a social talent arm to their business. To name a few, Johnson & Laird, N Management and The Social Co.
Often an influencer’s blog is an extension of their social media following, whereas a blogger’s social media profiles are an extension of their blog.
So there you have it. We hope that clarifies the (understandable!) confusion surrounding influencers and bloggers. If you're still at a loss, just think: which came first - the blog or the Instagram?
