Before starting at Fast Horse, I hardly followed anyone on social media that I didn’t know personally. I don’t know if it was because I didn’t understand how massive the world of influencer marketing is, or because I didn’t care, but influencer content was not part of my daily feed.

Cut to about nine months later and I now follow quite a few influencers. We work with influencers all the time at Fast Horse. It’s become a regular part of my work life and in turn, my personal life.

One of the biggest reasons that influencer marketing is so effective is that the content feels organic and authentic. When choosing influencers to represent a brand, we always make sure to choose someone who’s content fits the feel of the brand, and someone who would or already uses the product we’re marketing. Likewise, most influencers only choose to work with companies that they believe in and whose products they use. This ensures that influencer recommendations and testimonials are transparent and trustworthy.

I’ve seen this type of marketing work countless times – on myself. Since diving into the world of influencer marketing, I’ve followed several fashion and beauty Instagrammers and YouTubers. These influencers post about numerous products and clothing items every day, and on more than one occasion, I’ve used their recommendation to make my purchasing decision. I look to them for honest reviews of different brands before pulling the trigger, and I value their opinions when choosing what to buy. The trust I have in these women to give me and their 200,000 followers honest information, is almost the same level of trust I have in a friend when asking for a recommendation.

There’s also a factor of convenience with influencers. I often know what type of item I’m looking for, but don’t want to spend the time to search for the right option. With features like the “swipe up to buy” function on Instagram, or apps such as liketoknow.it, which allows fashion influencers to link their entire outfit in one place, it’s easier than ever to find exactly what I want and purchase it almost immediately. Truthfully, it’s a little dangerous.

The marketing world is ever evolving and influencer marketing is is here to stay. You may already be an avid follower of influencers, but if not, and you’re looking for more reliable brand recommendations, give it a try. Now if you’ll excuse me, @anna_brstyle just posted about a pair of boots that I must have.