Social media influencers are there to captivate audiences, entertain thousands, and earn an income from engagement, right? That may be true, but many have diversified businesses and created e-commerce shops. It’s strategic to have multiple types of income, especially in entertainment. The top influencers who have launched successful brands and products include MKBHD, Emma Chamberlain, and PewDiePie. Here’s what they’re doing and what it means for your business.
Hundreds of creators on all types of social media platforms try to break the mold and become more than just entertainers. The influencer marketing industry is expanding, and stretching a brand by producing products and merch has become a powerful way for creators to deepen the connection with their audience and monetize their channels.
As a Shopify business selling products or services, these influencers could be some of your most powerful and lucrative connections. They know how to reach their audience and sell to them, and more business-minded influencers are more likely to partner as affiliates. Down the road, an affiliate relationship could also evolve into a collaboration service or product, generating more revenue for each party.
The Dude Perfect channel is about fun vibes with a loveable group of friends. These content creators are always pranking each other, testing new products, and coming up with creative ways to capture new audiences. Just like their trick shots, their merch game is on point.
This merch store has all kinds of clothing options with many sizes, designs, and color options. Typically appealing to a younger male audience, it’s advertised across posts and videos on all social channels.
Emma Chamberlain has been a prominent influencer and YouTuber since she was just 16 years old. She’s made a loyal following of millions across multiple channels through her goofy, relatable content but has also broken through as a successful entrepreneur.
Emma’s brand, Chamberlain Coffee, combines her love for a great roast and her classic laid-back style. The shop offers merchandise like totes, mugs, apparel, and coffee in many blends. She’s a great example of a strong personal brand turned successful business venture.
Evan Fong, also known as VanossGaming, is a popular video game influencer. Known for his compilations of funny gaming reactions and his skilled gameplay, his merch store includes many apparel options such as hoodies, hats, and t-shirts with his iconic logo. Beyond apparel, VanossGaming fans can shop plushie slippers, speakers, and neon lights.
The biggest creator on TikTok right now, Charli D’Amelio, started her influencer career only recently in 2019. She quickly went from making quick choreographed dance routines to stardom, landing sponsorships, major product collaborations, and even a spot in her own Super Bowl commercial.
Charli’s merch shop offers various design options for clothing, hats, and tote bags. She also links right from her shop to her YouTube channel to keep her audience engaged and invested in her personal brand.
Dixie D’Amelio, sister to Charlie, might not be as famous, but she’s still one of the most popular influencers on TikTok. Also known as a choreographer and dancer, Dixie has earned herself a spot in the popular creator troupe Hype House, as well as sponsorships and product collaborations of her own.
Dixie’s merch shop offers similar garment, tote, and hat options to Charli’s but also links to her video content platforms and her Spotify where she’s pursuing a music career.
Have you ever searched for a tech review on YouTube? It’s more than likely that you’ve seen a video by Marques Brownlee, also known as MKBHD. MKBHD creates unboxings, thorough reviews, and insightful commentary on the latest and greatest in tech and gadgets. He’s been a prominent figure online for over a decade because he can break down complicated tech into simple terms for the average consumer.
MKBHD’s merch shop features clothing, accessories, water bottles, and tech-related merch like keyboard mats and software app access. He’s been trusted by millions online for years, and the transition into e-commerce has proven just as successful.
Zach King was only 7 years old when he started gaining traction as an influencer. He started creating videos for his family but went viral after a video called “Jedi Kittens” gained over a million views in less than 24 hours. Zach then started creating for his newfound audience, and today, his channel has more than 37 million subscribers.
Zach’s merch store has the clothing and sticker options you might expect but also a few nods to his nerdy side with comics and cards.
For many years, PewDiePie was YouTube’s most-subscribed creator. Now, with over 100 million subscribers, anything he does easily becomes a successful business. PewDiePie is a gamer, but he also vlogs his life in Japan and collaborates with similar creators in the space. His merch store features clothing, but also mugs, pillows, phone cases, and more.
Brittany Lupton is one of TikTok and YouTube’s most prominent fitness influencers. She provides workout inspiration and educational and inspirational content for her audience to live a happy and healthy life. She’s all about health, wellness, and women’s empowerment.
Brittany’s merch shop includes clothing, nutritional and fitness program access, and her fitness app. She also posts her affiliate links so that her audience can conveniently shop.
Allie + Sam are one of the internet’s favorite same-sex married couples. They’re all about good vibes, documenting their adventures together for their audience. The internet has watched them grow as a couple, travel, and even become mothers.
Their merch store offers clothing, mugs, and baby accessories, and their designs often depict LGBTQ2+ pride and allyship. Launches are always met with success, as their fan base is engaged and happy to cheer them on with each new drop.
If you don’t already have one, an affiliate marketing program is key to jumpstarting the relationship between brand and influencer. Creators advertise your products, often offering a discount or incentive to their audience, and earn a small commission for every viewer that converts.
Attracting the right influencer for your business just takes a little time and research, and there are multiple strategies you could use to get started with outreach. But before you do that, you need to get your program up and running on a simple, comprehensive platform.
Book a demo with us today to learn more about starting or revamping your affiliate marketing program.
