--- title: "Beyond the Followers: What Makes Influencer Marketing Work?" description: What makes influencer marketing effective? Learn how the right content creators build trust, create engaging content and help businesses stand out. image: https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/hubfs/Blogs-vermilionpinstripes/influencer%20marketing.png --- [Skip to content](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/blog/beyond-the-followers-what-makes-influencer-marketing-work#main-content) [![9d665f\_faca218ac5324120b9ad667e55103fb3~mv2](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/9d665f_faca218ac5324120b9ad667e55103fb3~mv2.jpg?width=1181&height=293&name=9d665f_faca218ac5324120b9ad667e55103fb3~mv2.jpg)](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/) - Services Show submenu for Services - [Sales Empowerment](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/b2b-sales) - [Marketing Growth Engine](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/mge-start) - [Modern Marketing](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/modern-marketing-for-large-businesses) - [Small Business Marketing](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/small-business-marketing) - [B2B Communications](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/b2b-communcations) - [Modern Website Design](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/website-design) - [Outdoor Advertising](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/outdoor-advertising) - [Buy Domain Name](https://ugkk8aet.storefront.ds.network/) - [About Us](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/about-us) Show submenu for About Us - [Contact Us](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/contact) - [Blogs](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/blog) Open main navigation Close main navigation - Services Show submenu for Services - [Sales Empowerment](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/b2b-sales) - [Marketing Growth Engine](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/mge-start) - [Modern Marketing](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/modern-marketing-for-large-businesses) - [Small Business Marketing](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/small-business-marketing) - [B2B Communications](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/b2b-communcations) - [Modern Website Design](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/website-design) - [Outdoor Advertising](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/outdoor-advertising) - [Buy Domain Name](https://ugkk8aet.storefront.ds.network/) - [About Us](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/about-us) Show submenu for About Us - [Contact Us](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/contact) - [Blogs](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/blog) - [Modern Marketing](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/modern-marketing-framework-growth-engine) [Modern Marketing](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/modern-marketing-framework-growth-engine) [All posts](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/blog/all) October 12, 2026 # Beyond the Followers: What Makes Influencer Marketing Work? ![Picture of Veronica Lind](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Veronica%20Lind%20Vermilion%20Pinstripes%20Business%20and%20Marketing%20Technologist.jpg?width=50&name=Veronica%20Lind%20Vermilion%20Pinstripes%20Business%20and%20Marketing%20Technologist.jpg)   Veronica Lind  ·  5 minute read ![influencer marketing](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Blogs-vermilionpinstripes/influencer%20marketing.png?width=800&height=200&name=influencer%20marketing.png) Scroll through social media and there is no shortage of people telling us where to eat, what to try, where to travel and what to buy. But what actually makes someone stop scrolling? More importantly for businesses, what makes someone pay attention, trust what they see and perhaps decide to try it for themselves? #### Jump to: 1. [From a food journey to an unpredictable journey](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/blog/beyond-the-followers-what-makes-influencer-marketing-work#from-a-food-journey-to-an-unpredictable-journey) 2. [Why would someone choose you?](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/blog/beyond-the-followers-what-makes-influencer-marketing-work#why-would-someone-choose-you) 3. [Give people something worth stopping for](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/blog/beyond-the-followers-what-makes-influencer-marketing-work#give-people-something-worth-stopping-for) 4. [Trust requires more than saying something is good](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/blog/beyond-the-followers-what-makes-influencer-marketing-work#trust-requires-more-than-saying-something-is-good) 5. [Don't just brief your content creator. Talk to them.](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/blog/beyond-the-followers-what-makes-influencer-marketing-work#dont-just-brief-your-content-creator-talk-to-them) 6. [Creative freedom matters](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/blog/beyond-the-followers-what-makes-influencer-marketing-work#creative-freedom-matters) 7. [Don't become another version of everyone else](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/blog/beyond-the-followers-what-makes-influencer-marketing-work#dont-become-another-version-of-everyone-else) 8. [The Modern Marketing Lesson](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/blog/beyond-the-followers-what-makes-influencer-marketing-work#the-modern-marketing-lesson) We spoke with Jeannie, the content creator behind [*Our Unpredictable Journey*](https://www.instagram.com/our_unpredictable_journey), to find out what goes on behind the content and what businesses can learn from the people creating it. What emerged was something much bigger than follower numbers. It was a conversation about differentiation, research, creativity, trust, collaboration and understanding your audience. In other words, many of the fundamentals of Modern Marketing. ### From a food journey to an unpredictable journey Jeannie started by creating content around food, something that reflected her love of eating and cooking. Over time, however, her content evolved. Today, [*Our Unpredictable Journey*](https://www.instagram.com/our_unpredictable_journey) can encompass food, fashion, lifestyle, travel, health, tips and everyday experiences. The name gives her that freedom. As Jeannie explained, life itself is unpredictable and a journey does not have to be confined to one subject. ![Jeannie Our Unpredictable Journey | Vermillion Pinstripes](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/hubfs/Blogs-vermilionpinstripes/Jeannie01.jpeg) ![Jeannie Our Unpredictable Journey | Vermillion Pinstripes](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/hubfs/Blogs-vermilionpinstripes/jeannie02.jpeg) ![Jeannie Our Unpredictable Journey | Vermillion Pinstripes](https://www.vermilionpinstripes.com/hubfs/Blogs-vermilionpinstripes/jannie03.jpeg) Her audience has grown over the years through a combination of content, collaborations and boosting Instagram videos. Sometimes, however, the results have surprised even her. One collaboration in Bali, which she did not expect to be particularly significant, generated substantial exposure without being boosted. It is a useful reminder that building an audience does not necessarily follow a predictable formula. ### Why would someone choose you? There are countless content creators competing for attention. So we asked Jeannie what makes people choose to follow her. Interestingly, she initially said she wonders about that herself. The answer has become clearer through feedback from the businesses that repeatedly work with her. They don't just value the videos. They value her **ideas**. Rather than accepting a brief, producing the requested content and leaving, Jeannie often starts thinking about what else the business could do. She described clients contacting her about a new menu and asking what she thinks. Her response may be that the idea is already being done by too many other businesses. She will then start suggesting ways they could make it more distinctive. > “The reason they like me is, ‘Jeannie, you’re not only making videos for us, but you give us ideas.’” — Jeannie For Jeannie, it is not necessarily about ensuring that she gets the next piece of work either. She may recommend other content creators if she believes that would help the business. Her motivation is to see the business or product grow. There is a lesson here for every business, regardless of whether influencer marketing is part of your strategy. **If everyone else is doing the same thing, why should someone choose you?** **💡 Vermillion Pinstripes Insight: The value of a creator isn't simply their follower count. Their understanding of audiences, content and what makes something interesting can itself be valuable marketing intelligence.** ### Give people something worth stopping for In a world of scrolling thumbs, businesses have seconds to earn attention. For food content, Jeannie believes making the food look appetising matters, but that does not necessarily mean immaculate presentation. Something as simple as cutting into an egg and revealing a runny yolk can create the moment that makes someone want to watch. But visual appeal is only part of the equation. Jeannie continually looks for something distinctive to say. Instead of yet another "come with me to this café" video, she might look for a different angle. Does the café open unusually late? Is there something on the menu people cannot get elsewhere? Is there something about the experience that people don't already know? That question is just as relevant to a business developing its own marketing: **What can we say that gives people a reason to pay attention?** ### Trust requires more than saying something is good Getting attention is one challenge. Earning trust is another. Jeannie's approach to food demonstrates why the distinction matters. She recognises that everyone has a different palate. Something she enjoys may not appeal to somebody who dislikes spicy food, for example. Rather than simply declaring something "good" or "bad", she tries to explain the experience and who might enjoy it. That requires understanding what she is talking about. This is also where Jeannie draws a distinction between being an influencer and being a content creator. For her, a content creator needs to understand the product before talking about it. > “You need to understand your product before you say something.” — Jeannie Before working with a client, whether the collaboration is paid or an exchange, she researches the business. She looks at its Instagram account, website and Google reviews. She tries to understand the products and what to expect before arriving. She may also contact the business to ask what it is currently promoting. That preparation then feeds into the detail in her videos and voiceovers. It is something her clients notice. **💡 Vermillion Pinstripes Insight: Creating more content isn't necessarily better marketing. Understanding what you're marketing comes first. AI can make marketing faster, but that is not a guarantee that it makes it better. Human sincerity and authenticity make an impact.** ### Don't just brief your content creator. Talk to them. One of the strongest lessons from our conversation was about the relationship between businesses and content creators. Jeannie believes it needs to work both ways. The creator needs to understand how the business works, while the business needs to understand how the content creator works. That means **open communication**. It also means being prepared to hear things you may not necessarily want to hear. If a creator does not like a particular dish or product, Jeannie believes businesses should be open to that feedback rather than simply expecting the creator to promote it. A restaurant, for example, could offer several dishes and allow the creator to choose the ones they genuinely like and want to feature. There is another benefit to doing this. If several creators independently dislike the same menu item, that feedback may tell the restaurant something valuable about the product itself. Suddenly, influencer marketing is not simply another promotional channel. The relationship can become a source of customer insight. ### Creative freedom matters Businesses understandably want to protect their brands and communicate the right messages. But there is a difference between providing useful information and controlling every aspect of the content. Jeannie's experience suggests that creators value the freedom to identify what they genuinely find interesting and worth communicating. This is where collaboration becomes important. The business understands its product. The content creator understands their audience and how they create content. > “You need to think of how content creators work, because as a content creator, I need to think of how businesses work. Then we can work it out together.” — Jeannie Bring those two perspectives together and there is an opportunity to create something stronger than simply handing over a prescriptive brief. 💡 Vermillion Pinstripes Insight: An influencer isn't simply another advertising channel. A creator brings knowledge of their audience, content instincts and an external perspective on the product. ### Don't become another version of everyone else Perhaps the strongest theme throughout our conversation was differentiation. Jeannie sees businesses introducing similar menu items because another venue has successfully done it. The result is not necessarily innovation. It can simply create more competitors offering variations of the same thing. She sees a similar challenge with content. Creators cannot continually use the same opening, the same story and the same approach. Jeannie says she is consciously trying to find different ways to "spin" each collaboration. That does not mean every social post needs to reinvent the category. She acknowledges that businesses need regular social content and different pieces of content serve different purposes. But when you want people to take notice, there needs to be a reason. [Check out Jeannie's Our Unpredictable Journey](https://www.instagram.com/our_unpredictable_journey)   Email Jeannie: [jeanniejune@yahoo.com](mailto:jeanniejune@yahoo.com) Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/our\_unpredictable\_journey](https://www.instagram.com/our_unpredictable_journey) Youtube: [https://www.youtube.com/@ourunpredictablejourney](https://www.youtube.com/@ourunpredictablejourney) TikTok: [https://www.tiktok.com/@our\_unpredictable\_journe](https://www.tiktok.com/@our_unpredictable_journe) ### The Modern Marketing lesson Influencer marketing can easily be reduced to numbers. How many followers? How many views? How much engagement? Our conversation with Jeannie suggests businesses should also be asking different questions. **Does this creator understand our product? Can they identify what makes it interesting? Will they bring ideas? Do they understand their audience? Can we have an open conversation with them? And are we prepared to listen?** Perhaps most importantly, businesses need to look at themselves before asking someone else to make them interesting. If your product looks and sounds like everything else in the market, the content creator has a much harder job. Modern Marketing is not simply about producing more content. It is about finding the value, difference and story that makes someone stop, pay attention and want to know more. And sometimes, the person behind the camera can help you see something about your business that you hadn't seen yourself. **Food for Thought: Influencer marketing works when businesses stop thinking only about followers and start thinking about fit, differentiation, knowledge, trust and collaboration.** [Book Your Growth Engine Clarity Session](https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/PfCCWU70yLYA0752FNeM) ![Book a 30 minute free modern marketing consultation](https://5018647.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/5018647/raw_assets/public/themes/generator/images/icons/calendar-check.svg) ### **[Book a 30-minute Free Modern Marketing Consultation](https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/bookings/30-min-consult-to-build-business-confidence)** Keep on making waves in the digital world! Our experts are ready to support you. Schedule your free 30-minute consultation today. 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