The influencer marketing industry is rapidly expanding and for a good reason. According to Influencer Marketing Hub, the average earned media value per $1 spent on social media is $5.20.  And it means that for the vast majority of brands, influencer marketing works better than other marketing channels.

If you plan to spend your marketing budget on influencers, you probably wonder whether you should hire an influencer manager. There are a lot of factors to consider, but the concept of hiring an in-house influencer marketing manager is no longer outlandish.

Whether you're leaning towards a dedicated influencer manager or software, learn the pros and cons of each tactic in this article.

What is an Influencer Manager?

Combine a deep understanding of community dynamics, social media marketing, branding and your target audience to get a stellar influencer marketing manager. Even though this relatively new role might seem niche, it's genesis lies in a diverse set of skills that have been cultivated through modern marketing practices. But should you prioritize hiring one this year?A sizeable and mature influencer program can take some time to manage, even if you've got access to best-in-class influencer marketing technology. As your program scales and increases in budget, it could be a wise decision to hire an influencer manager.

An in-house expert will have the best connection to the brand goals and will be able to build lasting relationships with your brand and influencers. The added benefit of this model is a full-time employee will deeply understand your target audience, your business, and your niche. Naturally, you can expect them to create a strategy that will align with the needs and priorities of your company.

A good influencer marketing manager will work to integrate the influencer program across other teams to get the best ROI – plus, you'll ensure that you get transparent ROI based on the reporting systems you already have in place.

But what if your influencer program is in nascency? A dedicated manager can be beneficial if you're willing to leverage influencers as your main area for growth. But with any new program, a diverse skillset and ability to pivot strategies quickly will be necessary for an influencer marketing manager building a program from the ground up.

Whether your program warrants a fulltime employee to manage, or can be relegated to other employees, it's important to make sure your team is well equipped with the right technology to manage influencers.

New technologies allow you to manage every process fast and efficiently. From influencer discovery to maintaining a cohesive system of record for all communications with an influencer to reporting on the success of the program, influencer marketing software can save your team a lot of time regardless of who is managing the program.

‍Influencer Marketing Continues to Grow

‍No matter what suits your brand now, it's important to know that influencer marketing is growing in every capacity. Influencers have the power to drive unprecedented interest in a new product launch (as shown by the recent Jeffree Star and Shane Dawson launch) and can take your brand to the next level. Having the right people in place to help nurture your influencer relationships may not be a priority now, but having the right tools to manage influencers will help keep your influencer program organized and productive no matter how robust your influencer strategy is.

‍Marie Fincher is a content writer with a background in marketing, technology and business intelligence. She also does some editing work at WowGrade, PickTheWriter, and Studicus. What inspires her the most in her writing is traveling and meeting new people.