Many outdoor brands are finding success in influencer marketing, especially those leveraging the power of micro-influencers and brand ambassadors. By partnering with outdoor influencers, brands can reach targeted audiences and build trust through authentic experiences and stories.
To explore the connection between influencers and outdoor brands, Watauga has created an influencer marketing series. This post is the first of four, allowing you to better understand the value of this collaborative, authentic approach covering everything from the most valuable metrics to the discovery of real-world influencers.
While there is never a one-size-fits-all strategy for all brands, there are some steps you can start taking today to join the outdoor marketers already finding success. Align with influencers that make sense, keep an eye on key metrics, and adjust accordingly.
Let’s jump in.
Influencer Marketing Is a Growing Trend
Influencer marketing continues to remain popular. This is because when you execute it effectively, you can reach more specific audiences to enhance credibility and improve engagement, among . many other benefits.
The advantages of this strategy are being noticed, which is why influencer marketing has seen immense growth. In 2021, nearly 71% of U.S. marketers (working in companies with 100+ employees) were expected to use influencer marketing. In 2025, that number has jumped to an estimated 86%..
And rightfully so.
Data shows that 49% of consumers make daily, weekly, or monthly purchases because of influencer posts
Using influencer marketing will help you get in front of the consumers that are most likely to connect with your brand. Since the influencers have already established trust with their audience, they will bridge the gap for you, unlocking access to consumers that could become loyal brand supporters.
Why Consider Influencer Marketing?
The impact of influencer marketing can be significant.
Targeted audience reach is a major plus, especially if you’re operating in a niche outdoor category, such as eco-friendly camping gear, outdoor culinary travel, or wellness tourism. By leveraging an influencer’s reach and authenticity, you can tap into their audience. You can thus boost brand awareness, increase sales, and achieve other business objectives.
Partnering with outdoor influencers helps you shape consumer perceptions and drive sales. A target audience gains genuine insight into a brand’s offerings in a way that is natural, authentic, and engaging.
However, for the highest return on investment (ROI), you’ll need to test various strategies and channels. Since you can measure the effectiveness of your campaigns, you can make data-driven adjustments. They will help you continuously raise the bar and improve conversion rates, which ultimately supports a greater ROI.
More Followers Isn’t Always Better
This marketing tactic works because of the trust that influencers have built with their following. Their recommendations serve as social proof, which is incredibly valuable. For those in the outdoors industry, it’s often best to avoid partnering with just mega-influencers.
Why?
Working with an influencer with millions of followers is not always the best fit, especially for many companies in the outdoor industry space. Many of these followers have a broad audience that spans several demographics.
Instead, you could partner with an influencer who still has an impressive following — one that is smaller but with a more targeted and engaged follower group.
While follower range can differ slightly from one source to another, influencers typically fall into these categories:
- Macro-influencers have 100,000 to 1 million followers.
- Micro-influencers have 10,000 to 100,000 followers.
- Nano-influencers have 1,000 to 10,000 followers.
Most outdoor brands are finding success with micro-influencers, for example, because they have built genuine communities that share specific passions. There are many variables that go into finding the right influencer partnerships, including cost, key characteristics, and reach. However, when you find the right influencers and tap into their market, the payoff can be significant, whether they have 8,000 or 300,000 followers.
Influencer Marketing Works: Next Steps
Influencer marketing remains a powerful tool for outdoor brands. Whether you want to promote products, destinations, services, or a particular lifestyle, genuine outdoor influencers can help you drive meaningful results.
Moving forward, some of the steps to consider are identifying the right influencers for your brand. While you may work with a range of influencers, starting with micro-influencers can help you tap into targeted outdoor niches, like camping, kayaking, and hiking.
Authenticity is key, which is why you should work with a partner who genuinely loves your brand and what you offer. They will then be able to create engaging content and stories that come across as natural as possible.
As you progress, you’ll want to experiment with various platforms and channels. Instagram is one of the most effective places to find influencers. However, TikTok and YouTube are also great for video content. You can also check out influencers with successful vlogs, particularly for gear reviews.
Start, track, and optimize — that will be the key to successful long-term relationships with influencers who best suit your brand.
In part two of this series, we’ll focus on brands that have nailed influencer marketing, offering an inside look into what works and why.
In the meantime, discover more about outdoor industry marketing so that you can reach more experience-driven consumers.
