In this eye-opening conversation, Matt Edmundson and William Gasner challenge conventional wisdom about influencer marketing. William reveals why the democratisation of social media has shifted power away from mega-influencers to smaller content creators who often deliver better engagement and conversion rates.

The episode explores how the social media landscape has fundamentally changed—from platforms prioritising follower count to now favouring quality content regardless of audience size. William shares practical advice on implementing micro-influencer strategies, avoiding common pitfalls, and building long-term influencer relationships that drive authentic engagement.

I wonder if your influencer marketing approach is still stuck in the old paradigm? This episode might completely change how you allocate your marketing budget and who you choose to partner with.

Time-Stamped Chapters:

00:04 Introduction to the micro influencer revolution

04:19 Why content quality beats follower count

09:36 Spreading budget across multiple creators

13:49 Passion promoters vs traditional influencers

18:24 Finding influencers in your customer base

22:54 Building long-term influencer relationships

28:19 Product seeding strategies that actually work

33:44 When influencer marketing isn't right for your product

38:14 The surprising SEO benefits of influencer marketing

Guest Expertise:

William Gasner is an eCommerce veteran (since 2008) and founder of Stack Influence, a platform that helps brands connect with and scale micro-influencers. His experience includes selling various products from handmade cutting boards to teeth whitening solutions across multiple marketplaces, giving him unique insight into effective influencer strategies from both sides of the relationship.

Key Takeaways:

- Social media platforms now prioritise content quality over follower count, making micro-influencers often more valuable than celebrities

- Diversifying your influencer budget across many smaller creators yields better results than investing everything in one big name

- Your existing customers can be your best influencers—they already have the product and genuine experience with your brand

- New product launches are ideal times for influencer marketing as you gain valuable feedback, visibility, and content simultaneously

- For marketplace sellers (Amazon, Walmart), influencer-driven external traffic can dramatically improve product ranking algorithms

Want to know more about implementing these strategies for your business? Visit our website for additional resources, guides, and opportunities to connect with our eCommerce community.

Resources

Guest & Company

• William's email - [email protected]
• Stack Influence - https://stackinfluence.com/

eCommerce Podcast Ecosystem

• eCommerce Cohort signup (free monthly calls for eCommerce entrepreneurs) - https://www.ecommerce-podcast.com/cohort
• Matt's LinkedIn Profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattedmundson/
• The eCommerce Podcast Newsletter for show notes and extra insights - https://www.ecommerce-podcast.com/subscribe