This article originally appeared on PCMA

Influencer marketing is everywhere. In 2016, eMarketer estimated that influencer marketing on Instagram alone totaled more than $570 million, and that spending seems likely to rise based on online interest: In 2017, there was a 325-percent increase for the search term “influencer marketing” on Google. Event organizers are beginning to recognize the role that influencers can play in increasing registration and expanding the reach of their programs. The term “influencer,” though, can be confusing. Who has influence? Only celebrities and big-name keynote speakers? No, according to Rachel Stephan, DES, senior event marketing strategist at sensov/event marketing. Stephan recently launched snöball, a platform that creates unique branded landing pages for every individual in an event’s community: sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, and attendees.

“If I influence one person to go or to learn more about an event, I’m an influencer,” Stephan told PCMA. “Imagine you have 4,000 attendees, and everyone influences one new person to go. It’s as simple as that.”