Want to acquire new customers without breaking your budget? Consider influencer marketing. Here's a look at what it is and why it's so effective, as well as traits of good influencers and ways to approach them.

"An influencer is someone who has an active following and can move their followers to take action," states the following Sprout Social infographic. "Influencer marketing involves connecting with these thought leaders to build a mutually beneficial relationship."

Influencers can be social media experts, bloggers, YouTube users, and celebrities.

The benefits of influencer marketing include an access to larger audiences, user-generated content, and more credibility.