The power of social media gave birth to a new form of marketing. We call it influencer marketing. Every brand has recognised its potential and uses it to promote products/services across channels.
The simplest argument behind the soaring popularity of influencer marketing is the personal connection between creators and their followers. People believe in the viability of a product when they see a known face using it.
However, influencer marketing comes with a lot of variables. Brands don’t have complete authority over when or what content will be posted about them (unless they use a tech platform that hands them this power). So, marketers feel it is riskier than traditional marketing mediums.
It’s not.
How to ensure the success of influencer marketing?
As we said, influencer marketing only seems tricky. However, with the right processes in place, like campaign content approval, you bring method to the madness. With that assurance, we give you tips that guarantee the success of your influencer marketing campaign.
Prioritize context over followers
Most brands error when they prioritise follower count over content and reach when looking for creators for influencer marketing. Follower numbers can be misleading. Instead, look at the type of content posted by creators in the past. Evaluate if it fits well with your products/services.
Also, have a distinct vision of what type of audience you want to target. Check whether the users engaging with the creator’s content are the same as your target audience. Ask them to send a screenshot of their insight page. Better yet, use a self-serve platform that has direct access to the creator’s insight page so that you can get the real picture in real-time.
Provide detailed information to creators
Before hiring creators, set goals and targets that you wish to achieve with the influencer marketing campaign. It could be promoting a new line, spreading awareness, increasing engagement on the brand’s social page, generating curiosity, etc. Then lay out a plan that must include the campaign message along with a hashtag.
Now approach content creators with definite expectations and complete information about the campaign. Include how much incentive you will provide. Along with this, share the vision and mission of the brand and the theme of the campaign. It helps creators produce more effective organic content for you.
Give creative freedom to influencers
Influencer marketing works best when creators come up with something original based on the guidelines provided by you. So, don’t kill the creativity in paid campaigns. Keep in mind, creators know their followers best. Feed them the necessary information, but also leave room for creativity. It’ll generate more engagement.
Think of it this way. When you give creators a boilerplate, all of them end up posting more or less the same content. It makes for a monotonous campaign that fails to pique much interest. But most importantly, it lacks authenticity.
Encourage creators to share their genuine experiences with your brand. A good practice here is to use brand advocates who genuinely love or already use your brand.
Be transparent about paid, sponsored or partnership content
The audience of today is too savvy by half. They can sniff out sponsored or paid content in a second. So, always, always ask creators to disclose paid collaborations. Misleading users on influencer campaigns is not a smart strategy and frequently backfires.
If you’re unsure of the ASCI rules to follow, hop over here.
Another option is to turn on the “Branded Content” option in your Instagram settings and ask influencers to send you the “Paid Collaboration” invite. It ensures your association with the creator is visible at the top of the post.
Include influencers from various niches in the marketing campaign
Brands usually target creators from a particular niche for promoting their product or service. For example, a makeup brand works with a beauty influencer or an athletic clothing brand collaborates with fitness influencers. It is good practice as there is synergy between the brand, creator, and followers.
However, you should also extend the campaign to creators of other niches that are closely related to your offerings. For instance, an athletic clothing brand can approach travel content creators. Similarly, beauty brands can reach out to lifestyle and fashion influencers as well. The diverse approach:
- Expands the consumer pool.
- Shows the versatility of the product/service offered by you.
- Gives you an understanding of which community resonates best with your brand.
Influencer marketing is the future of your brand’s success
This decade is going to change the marketing landscape, with influencer campaigns leading the way. For the simple reason that social media is where customers are. So that’s where you need to be. Every day.
And if you’re still in two minds about it, get in touch. We’ll show you how easy it is to manage an outcome-based influencer campaign. Successfully.
