If influencer marketing is not part of your marketing campaign, you'll want to check out this guide to how influencer marketing works to get you noticed.
Let me ask you a question. When was the last time you scrolled right past an ad on Instagram? If you're like the average American, you probably scrolled by it so fast you didn't even have time to register what was being advertised.
Traditional advertising is becoming less and less effective. When people are exposed to over 5,000 ads/day, it's hard to make an effective ad campaign that will get noticed.
Enter: the rise of the influencer. We all have our favorite influencers on Instagram that we love to follow. Now, let's use those influencers to sell our products.
If influencer marketing is not part of your marketing campaign, you'll want to check out this guide to how influencer marketing works to get you noticed.
What Is Influencer Marketing
Basically, an influencer is someone on social media who has a lot of followers. Some influencers can have over 1 million followers, while some have as few as 5,000.
The number isn't as important as how loyal and engaged their followers are. If you can find an influencer who has a loyal following, your influencer marketing campaign will be a success.
Basically, you find an influencer to post about your product. Together, you come up with an ad campaign that will promote brand awareness, increase sales, and reach more consumers.
As a business, you are using the trust the influencer has already gained among their followers to market your product or brand.
Why Influencer Marketing Works
Influencer marketing works because it allows for brands to be exposed to potential customers in a more organic way.
Over the years, consumers have become immune to traditional ads. They are becoming more and more ineffective.
When was the last time you noticed a banner ad in the header or taken the time to read all the ads un the sidebar? If we're being completely honest with ourselves, we hardly notice them anymore.
When consumers hop on Facebook or Instagram, they aren't there looking for advertisements. They are there to see what their friends are doing, and what their favorite bloggers are wearing.
Plus, influencer marketing is native. Meaning the ad fits in seamlessly to the user's experience. Because you are using a familiar face to promote your product, the consumer is getting a recommendation from an individual they trust.
Select an Influencer
The first thing to do when setting up an influencer marketing campaign is to select an influencer to work with.
First, you need to know who your target audience is. What are the demographics of your ideal customer?
Then find an influencer who has a similar audience. Do the influencer followers align with your target audience? Will your product connect with their followers?
What is your influencer's motivations for their blog and Instagram account? Does it align with your goals? Are they considered experts in your field? Are the opinions valued among consumers?
Choose an influencer who has good engagement. Do they answer questions or respond to comments? Are they active on their account? Do they have an active and popular blog where they would be willing to write a longer article about your product?
Don't choose an influencer solely on followers. There are plenty of Instagram accounts that have millions of followers but aren't engaged with their audience.
Also, make sure any views or opinions openly expressed on their social media accounts won't cause damage to your business reputation.
Build a Relationship
Influencers receive hundreds of emails a day. If you want to get noticed, make sure you send them something catchy and personal to make yourself stand out. Have a strong introduction of who you are, what your business is, and how your product can help their followers.
Next, meet with them in person. Just like any relationship, it works best when you get to know each other on a personal level. Go to lunch, invite them to your office, or have them meet your team. This helps them see your working community, and they can get a feel of how they would fit in.
After you have engaged with a potential influencer, invite them to collaborate with you. Make sure they know this is a partnership. For example, let them have some of the control over the campaign.
Letting the influencer have control over the content is a win-win for both parties. You will get a new, fresh take on your product, while the influencer has some new content for their blog. And you'll both have access to a wider audience.
Make a Proposal
Making a proposal has to be clear and enticing. Influencers typically get a lot of offers. Make sure your proposal is hard to say no to.
Influencers have spent years and years carefully building their own brand and reputation. They have slowly earned the trust of their followers, so they are going to be very careful about doing business with others. One wrong move or too many useless ads could erase years of work for them.
Remember that influencers are running a business just like you are, and they should be approached as such. They need to be adequately compensated for their time. They will not give away free advertising unless they are a new account trying to gain followers.
Expect to pay for your influencer marketing campaign. Planning to pay for the ad will give you an edge above your competitors. Less than half of brands offer cash when wanting to work with influencers.
Make your offer different. Get creative with a compensation package. Maybe offer them a percentage of any sales that they drive in.
Create Good Content
Influencers like to be exclusive. Being at the front end of a trend or sharing an experience that money can't buy is great for their own reputation.
Give them something they will actually be excited about to share.
Here are some other ways to share good content:
1. Brand Ambassador Program
The most popular type of influence marketing comes in the form of brand ambassador programs.
This is when you invite an influencer to be an official brand ambassador. They promote your product on all different platforms.
Blog post, videos, and reviews are all part of this agreement. They can even promote your product during public appearances.
When an influencer is willing to make recommendations, it can bring greater brand awareness, reach a wider audience, and drive sales.
When an influencer becomes an ambassador, the agreement is usually longer than just one ad campaign. It is a relationship that lasts over an extended amount of time. The potential of a brand ambassador program is significantly higher than just a one-time Instagram post.
2. Social Media Exchange
Often, you will see an influencer take over someone else's social media account. During a social media exchange, an influencer will take over all the social media accounts for the brand. This can last for a day or even a week.
This allows the brand to put a popular face to their products. It provides more personality and offers a much more personal take on your brand.
Typically, a social media influencer will tell their own followers that they will be creating guest posts on a different account. This is a great way to get your own new followers as they come to your page to see what the fuss is all about.
Just be sure you completely trust the influencer. They will become the spokesperson for your brand. You need to be sure they won't do anything that could harm your own reputation.
3. Sponsored Content Post
If you're not sure you want to jump into a long-term relationship, you can choose to do a few sponsored posts.
This is pretty simple and straightforward and consists of a few steps.
Reach an agreement with the influencer about posting content on their social media. Develop a message that fits both their voice and your brand, and agree to any sort of compensation.
The content can be in the form of eye-catching photos, powerful testimonials, or moving videos. Just make sure to keep your goal in mind: reaching and engaging with the influencer's audience and showcasing your product.
Enjoy the Benefits
After you have set up your influencer marketing campaign, it's time to sit back and reap the benefits.
Brands that have had successful influencer campaigns have reported great brand recognition, an increase of follows, and higher sales.
But if you don't believe, here are some interesting stats to consider:
- Influencer Marketing Campaigns Earn $6.50 for Every Dollar Spent
- Influencer Marketing Is the Fastest-Growing Online Customer-Acquisition Method
- 60% of Consumers Have Been Influenced by Social Media or Blog While Shopping at a Store
- Purchase Intent Increased by 5.2x by Influencers on Twitter
- 71% of Marketers Believe Influencer Partnerships are Good for Business
Create Your Campaign Today
Trust us, influencer marketing works. The proof is in the pudding. If you are feeling overwhelmed, or are not sure where to start. Let us help you. We can walk you through the process and offer any assistance that is needed.
After all, social media isn't going anywhere soon. So why not use it in your favor?