Influencer marketing is not something new – big brands are implementing it into their marketing strategies and enjoying benefits. This helps to successfully expand the reach and boost brand visibility. It’s not something you would want to miss out on, especially if you work with a big name.
On the flip side, influencer marketing can be tricky if you don’t have any previous experience. Even though it’s still just a marketing tool that helps a business grow, it’s rather different from other traditional ways of getting the word out.
Let’s look at what it takes to launch a successful influencer marketing campaign. You might be already familiar with some of the tips, but it’s never a bad idea to refresh your knowledge.
Finding Influencers That Have Influence
Just because someone has an impressive number of followers on social media doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the right fit for your business.
There is a huge difference between just being famous and having a real influence.
It would be perfect if the person you will work with is already using, or would probably use your product. This way, it would look natural, and their audience would be more likely to engage.
Engagement numbers are much more important than followers. Don’t forget that some of the audience might be completely passive. So you want to find an influencer that has a very active fanbase. Plus, your product should apply to most of them.
Only this way the influencer can have a real influence.
Pick the Right Platform
Another thing of great importance in picking the right social media platform for your influencer marketing campaign.
Basically, there are 3 big players to choose from – Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. Depending on what you are looking for, these platforms can offer different traits.
Video content (such as YouTube videos or Instagram stories) creates a strong bond between the influencer and his audience, therefore those two platforms are the most popular in terms of paid partnerships. Even though Facebook is clearly falling behind and losing popularity, it’s still worth considering it, especially if your budget is smaller.
You can get some good ROI results on Facebook in some particular situations.
Plan the Budget
We have emphasized that influencer marketing is a great way to boost visibility for big brands, but it’s completely suitable for small businesses as well. There are tons of micro-influencers that will be more than happy to work with you. You should aim for the best price/quality ratio.
Setting goals for the campaign before you launch it is crucial. Planning the budget for influencer marketing is probably the trickiest part because there are a lot of moving pieces.
Is a flat fee the right choice? Maybe you should include some kind of affiliate program just to make your partner more involved? Those things should be discussed privately and every single case requires a unique solution.
Freedom to Create
If you have managed to pick the right influencer to partner with, you shouldn’t be too harsh about the content. He is the one that knows his audience the best, so let him do the job.
Trying to implement your set of rules might make things worse – the whole campaign can lose the personal touch and turn into a series of dull advertisements.
There is no doubt that you should discuss the main details and approve posts before they see the daylight, but creative freedom is remarkably important.
Offer Value
Driving brand awareness is not just reaching a large audience. You have to send a message and it better be a good one. Giveaways or promotions might be a great way to do that.
Try to discuss it with the influencer you are partnering with. What would make his audience happy? Again, a personal approach is more than welcome.
The key is to make people want to get to know your brand.
Influencer marketing works only if you put enough time and effort to prepare a decent strategy, and then track the results, and make corrections.
However, not giving it a chance is a big mistake. If it’s your first time, we highly suggest researching successful influencer marketing campaigns and taking advice from them.
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