How many times have you scrolled through your Instagram feed to see your favorite bloggers and creators raving about a new supplement, sunscreen, or summer vacation destination? Have you ever been curious if the endorsement was completely their own, or if it was a paid partnership? Influencer marketing has grown into a highly effective branding tool. Influencers are thought leaders with well-established and highly engaged social media followers.
Influencers do not need to be celebrities. They may be bloggers, or some may only have a presence on social media. What makes them unique is their subject matter authority and their well-defined audiences. For brands, tapping into that audience can be transformative.
What is Influencer Marketing
You’ve likely seen it in action. Influencer marketing involves a paid partnership with an established social media thought leader. The influencer and a brand will come to an agreement on products or services that will be promoted through the influencer’s social media channels. Brands may negotiate the number of social media posts, content types (video, photography, giveaways, etc), and publish dates. While it is important for brands to provide messaging and framework for the campaign, it is vital that the influencer maintains their authenticity by using their own words and experiences. Remember, this audience is primarily interested in the opinion of the influencer. Their authenticity is a powerful motivator in how their followers engage with your brand and purchase your products.
Influencers often require a sponsorship fee for producing and publishing content as well as free products for their own use. Some influencers may ask for affiliate kickbacks on sales generated from their audience. Influencer marketing is commonly used on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Content and costs will vary depending on the social media channel and the influencer’s following.
Tips to Create a Successful Influencer Marketing Campaign:
Establish Marketing Goals
The most common goal of an influencer marketing campaign is to increase brand awareness. Because that can be difficult to measure, we recommend establishing concrete outcomes to work towards such as sales targets, website traffic goals, and social media follower growth to help determine ROI. Additionally, ecommerce brands may use a unique coupon code to track revenue.
Identify Target Influencers
The most common goal of an influencer marketing campaign is to increase brand awareness. Because that can be difficult to measure, we recommend establishing concrete outcomes to work towards such as sales targets, website traffic goals, and social media follower growth to help determine ROI. Additionally, ecommerce brands may use a unique coupon code to track revenue.
Excite and Delight
Influencers are often documenting most aspects of their life including those “behind the scenes” moments. Use each communication touchpoint to establish your brand identity. Incorporating a marketing kit is a high impact way to generate immediate excitement when shipping products or information to your influencer partners. Customize your marketing kit to include thoughtful additions such as a video message with how-to tips and product features. If you are promoting a product, create a bespoke kit that includes all the items necessary to create a successful experience. For example, if you are pitching a dog food brand consider adding a custom branded food dish, collar, or leash. If you are promoting a beverage brand include branded drinkware and a custom recipe or video mixology guide.
Amplify Results
Regularly monitor the social media presence of the influencer you are partnering with (and be sure you are following them!). Once your campaign content has gone live, share the posts on your brand’s social media channels. You can further amplify results by promoting this coverage through other communications channels such as email, a blog post, or by adding an “as seen in” feature to your website. Be sure to communicate these ideas with your influencer partner as some may require specific attributes or additional fees.
Pulling Together Your Influencer Marketing Campaign
Influencer marketing can be a valuable tactic to support your next product launch or marketing campaign. If done correctly, your brand will be front and center with a clearly defined audience, and on the receiving end of a highly influential endorsement. Don’t take for granted that any influencer marketing campaign will equal results. Plan ahead and develop strategies to help shape your brand perception. Integrating a marketing kit can set the tone for a positive experience. To learn more about creating a custom marketing kit and integrating quality-branded promotional products to support your brand, contact our team to start a conversation!