ARE YOU USING INFLUENCER MARKETING? HERE ARE SOME TIPS - BY LORI COOPER

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INFLUENCER MARKETING TIP SHEET


By: Lori Cooper/November 24, 2020


Despite influencer marketing being affected by the novel coronavirus in the same way most industries have, there are continued reasons to be optimistic about a thriving future for influencer marketing. According to PRWeek, “to suggest the crisis spells an end to influencers and influencer marketing does not match the reality.” In fact, the adversity and ever-changing landscape that we find ourselves in is forcing influencer marketing to evolve and in many scenarios, presenting new opportunities to showcase adaptive and effective strategies in the influencer marketing world. 

Are we on the verge of the golden age of influencer marketing? Many signs and experts are pointing to this being the case. We’ve compiled some tips, facts, and stats that you can use to build momentum as you ride the growing wave of influencer marketing— or even if you’re just getting involved (don’t worry, it’s not too late to hop on). 

Know Your Influencer Type as the influencer marketing industry continues to grow. More and more subcategories of influencers are being defined. While celebrity influencers with millions of followers continue to be used in marketing campaigns, brands are turning to micro and even nanoinfluencers to reach more targeted, niche audiences. Figure out what type of influencer is right for your brand or a particular campaign. 

A macro influencer (100k-500k followers) may have a larger following and higher quality content, but their engagement rate is likely lower than a micro-influencer (5k-100k followers). Nanoinfluencers (sub 5k following) obviously have a much smaller following than the aforementioned groups, but can be used very effectively for targeting specific audiences. Set goals for what you want out of your influencer marketing campaigns and initiatives. Are you trying to create more brand awareness? Are you looking to drive sales? The more clearly you can define your goals, the more you can hone in on the influencer type and strategy that is right for your organization. 

Use influencer marketing tools, apps, and agencies With the growth of the influencer marketing industry comes a slew of support from new companies, apps, and agencies that aim to help simplify the process of finding the right influencers for your brand, creating effective campaigns around them, and measuring results. Plan your influencer marketing campaigns the same way you would any marketing campaign. You have a content calendar. You plan out and publish your social media posts with a digital tool. Your event marketing is scheduled months in advance. Take this same approach with influencer marketing. Plan different influencer campaigns at appropriate times (holidays, product launches, significant dates). 

Pitching influencers has become an important facet of influencer marketing. How you connect with the influencers you want to work with and pitch them on a partnership is going to set the stage for the whole relationship. More and more marketing organizations are turning to databases and pitching tools similar to those seen in media to pitch influencers. 

The above-referenced information was compiled by The 2020 Influencer Marketing Tip Sheet, 866.639.5087 | 130 E Randolph St.|7th Floor |Chicago, IL 60601| USA | Copyright © 2020 Cision Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Instagram is a vital component of influencer marketing. According to Influencer MarketingHub, “more than 90% of all influencer campaigns include Instagram as part of the marketing mix.” Make sure that your influencer marketing incorporates Instagram and social media as vital channels for your campaigns, if that’s where your target audience lives. Decide how you are going to measure ROI from an influencer marketing campaign. Get specific with what you are trying to accomplish from an influencer campaign. For most marketing organizations, driving sales is the top goal of current influencer campaigns. Hitting other important goals, such as creating brand awareness and developing customer loyalty, can be the result of a successful influencer campaign as well (even though these metrics can be difficult to measure). 

Content demand is increasing and bringing influencer demand along with it. The demand for content continues to rise as more of our world plugs into the digital space. This surge in demand for content and entertainment sees influencers in a good situation. With so many channels and creative approaches to connecting with audiences, brands are taking notice and formulating influencer strategies of their own. Track the metrics of your Influencer campaigns. Whether your goal is as straightforward as direct sales or something broader, have a system in place for tracking the metrics of any given influencer marketing campaign. Use a software tool to look at the impressions, engagement, and clicks that your influencers are generating through their efforts. Vet your influencers ahead of time. Make sure that the influencers you choose to represent your brand align with your brand’s mission and values. A good influencer platform can erase the headache of trying to find and vet influencers organically. 

Make sure the terms of the partnership with the influencer are straightforward and contractually sound. The general public is relying on more and more influencers to make purchasing decisions. More and more, the general public is looking to influencers when it comes to making their purchasing decisions. But, they are looking to friends, family, and the people that they follow online to inform their buying decisions. A photography influencer with a loyal audience is going to have a big impact on driving sales when a major camera company taps them to do a review for a new release. Fostering long-term relationships with influencers is an effective strategy. 

While enlisting the services of an influencer for one campaign can yield good results, more and more credibility is being lent to finding influencers who are a fan of your brand and working with them in an “always-on” capacity. Think of these influencers as ambassadors of your brand who showcase your products year-round. Be aware of the influencer marketing guidelines from the FTC. According to Influencer MarketingHub, “only 14% of influencers were compliant with FTC guidelines.” As the industry continues to skyrocket, expect the FTC to crack down more on those influencers and brands that ignore the requirements set forth.



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