Influencer marketing is becoming one of the most popular and effective methods for brands to reach a large audience and increase awareness. Every day, thousands of photos are being shared on social media by so-called āinfluencersā promoting brands that they use and love. In fact, since 2015, weāve seen a phenomenal growth in sponsored influencer posts, and they are even expected to double over the next year.
Companies are starting to add more marketing dollars than ever before to creating campaigns with influencers because they know that when leveraging those who have a real and engaged network can lead to great results. Based on a recent study, businesses are receiving $7.65 on average for each $1 they spend on influencer marketing. The top 15% are actually receiving more than $20 for every influencer dollar spent. This is AMAZING, right? If you want to jump on that influencer marketing bus, here are a few tips you must follow:
Do Your Research
Finding the right people for the job is probably one of the hardest things when it comes to influencer marketing. You have to always keep in mind that when an influencer shares your product or service, they are an extension of your brand, so make sure that you check their profiles, their audiences, and that their values align with yours.
Communicate Expectations
Now that you have found the right people, and that the influencer has agreed to work with you and your budget, communicate your expectations. Donāt be scared to share the type of content you are looking for, and the results you want to achieve with your campaign. After all, you are investing in them, so make sure they know exactly what you need to get your moneyās worth in return with the partnership.
Donāt ignore micro influencers
Your ideal influencers donāt have to have a huge fan base and reach, especially if your budget is small.
If your main goal is to have influencers create relevant content to use on your Instagram account, using a micro influencer that takes spectacular photos may work better for you.
Give them creative freedom and let them shine
Now that you are ready to get this collab started, let the influencers do their thing. They resonate with their audience for a reason, so as long as the concepts for the posts are aligned with your brandās strategy and values, give them freedom and let them shine. You want to make sure the content that they create is true to who they are so the collaboration looks as organic and seamless as possible.
Here are some example of great influencer collaborations.
Target: Speed up your shopping Target Style.
BMW: Road to Coachella
View this post on InstagramLet the weekend beginn #coachella š @bmwi #roadtocoachella #vagabond š· @lenweth #anzeige
Social Media Compliance is a thing. Donāt ignore it
The FTC requires that all sponsored posts include a disclosure. Make sure your influencers include it in all posts shared when promoting your brand.
Track Track Track
Thereās only one way to know if your Influencer marketing campaign is working, and thatās by tracking the results based on your goals.
Check for an increase in traffic, sales, brand awareness, engagement, etc, to make sure that your influencers are producing results. By tracking this frequently, you will be able to make adjustments to your campaigns. Remember, influencer marketing can be an amazing way to help your brand, but you have to do it right from the get go.
