If you’re even remotely involved in the marketing and advertising world you’ve heard of influencers. Whether you’re familiar with the approach, have worked with some or if you are one, there’s a lot to be said about the success they can bring to a brand. While the concept of influencer based campaigns may seem simple, we’re here to remind you that they are anything but. Here are 5 guidelines we’ve found helpful for running influencer campaigns.
High Number of Followers Does Not Equal Greater Success
When researching potential influencers to be involved in your campaign, it’s important that you dig deeper than just looking at the number of followers. While some may feel that the follower count is key, we have noticed that there are different degrees of involvement and engagement amongst said followers. Depending on your goals for your campaign, it may be better for your brand to go with an influencer possessing a lower number of followers but one who has active and engaged followers. This could be the difference between a user stopping and reading the caption and a user asking the influencer questions about the brand that then leads to a conversion.
Not all Influencers Will Be Interested
Just because they have an online presence does not mean they are interested in partnering with a brand. This fact can often be overlooked by brands; I mean who wouldn’t want the chance to get free products or make money just by posting on Instagram. There are users out there that post for the fun of it, or to build a community in which they can be a part of, it’s important to do enough research to get a sense of who the account holder is before pitching to them.
Some Products Aren’t Great for Influencer Campaigns
Know. Your. Product. It may seem obvious, but when new campaign styles like this become popular, marketers are rushing to throw their hats into the ring. It’s important to not be part of that group. There are some products that will just fall flat in an influencer campaign. Our recommendation would be if you wouldn’t want to talk to your coworker about needing, owning, wanting, etc. a certain product, the chances of finding someone to share it with thousands-millions of people will be slim. Know your brand and your product.
Over Communicate Your Expectations
Don’t let the excitement of finding an influencer that matches your product get in the way of the business side. An influencer campaign, while seeming more like a friendly exchange, is still business. Have a contract, communicate your expectations, goals, projected ROI, etc. To get the most out of an influencer campaign, both the marketing team and the influencer need to have an idea of what to expect from each other and the ability to hold them accountable if either side should slack on responsibilities.
Do Your Research
Did you notice we kept mentioning research throughout the other 4 tips? Good, because it is so important to a successful influencer campaign. Before you even reach out to an influencer you need to establish some standards. How many followers are you aiming for? How much interaction do you want to see in the comments? Are they representing other brands? Are they representing similar products or related products? Have they partnered with brands before? Do they seem like the type to even want to partner? All of these questions and more will help you narrow the possibilities down to influencers that will truly be a champion for your brand.
So there you have it, 5 of our most important things to remember when we embark on an influencer campaign! Check out our other blog posts to learn more about influencer campaigns!
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