Influencer marketing 101: what it is, how it works

Influencer marketing is a highly effective way to speak directly to your target market, but what is it and how can you ensure a successful campaign?

Imagine the strength of a celebrity endorsement multiplied by the power of word-of-mouth and you're on your way to understanding why there's been a recent increase in influencer marketing campaigns.

What is an influencer?

An influencer is a person with a following, such as a blogger or critic, entrepreneur or academic, an expert in a specific industry or niche or someone well-known for their hot takes on a subject. They do not need to be celebrities with millions of fans. In fact, for the purposes of your campaign, it might be better if they aren't.

Celebrities will have a following of 100K+ whereas a micro-influencer's audience is around 1-2K followers. A micro-influencer is someone with a small but engaged following, using their personal posts to reach people. The difference is that personalisation leads to better engagement: according to social media consultant Sidney Pierucci, micro-influencers average a 60% higher level of engagement compared to traditional celebrities. They reach their followers in a more authentic way, making their recommendations more trustworthy.

Why use influencers?

The returns alone demonstrate the effectiveness of influencer marketing: for every dollar a business invests in an influencer campaign, it generates $6.50. Studies also indicate that 71% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase based on a social media reference. Combined with the 'word-of-mouth' aura of trust that influencers command, it's no wonder influencer marketing has become the tactic of choice for a growing number of businesses.

Note also that it’s a misconception only beauty and food brands can use influencers. They may be the most visible industries but remember that half of the world's population are internet users and therefore a potential consumer of your product or service. For every business there is an influencer whose following you can leverage.

As the fastest growing sector in advertising, your brand’s influencer marketing campaign needs to be aligned with your values and messaging. Here's how.

Step 1: Define your goal

Before you embark on an influencer campaign make sure you identify your brand’s marketing goals. By having specific goals you will be able to develop your marketing strategy and identify how to use an influencer to achieve your key objectives.

Clearly defined goals may include outcomes such as:

·      To introduce your business to your target market, a branding exercise

·      To drive sales by using the influencer to issue a call to action

·      To engage followers by creating engaging content

Influencers can engage with their followers at various levels, so it’s important to be clear about what you want from them. Outline if you want the influencer to create content, amplify content, serve as a brand ambassador or feature in your campaign. You need to define what outcomes you're after and what success looks like for this campaign, for both the influencer and your brand.

Step 2: Select a suitable influencer

Choosing the right influencer can be difficult as you need to make sure they align with your brand. Start with a few tangible traits you want the influencer to have, for example, you can specify how many followers, what location, and what age you're after. Also define the traits of your target market that you are looking for in their followers and include that in the selection process.

Theright.fit specialises in matching the influencers to brands. By having a two-sided marketplace for influencers and creative talent we have made it easier, more efficient and more cost effective for businesses to find and book a suitable influencer.

Step 3: Write a clear brief

For a successful campaign, make sure your chosen influencer and your brand are on the same page. Being clear on the strategy can optimise results as you then work together on executing it.

The brief needs to outline:

·      Your brand's strategy

·      The target audience

·      Your brand's values and ethos

·      Any copy relevant to the campaign

·      A mood board for the influencer to understand what branding image is to be achieved

Step 4: Optimise your campaign

Make sure all your social media is ready for the influencer effect. This means keeping all your accounts up to date and ready for people to search through. It's helpful if posts leading up to the campaign are aligned with the message you'll be sharing. If, for example, the campaign involves the influencer doing a product walkthrough, in the lead-up consider publishing posts that contain images, links and other collateral on the product so it is easy to find when people search for it.

Publish the influencer's post/s to your social media platforms. Not only does it strengthen the link between your brand and the influencer, this can have a snowball effect from the cross-pollination between your followers and theirs. This may also lend itself to a partnership beyond a short-term campaign.

Unlike traditional advertising, influencer marketing is a strategy that businesses of all sizes can use to great effect, no matter what their budget. Influencers have the power to engage personally with their followers and become trusted sources for recommendations. Leveraging that trust is how brands create authentic content with real people using their services and products. There's an influencer who can make that connection for every business – find yours.

ENDS

Theright.fit is a a two-sided marketplace for creative talent, making it easy, efficient and cost effective for brands to directly book talent for advertising campaigns, influencer marketing executions and events. For more information visit our website https://theright.fit/