As a brand, you’re likely always looking for new and innovative ways to reach and expand your target audience. One growing trend that you should consider is influencer marketing. Influencers are people with a large following on social media who can influence their followers’ opinions and purchasing decisions. By partnering with an influencer, brands can tap into their audience and reach more consumers than the brand ever could on its own. But before you start reaching out to potential influencers, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Check out our tips below!
Influencer marketing is a type of marketing that focuses on using key leaders to drive your brand’s message to the larger market. Rather than marketing directly to a large group of consumers, influencer marketing works by identifying individuals with influence over potential customers and orienting marketing activities around these individuals. The goal is to tap into the influencer’s social network to reach a more significant number of people.
Regarding influencer engagement rates, it’s all about creating a connection with your audience. This means being authentic and relatable and sharing content your followers can relate to. It’s also important to be responsive to comments and questions and to create a sense of community by regularly interacting with your followers. By building relationships with your audience, you’ll be more likely to earn their trust and loyalty – which is essential for any successful influencer campaign.
When a brand works with an influencer, they are essentially paying for that person’s ability to engage its audience. And because influencers have built up a relationship of trust with their followers, that engagement is often much higher than what the brand could achieve on its own.
There are a few key reasons why influencers are so effective at increasing engagement rates:
- They have a large and engaged audience interested in what they say.
- They know how to create interesting, engaging content that resonates with their followers.
- They are often seen as more trustworthy and authentic than traditional advertising or marketing channels.
According to Digital Examiner, 90% of consumers trust peer recommendations.
Source: Digital Examiner, Neil Patel
Although you place your brand in the hands of influencers, who create authentic strategized content to post and publish for their audience, you can drive great brand awareness to your business in real-time. With platforms like TikTok and Instagram, the audience reach, and revenue can amplify as you continue working with influencers relatable to your brand’s “niche.” By working with influencers through influencer marketing, you can get your brand in front of thousands of new eyes and bring your business to the next level.
When executed effectively, influencer marketing can be a powerful tool for driving awareness and sales.
Why Influencer Marketing Works—Consumers Don’t View It as Advertising
One of the key reasons why consumers do not view influencer marketing as advertising is that it does not feel like traditional advertising. Instead, most people feel influencer marketing is more organic and personal than television commercials or banner ads. This is because influencers are often regular people who share their everyday lives with their followers. As a result, their recommendations carry more weight than those of celebrities or paid spokespeople.
Furthermore, influencer marketing is often less intrusive than other forms of advertising. Rather than interrupting someone’s favorite TV show, it appears as content people can engage with or ignore. For all these reasons, influencer marketing has the potential to be more effective than traditional advertising while also being less offensive to consumers.
Also, With the vast popularity of social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and TikTok, consumers can choose the specific content they want to engage with and see. Today, consumers are exposed to so many advertisements it can become difficult for brands to gain consumers’ attention.
Just as it was 100 years ago, word-of-mouth recommendations are still the most trusted. People tend to trust the opinions of their friends and family more than they trust in advertising. W Word-of-mouth recommendations are more personal than advertising, so people feel they’re getting tailored advice instead of a generic pitch. And word-of-mouth recommendations tend to be more persuasive because they come from a source that is perceived as being unbiased.
Set Your Influencer Marketing Campaign Goals
Your influencer marketing campaign begins with creating an influencer marketing plan. The plan must include your influencer marketing campaign goals. With clear goals, it can be easier to measure the success of your campaign and determine whether or not it is worth pursuing. There are a few different types of goals that you might consider setting for your influencer marketing campaign. One option is to focus on brand awareness.
If your goal is to increase brand awareness, then you will want to choose influencers who have a large following and who are active on social media. You will also want to ensure that your content is high quality and speaks to your target audience. Awareness can be achieved by simply having influencers share information about the product or service with their followers or by sponsoring giveaways or contests.
Another goal is to build brand loyalty among existing and potential customers. This can be done by featuring influencers who are passionate about the brand and by providing exclusive content or deals to followers.
Or brands can also use influencer marketing to drive traffic to their website or physical location. This can be accomplished by including links in posts or using hashtags to promote special offers.
A brand may need to increase its online content. User-generated content (UGC) is a great way to connect with potential customers and promote your products or services in a cost-effective way. UGC also can help with search engine optimization (SEO).
Another option is to focus on sales. If your goal is to generate sales, then you will want to choose influencers who strongly influence their followers and are likely to purchase your product or service. You will also want to create compelling content with a clear call to action.
Whatever goal you choose, make sure that it is specific and measurable so that you can track the success of your influencer marketing campaign.
Influencer Marketing Tips and Tricks to Selecting Your Influencer Marketing Goals
Glewee recommends SMART goals. SMART is an acronym for a specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goal. In other words, it is a clear and actionable goal with a defined timeframe for completion. Brands use the concept of SMART goals to set and achieve objectives.
While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to setting SMART goals, specific guidelines can be followed to ensure that your goals are effective.
- Make sure that your goal is specific and clearly defined.
- Ensure that your goal is measurable so that you can track your progress.
- Make sure that your goal is achievable and realistic.
- Ensure that your goal is relevant to your overall objectives.
- Finally, make sure that your goal has a specific timeframe for completion.
Following these simple guidelines ensures that your goals are SMART and, therefore, more likely to be achieved.
Reaching Your Brand’s Niche Audience through Content Creators
Influencer marketing is a great strategy to target, reach and expand a brand’s niche audience.
Influencers have followers from all over the world. These followers continue following influencers because they deem them to be valued and credible sources of information, from their content to the words they publish. When working with influencers, you are not just leveraging their value to publish content to a portion of their audience that pertains to your brand; instead, the influencer’s content is posted for all their followers.
A brand’s niche audience is a group of people with specific characteristics who are most likely to buy a company’s products or services. You must first understand your product or service to find your brand’s niche audience.
- What need does it fill?
- Who is most likely to need or want your product or service?
- What are their interests?
- Research your brand’s competition.
Influencer Marketing Tips and Tricks to Reaching Your Brand’s Niche Audience through Content Creators
Once you clearly understand your product or service, you can begin to identify the characteristics of your ideal customer. age, gender, interests, location, and income level.
Once you have identified these characteristics, you can use the same characteristics to create influencer marketing campaigns that are targeted toward your niche audience. By using marketing techniques specifically designed to reach your target audience, you can ensure that your brand’s message reaches the people most likely to be interested in it. As a result, you can attract new customers and build stronger relationships with existing ones.
Luckily, influencer marketing is a strategy that is data-driven and rich in insight. Through platforms like Glewee, brands can identify their target audience and subsequently find influencers with followers that fit their ideal target audience.
Selecting Your Social Media Influencer Category
A social media influencer’s category is an important marketing tactic because it helps to identify what type of audience they are trying to reach. Regarding influencer marketing, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is choosing the type of influencer and identifying the right influencer category level for your campaign.
There are five main categories of social media influencers. Each type of influencer is based on the influencer’s follower count.
- Mega-size Influencers (2.5M followers and more)
- Macro Influencer (500K – 2.5M followers)
- Mid-size Influencer (100k – 500k followers)
- Micro-Influencer (25k -100k followers)
- Nano-Influencer (5k-25k followers)
Mega-Size Influencers
Mega-size influencers, also sometimes known as celebrity influencers, have very large follower counts but low engagement rates. A mega influencer is an online personality with a large social media following. Mega influencers typically have millions of followers and can command a high fee for sponsored posts and other forms of marketing. In addition, mega influencers often have a strong connection with their audience and are considered trusted advisers on various topics. As a result, brands often seek out mega influencers to reach a large audience with a highly targeted message.
Macro Influencers
A macro influencer is a social media user with a large following who can influence the buying decisions of their followers. Macro influencers typically have over 500,000 followers, and their posts reach a broad audience. They are often expert in a particular niche, and their opinion carries weight with their followers. The macro influencer’s endorsement can help to build trust with potential customers and increase sales.
Mid-Size Influencers
A mid-size influencer is a social media user with a relatively large following (usually between 100,000 – 500,000 followers). Mid-size influencers are often paid to post sponsored content, collaborate with brands, or attend events. They usually have a closer relationship with their followers than celebrities or mega-influencers, and their content is typically more relatable and relatable. Because of this, mid-size influencers are often considered more authentic and trustworthy than other types of influencers. As a result, they can be extremely powerful channels for marketing campaigns.
Micro Influencers
Micro-influencers are social media users with a relatively small number of followers who can generate high levels of engagement. Micro-influencers typically have between 25,000 – 100,000 followers on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or YouTube. While they may not have the same reach as mega-size influencers, micro-influencers are often seen as more relatable and trustworthy. As a result, micro-influencers have a smaller following but typically have higher engagement rates.
Nano Influencers
A nano influencer is a social media user with a small follower count, typically between 5,000 – 25,000). However, despite their smaller follower counts, nano influencers can effectively promote products and services. This is because they have close relationships with their followers and are seen as trusted sources of information. As a result, brands are increasingly turning to nano influencers to help them reach their target audiences.
Knowing which category an influencer falls into can help brands determine whether they are a good fit for their products or services.\
Influencer Marketing Tips and Tricks for Selecting the Influencer Category for Your Campaign
- Consider your budget. Micro-influencers are more affordable than their macro and nano counterparts, so they may be the best option if you’re working with a limited budget.
- Evaluate your goals. Are you looking to reach a large audience or build a more personal relationship with your customers? Macro-influencers can help you reach a wider audience, while micro- and nano-influencers can be more effective for creating more personal connections.
- Do your research. Not all influencers are created equal – even within the same category level. Be sure to research and select an influencer who aligns with your brand values and whose audience is a good match for your products or services.
How to Use Social Media Influencers to Establish Trust and Credibility
Establishing trust and credibility with your target audience is essential as a marketer. There are many influencer marketing strategies to do this. Using influencers can be an extremely effective way to connect with potential customers and establish your brand as a credible source of information.
Social media influencers have become an increasingly powerful force in marketing. With a huge following on social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, influencers can reach a vast audience of potential customers. Influencers spend years building their platform with their followers and audience. Consumers follow social media influencers because they view them as thought leaders in the industry and trust their voices in the community.
But why do consumers trust influencers? Part of the answer lies in that influencers are seen as real people rather than faceless entities. In a world where we are constantly bombarded with advertising messages, it can be refreshing to see someone promoting a product or service that they genuinely believe in. Influencers also tend to be very passionate about their topics, which helps to build trust and credibility with their audiences. In addition, many influencers have built strong relationships with their fans, giving them a sense of connection and loyalty. As a result, when an influencer recommends a product or service, their followers are more likely to take notice and potentially make a purchase.
According to a May study from Oracle fielded 2,072 U.S. adults ages 18-80:
- 80 percent of consumers have purchased products in direct response to social media content.
- 37 percent of consumers trust social media influencers over brands; Gen Z and Millennials are two times more likely than Boomers to trust influencers.
- 28 percent of consumers discover new products and brands through influencers. Gen Z is the most likely to discover products and brands this way (32 percent), compared to only 13 percent of Boomers.
Influencer Marketing Tips and Tricks to Increase a Brand’s Credibility and Trust:
Make sure the influencer is a good fit for your brand. Their followers should be interested in the kind of products or services that you offer.
Make sure that the influencer is someone you can trust. For example, you don’t want to partner with someone who has a history of saying negative things about your brand or other brands.
Be prepared to build a long-term relationship with your influencers. More than paying an influencer to promote a product is required to build a long-term relationship. To truly benefit from an influencer partnership, brands must focus on building a genuine relationship with the influencer. This means getting to know the influencer, understanding their interests and values, and working together to create content that will resonate with the influencer’s audience. Only by taking the time to build a real relationship can brands hope to reap the benefits of an influencer partnership in the long run.
Provide Influencers the Freedom to Be Creative
More than perhaps any other time in social media’s history, brands must give their social media influencers direction and creative freedom. Authenticity is the cornerstone of influencer marketing. When influencers are allowed to be themselves and show their imperfections, it helps to create a more realistic and relatable image for the brand. In addition, it allows the influencer to connect with their audience on a deeper level, which can lead to more loyalty and engagement. Giving social media influencers creative freedom is ultimately good for the influencer and the brand.
When working with influencers, you can get your product or service on their platform to create authentic and organic testimonials, reviews and responses to your products to be published online. This will allow you to see how a trusted voice with experience working with other products and brands views your creation. In addition, you can create long-lasting relationships with influencers to have them provide trusted feedback about your brands or product before the information is shared with their followers.
Influencer Marketing Tips and Tricks for Influencer Marketing Authenticity
Brands should remember less is more. While both the brand and the creator must be on the same page and aiming for the same goal, brands should avoid scripting influencers’ copy or require. Instead, brands are encouraged to treat their influencers as trusted partners.
Invest in Influencer Marketing Tools
A recent report by Adgully said that brands will spend $32.5B in influencer marketing next year. This spending surge is due partly to the growing popularity of creator management tools. These tools help brands identify and track influential social media users and provide valuable insights and analytics into the impact of influencer campaigns. Additionally, creator management tools make it easy for brands to collaborate with influencers and measure and track the results of their efforts. For these reasons, it is no surprise that brands are increasingly turning to creator management tools to support their influencer marketing efforts.
Influencer Marketing Tips and Tricks for Selecting the Right Influencer Marketing Tools
Brands are encouraged to piecemeal their influencer marketing tools. Instead, brands should find a tool or influencer marketing software that does everything they need, from identifying creators to contracting to report. A perfect example of an all-in-one platform is Glewee. Glewee allows brands to connect, collaborate, and execute influencer marketing campaigns with industry-leading social media creators to drive sales and reach new audiences. Glewee is the easiest and fastest way to find influencers for your brand. Sign up today!
Influencer marketing can be a great way to connect with new customers and promote your brand messaging. However, before diving in head-first, it’s important to set clear goals for what you hope to achieve. Once you have a goal in mind, it will be easier to identify the right social media influencers to reach your niche audience. When working with influencers, please give them the freedom to be creative while providing clear guidelines on critical deliverables such as post frequency, hashtags, and call-to-actions. Check out these blog posts for more information on how to make the most of influencer marketing campaigns.