Influencers are rapidly ushering in a new era of digital marketing by using their strong personal brands to connect with their audiences. In fact, 82% of consumers rely on social media to guide their purchasing decisions (Digital Marketing Institute, October 2021). But how do brands get in on influencer marketing without getting overwhelmed by the complicated and ever-evolving digital landscape? This guide will show you the top three ways to use data-driven marketing to guide every step of your influencer marketing campaign.
1. FIND THE RIGHT INFLUENCER
An influencer’s job is to produce content at the sweet spot between brand representation and authenticity. When you run an influencer campaign, you should look at niche, engagement, content, and product promotion when deciding which influencers to work with.
Align with influencers with a niche that is relevant to your industry. Popular niches include: beauty, fashion, health and fitness, lifestyle, technology, and travel.
(Photo Credit: YouTube; juicyjas)
But don’t just hire influencers with the highest follow count in your niche! Here’s where engagement comes in. Engagement is a measure of the likes, comments, and sales that influencers drive on their social platforms. Sometimes micro-influencers have the best engagement rates because they are able to connect more personally with their community of followers and fans.
(Photo Credits: Nielsen InfluenceScope)
Lastly, make sure to look at the past history of content and product promotion produced by the influencer. Some questions to consider:
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Do they already shout out your brand?
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Have they previously worked with brand competitors?
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Do they put their unique spin on their hauls and product reviews?
Make sure that their creative vision is aligned with your brand philosophy! And be sure to request an influencer’s media kit (an influencer’s comprehensive profile and portfolio) before collaborating.
If you’re still feeling overwhelmed, MagicLinks can help! With a proprietary data engine built on the transactions of over 18,000 influencers, we have the ability to see which influencers have driven the best results that matter to your bottom line – clicks and sales. You can join our 5,000+ retail partners to match influencers to brands on our website, MagicLinks.com.
2. COMMUNICATE YOUR VISION
One of the top benefits of influencer marketing is the authentic relationship between the influencer and the consumer. It’s important to preserve this relationship by allowing influencers the creative freedom to showcase your brand in a manner that’s true to their style. However, don’t shy away from clearly defining the objectives of the content that you produce! You can do so through your product choice, platform choice, and calls to action.
(Photo Credit: Hivency)
First, intentionally choose products to showcase that best fit with your influencer’s lifestyle. If the influencer reviews products that are off-brand, their customers will be less likely to trust their reviews. Next, consider the demographics of each social media platform that you’re releasing content on. Some platforms, like TikTok, are ideal for catering to the younger generation, while other platforms cater to middle-aged or older audiences. Make sure that the format of your content, whether through Instagram stories, TikTok, or paid Facebook posts, aligns well with the target demographic of your brand. Lastly, work with influencers to define clear calls to action in the video. Do you want to drive sales? Increase your social media presence? Increase reach? Be sure to define these objectives and use them to guide the creative components of the video.
3. TRACK YOUR SUCCESS
Whether through clicks or sales, it’s important to track metrics that determine your ROI. That way, you’ll have a baseline for making future casting decisions or creating more content. Partnering with companies such as MagicLinks can give you insight into data such as clicks, sales, views, and social engagement. Below is an example of what those insights can look like.
OVERALL
Influencers can help you grow your brand by connecting with new audiences and finding new avenues of engagement! Whether through Youtube, Instagram, or TikTok, social platforms are booming and offer ripe opportunities for growth and brand development.
For more information, be sure to reach out to our marketing team for more help: https://www.magiclinks.com/brands/reach-out.
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