Influencer marketing is a great way for brands to gain instant recognition. But in marketing “instant” solutions have generally “temporary” effects. Cost-effectiveness and the effect on brand image of that kind of temporary solutions are always questionable. Influencers are there, they have an important persuasion power and brands want to use them. So, most of the brands started to take the influencer marketing business more seriously. And if you are thinking about using influencer marketing in your communications plan, we may have some valuable tips for you.
Choose the Right Influencer
Most of the influencers like to brag about the number of their followers. But the number of followers alone should never be the only factor of valuation for a marketer. Reach is important but not everything. Before selecting an influencer, you must also think about the nature of their followers and their influencing capabilities. Sometimes an influencer with small a small number of followers can be more valuable than an “internet celebrity” for your brand.
Don’t Underestimate the Power of Micro-influencers
If your brand is about a specialty (let’s say you are selling bicycle helmets), before making investments in an influencer, you must understand the social media scene for the topic of your brand. So, if you are selling bike helmets, try to find local people and online communities producing content about bicycles so you can spot the influencers about biking.
Managing many micro-influencers can be a tricky job but it’s worth it. Their credibility and persuasion power will bring a very positive effect on your brand.
Judging the Power of Influence
Some influencers are taking their jobs seriously. They spend lots of time creating better content and they are always engaging with their audiences. So, their credibility and persuasion power are higher than other influencers. You must spot them.
There are many tools to have a more analytical perspective on influencers. You can find a bunch of tools you can use here . Before making serious decisions for influencer marketing, investing in one of these tools and making some analysis is not a bad idea.
Build a Healthy Relation with the Influencers
Influencer marketing isn’t advertising. So, you should never treat your influencers as a medium but as a business partner. It’s important to be in sympathetic communication with them so they can feel that they are a part of your brand. This will affect the creative messages they will create for your brand.
Consistency is also important. Building a long-lasting partnership with an influencer will have a positive effect on your brand. Don’t make your influencers being used. Make them feel like an important asset for your brand.
Track the Performance
If your performance evaluation method for influencer marketing is to count likes under each post, you are doing it wrong. With the help of technology try to find out more sophisticated ways to understand the contribution of the influencer to your brand.
You may generate customs URLs for your influencers to share or custom discount codes. It’s up to your technological capabilities. Just find a way to track your influencers.
