You’ve probably heard by now that the marketing world is going crazy for influencers. It makes sense; after all, who is better to endorse your product than someone your target audience identifies with and admires?
Influencer marketing allows you to tap into the large and dedicated followings these individuals have built in order to drive brand awareness among their followers.
Fortunately, there is no one way to go about it. Influencer marketing can be as simple as sending out a few free samples and posting about it on Instagram, or as complex as hiring an agency to manage a whole campaign on your behalf.
The trick is knowing where you stand currently, what your needs are, and how much time and effort you’re willing to invest in the process of growing your brand through the help of influencers. Here are some dos and don’ts that will help you get started with this effective form of marketing.
Do Conduct Quality Research Beforehand
You should not go into this process with no idea of what you’re getting yourself into. This is especially important if you’re going to be managing this process yourself, but even if you have to hire an agency to do it for you, having a plan of attack is incredibly important.
You should have a clear idea of what kind of influencers you want to work with, where they are, and how you’re going to access them. This will help you eliminate some of the legwork that comes with influencer marketing, as well as ensure you’re only working with the best of the best.
Doing research beforehand will also allow you to narrow down your options as you see which influencers are the best fit for your brand.
Do Set Realistic Goals
Before you begin the process of approaching influencers, you should set some realistic goals for the campaign. While you want to be ambitious, you also don’t want to set yourself up for failure.
If you’re still in the planning stages of your marketing plan, you may want to put influencer marketing on hold until you’ve nailed down your sales funnel, content marketing strategy, and other components of your business you feel are more important.
For example, if your campaign is focused on increasing brand awareness, you’ll probably want to set a goal like reaching a certain number of impressions. If, on the other hand, you’re looking to drive sales, you may want to set a goal like increasing your average order value.
Don’t Assume All Influencers Are the Same
No two influencers are the same. Before you begin contacting them, it’s important to know who you want to reach out to and why. For example, you may want to approach fitness influencers because you have a sports-related product, or you may want to reach out to beauty influencers because your product is makeup related.
Don’t simply go for the biggest names in the industry without doing your research first. Some of the biggest influencers in the world may not be the best fit for your brand, so don’t be afraid to look at the middle to lower end as well. It’s important to ensure your campaign is reaching the right people, so select your influencers wisely.
Don’t Just Look at the Numbers
Just because an influencer has a million followers doesn’t mean they’re the right fit for your brand. In fact, it may be better to go with someone who has a smaller but more dedicated following.
There are many factors to take into account when deciding which influencers to approach, and it’s important that you don’t just look at numbers alone. Don’t be afraid to dig a little deeper and ask questions.
You can use this opportunity to get to know your influencers better and see if they’re the right fit for your brand. If you notice that an influencer has a smaller but more engaged following, you may want to go with them instead of an influencer who has a larger but less engaged audience.
Don’t Hire an Agency Until You’ve Done Your Due Diligence
This is incredibly important. You don’t want to end up working with an influencer who is toxic to your brand or someone who won’t help you achieve your goals. Before you begin contacting agencies, make sure you know what you’re looking for.
Don’t hire an agency until you’ve at least had a chance to assess their work and see what your options are. It’s important that you get a feel for the agencies you’re considering working with and make sure they’re a good fit for your brand. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and get to know the team behind the agency.
You’ll want to be comfortable working with them and communicating with them throughout the campaign, so make sure you find the right agency for you and your brand.
Do Use Influencer Marketing To Build Brand Awareness
This is the most important part of the influencer marketing process. You want to make sure that your influencers are promoting your product in a way that is authentic to their followers and consistent with your brand.
It’s important that you set the expectations with your influencers and make sure they know what they’re doing. Don’t be afraid to be strict and make sure your influencers are adhering to your campaign goals and guidelines.
You want to make sure they’re promoting your product in the right way and that they’re not saying or doing anything that could steer your followers in the wrong direction.
Don’t be afraid to be picky when it comes to the influencers you choose for your campaign, and make sure you set the proper expectations so that everyone stays on the same page throughout the process.
Conclusion
There’s no question that influencer marketing has taken the world by storm. This is both a good and a bad thing. On one hand, it’s opened up a ton of opportunities for brands to promote themselves and reach their audiences more effectively.
On the other hand, it’s led to some confusion about how it all works. Don’t let this be you. Make sure you’re putting the time and effort into learning the best practices of influencer marketing. This will help you build the relationships you need and reach your audience in the most effective way possible.
