Influencer marketing is all the rage right now.
Combine a dash of distrust for ads and a handful of increased social media usage throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and you’ve got all the ingredients for a seriously powerful marketing strategy - but that doesn’t mean influencer marketing is right for every brand.
If you’re wondering how influencer marketing can fit into your marketing strategy, look no further (actually, look slightly further, because we’ve rounded up the key advantages of an influencer marketing strategy below).
Influencer marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways of marketing, and to help you gaze into the crystal ball and see if an influencer campaign is right for you, here are the top benefits you could be leveraging.
People need to trust a brand before they open their wallets or enter their credit card details. And what better way to build trust than to work with influencers who have a look, feel, and tone consistent with your brand?
What consumers don’t want is to be bombarded with ads 24 hours a day. But when an influencer shares content about your brand, it creates instant credibility for you. That’s why 1 out of 2 consumers depend on influencers for purchasing decisions.
When you partner with an influencer who’s seen as trustworthy and authentic, your brand is seen as trustworthy and authentic too. This can help to facilitate meaningful connections between your influencer's audience and your brand.
Finding influencers with the same values as your brand can also help expand your audience. Influencers have built their following based on their personal branding and values, making them a perfect fit if their values align with yours.
A like-minded audience is more likely to check out your website, click on links, and become customers - all attractive outcomes. But when your influencer is aligned with your brand values, it also means their audience is more likely to resonate with your brand and want to be a part of your story.
This means more followers for your own social media accounts and more eyeballs on your non-influencer marketing content. Like a giant snowball, more attention means more opportunities for you to build connections and drive new business.
Looking to take advantage of Millennial consumers and Gen Z’s massive spending power? For Gen Z and Millennials, the TV is no longer the preferred form of entertainment. With a preference instead for social media (60% of TikTok users are Gen Z), influencer marketing is a proven way to tap into this booming market of impressionable consumers.
Connecting with this audience brings serious value to your brand and direct access to one of the most influential and profitable demographics available. Of course, it’s not enough to launch any old influencer marketing campaign and expect results, you need to know how to market to Gen Z and Millennials.
81% of Gen Z say Instagram and YouTube are their preferred social networks, but success isn’t as simple as throwing up branded content. Gen Z and Millennials need to be entertained and feel like part of a community, so you’ll need the right influencers to drive results (hint: scroll to the bottom to find out where those influencers are hiding).
‘Likes’, comments, and new followers are great. But nothing beats cold, hard conversions.
Once you’ve found an influencer who aligns with your brand, launching an influencer marketing campaign is a great way to influence their audience to become yours. 80% of consumers admit to making a purchase based on an influencer’s recommendation. So if your brand is looking to boost sales (who isn’t?), then an influencer marketing partnership can drive real-world business decisions.
For example, you could make the most of exclusive offers or have clickable links taking social media users directly through to your website or online store to turn curious clicks into happy new customers. Whatever your methods, the result is the same - seriously powerful potential to drive new business.
Looking to maximise your influencer marketing relationship? Start by trusting your influencers to create awesome content for you. Giving influencers creative control is the secret sauce behind great marketing campaigns.
With 77% of influencers stating that they’re more likely to repeat working with a brand if they have more control over what they’re able to create, you can build successful, long-term relationships by letting your influencers do what they do best.
On top of this trust, it’s also important to outline your goals and KPIs with your partnered influencers. If they’re familiar with what you want from working with them, they’ll be able to tailor their content to meet your needs.
We’re pretty sure you’re already using social media to share your brand’s message and build your profile. But there’s a huuuuuuge difference between traditional social media marketing and influencer marketing.
As consumers continue to turn to their favourite influencers for product recommendations and reviews (and move away from traditional ads), now is the perfect time to embrace your own influencer marketing strategy to drive engagement and enjoy cost-effective ROI.
Interested in your own influencer marketing campaign? Click here to get in touch and let the Influencer Agency team walk you through how it works.
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