A while back, the influencer marketing industry was limited only to celebrities and a few dedicated bloggers. Now, it seems like we’ve seen social media influencers rise everywhere lately. And, this is true – many are saturating the market! Influencer marketing may seem complex, but at its core, it’s a type of social media marketing that uses a mix of endorsements and product mentions. Influencers, also known as individuals who have a dedicated social following are often viewed as experts within their niche. 

What you might be thinking is… should I be utilizing influencer marketing for my brand? Will it help me get my heel in the door with a new audience? 

Truth is, as long as your marketing strategy grows and evolves with your influencer marketing needs, the answer is yes. Social media feeds are constantly being flooded with influencers, ads, and even influencer ads in the current digital marketing space. 

So how do you pick the right influencers, grow your relationships all the while continuing to connect with your audience?

It’s no secret that influencer marketing strategies are more complex to navigate than ever as a brand because they’re relatively new, but we’re here to help make sense of it all.

Similar to any marketing tactic, an influencer program takes deliberate targeting and planning. You won’t find strategic success right off the bat by sending free products out to everyone who asks or to your existing friends and acquaintances. Trust us, that will not be an effective strategy. 

The first step is to research, of course. You should work on figuring out the platform you want to focus on whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. Keep in mind that you can always go to other platforms later on., but focusing on one first is key to a successful strategy. Ideally, you should select a platform that your brand already has a presence on. This way, you can easily create content catered to your current target audience.

During your research phase, it’s a smart idea to start looking into the type of influencers you’re interested in. Are you going for celebrities with massive followings? Or micro influencers with less than 2000 followers? Maybe something in between in the 5–10k follower range is more your preference. Whatever you decide to focus on will determine your budget. 

Don’t forget, these influencers are humans and individuals too. They have lives, and are simply there to help you grow your brand and business awareness. When it comes to paying influencers, you have to think about their value to your brand and how you may leverage their niche through social media. After you’ve selected the type of influencer you’d like to have in a campaign, you need to create your budget. These campaigns will require time and dedication through smart goals and messaging. 

Influencers reach very specific audiences, it’s important to think about who will likely be interested in your product reads and actually engage with your content. Your message will be just as important as your goal.

Once you have an idea of the type of influencers and the message you’d like to portray, start building relationships with them. Engage by following them, commenting on their posts and being a contributor to their community. Also be sure to be authentic in your communications so when you do reach out, it feels natural and not scripted or forced. You can do this through your personal account instead of your brand to humanize yourself. After you’ve made the connection, get to know your influencers and always ask yourself what you can do for them. Then, feel free to give them the creative freedom to take your goals and run with them in a way that fits with their audience and creative style. No one knows their audience better than they do.

Influencers are here to stay but how the world of influencer marketing looks and operates is constantly changing, especially post-pandemic. 

Like any social strategy, you have to be willing to adapt to new changes. Plus, your success varies between brands so don’t give up if your first one is a failure. You may find that incorporating influencers into your marketing strategy is beneficial in boosting growth.

Ready to work with influencers and build a strong influencer program? 

Let us help you navigate through the process! If you need help growing your business, picking a target market, or figuring out which marketing tools will work for you, sign up for a monthly marketing session. 

We proudly offer one-on-one monthly brand and marketing strategy calls. Currently, we have 5 spots available and would love for you to join me. 

Each call includes (1) one-hour phone call per month for 6 – 12 months with 2 email responses to questions. During these calls, we will build out our signature Bauerhaus brand map over a series of monthly Zoom calls together. The brand map covers your demographics, psychographics, brand differentiation, and a mini-marketing plan of how your customers go through awareness, consideration, decision, and loyalty. Contact us today to sign up!