Using Influencer Marketing to Build a Following
Internet marketing algorithms are always changing and it’s sometimes a race to keep up. In response, more marketers are using influencer marketing to build followings for multi-national brands across the world.
Influencer marketing uses individuals and brands that already have audiences to build your own. For example, on social media, one might see Twitter accounts with hundreds of thousands of followers. Imagine being able to work together with those Twitter accounts to promote your brand. The same can be done through methods such as sponsoring a YouTube video from an influencer, brokering a deal with an Instagram influencer to promote your brand, and/or partnering with a popular Facebook page to highlight the products or services you offer. As a trustworthy strategy, influencer marketing is one method of getting the word out that has consistently delivered.
Influencer marketing begins first with finding influencers that are relevant to what it is you are selling. Though it can be tempting to go with influencers who have the most followers, relevancy is always more important. Also, consider those who have the highest amount of engagement. Though larger brands have their value, it’s oftentimes the smaller to mid-size influencers that come with the highest fan engagement. In developing the strategy approach to one’s influencer marketing, examine what other brands are doing. In some cases, influencers might want to participate in the strategy development phase so asking them for their own input could reveal some unique opportunities you never thought of. If there’s a way to maximize the benefit for the influencer while promoting your brand, the influencer likely has more insight into how to find it.
To determine whether an influencer marketing campaign is working or not, traditional metrics may not apply. Therefore, creating a more customized approach is recommended. Depending on the context, this might include a coupon code or something by which one can track influencer-related sales. Measuring marketing performance is important though so be sure to define how success will be determined. The more authentic engagement a marketing campaign can accomplish, the more likely one is to see upticks in sales, followers, and cost savings.
If you decide influencer marketing is a way forward for your business, it’s an ongoing job to keep track of who is on the rise and where technology is headed. Influencer marketing is all about finding an audience so knowing where to go to tap into audience is key. The more trendy the influencer, the more effective a campaign like this is likely to be.
Influencer marketing in 2018 is big and it continues to grow as a dominant marketing strategy. Just as an example, a recent Nielsen study shared how 92 percent of consumers trusted the recommendations of friends and/or well-known figures more than anything else. That means, to these consumers, influencer marketing is more effective in a product or service recommendation than any email campaign, traditional ad, video message, or blog. For brands that are targeting awareness in their category of the marketplace, there’s no disputing the effectiveness of influencer marketing.
Use influencer marketing today to highlight products and services, promote your brand, and build a following. By choosing to partner with a digital marketing company experienced with influencer marketing such as Unlimited Exposure, you can trust that you’re in good hands.