When you think of influencer marketing, what comes to mind? Most people jump to beauty bloggers and fashionistas from social media. We’re here to remind you of the bigger picture! Influencer marketing is formally defined as “a form of social media marketing involving endorsements and product placement from influencers, people and organizations who have a purported expert level of knowledge or social influence in their field.” Influencers don’t just exist within the beauty and fashion atmospheres, they’re everywhere!
Whether you’re into cooking, sports, organization, or anything in between, odds are there’s an influencer within that realm. These figures are really just subject matter experts with a lot of social media followers! So, no matter what your brand specializes in, there is likely an influencer marketing opportunity waiting for you.
The most important step when starting influencer marketing is picking the right person for the job. Keep reading for our top 3 things to know before saying “yes” to an influencer!
And while we’re at it, here’s a pro tip for influencer marketing a la 2021: Amidst today’s cancel culture, partner wisely! So many brands have been called out when an influencer they worked with took a misstep – don’t be next if you can help it.
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Numbers aren’t everything
While super-popular influencers come with the bonus of a vast audience, this also means their following has a wide range of interests. Keep in mind that a smaller audience isn’t a negative if they are engaged! Look for people who come with a loyal following that are likely to be interested in your product — think quality, not quantity.
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Be prepared to pay in some way
When you see your favorite influencers promoting products, do you think about how much work went behind that 30-second Instagram story? If not, we’ll be the first to tell you– it was probably a lot! One of the biggest mistakes brands can make is assuming that influencer marketing is free. You should be prepared to pay influencers for promoting your products— whether it’s monetary, with a giveaway, or in free product. And yes, be prepared to negotiate!
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Find your fans
Look at your company’s social media mentions to find influencers who already love and use your product or service. Anyone who was willing to give you an unpaid shoutout would surely love to partner up for compensation! Whether it’s a micro-influencer that made your brand’s PR list or a loyal follower with an engaged following of their own, this trick will help garner you an influencer that’s more than happy to work with you and your brand.
In the spirit of spreading the love, do you have a must-know tip on influencer marketing that you want to share? You know we’d love to hear it! Give us all the juicy details at [email protected].