At Motion, we let data and science guide us in making the kinds of smart marketing decisions that supercharge our clients’ growth potential. Influencer marketing is one of those marketing levers we lean on.
This blog post will give you a crash course in all things influencer marketing. We will cover everything from how to best set up your campaign to working with influencers effectively. By the end of this blog, you should have a good understanding of how to run a successful influencer marketing campaign that makes an impact.
Identifying the Right Type of Influencer
To create a successful influencer marketing campaign, first you must understand the pros and cons that come with working with different-sized influencers. Partnering with nano, micro, mid-tier and macro influencers can all be used to drive awareness at the ground level while reaching an actively engaged audience.
Nano-Influencers
The main advantage of working with a nano-influencer is that their audiences trust them deeply and are highly dedicated to their content. But because they work on a smaller scale, they may need more experience or time to create content compared to established influencers who are used to working with brands.
Mid-Tier Influencers
Mid-tier influencers have the potential to create similar results as larger influencers but sometimes at a lower rate due to their smaller audience size. These types of influencers tend to charge less for their services to create content that also genuinely connects with their audience.
Additionally, mid-tier influencers often have more reach than large influencers. It might seem like a contradiction, but mid-tier influencers tend to have a following that is more attentive because they are genuinely interested in following them as an individual or for a given niche. compared to celebrity-like influencers.
That is why working with mid-tier influencers can be a great opportunity. By partnering with a mid-tier influencer whose followers interests’ are aligned with your brand, you can create relevant, engaging content that speaks directly to your target audience and are more likely to see a noticeable, positive impact on your business as a result.
Macro-Influencers
Finally, macro-influencers are typically celebrities and give you the greatest amount of exposure. They are usually accustomed to working with brands on influencer campaigns. And though macro-influencers have substantially large followings and provide brands with a notably greater reach, it can come at a high cost. Back in 2018, celebrity Kylie Jenner allegedly charged $1 million per sponsored social media post.
Additionally, working with influencers larger than mid-tier is when brands may start to see a less clear return on their investment. Unlike mid-tier influencers whose followers engage with them for a specific interest, celebrity followings’ interests vary. For example, people may follow Shaquille O’Neal because of his historic basketball career, his TV and acting chops or for his DJ persona, Diesel. If your brand is only aligned with a segment of a macro-influencer’s followers, it can be harder to create the kind of relevant, engaging content that moves the needle.
Ways to Work with Influencers More Effectively
Influencers may be an effective marketing strategy for organizations looking to reach new audiences at scale. When working with an influencer, keep the following points in mind:
1. Determine your target audience.
The first step is to determine the target audience of the influencer to make sure it’s a good fit for your campaign. At Motion, we believe the right influencer fit makes our clients and their products appear authentically in-feed. And that can’t happen if an influencer tries to talk about a product or category that they’ve never showcased before.
2. Identify a tone that aligns with your brand.
It is also critical to consider the tone you want your campaign to take. Depending on the campaign, some influencers prefer lighthearted advertisements, while others choose serious efforts. For example, an influencer collaborating with a fashion brand will take a different approach than an influencer collaborating with a healthcare communications agency.
3. Find your big idea.
Once you have identified the influencer’s audience demographics and tone and confirm that their audience aligns with your target audience, the next step is brainstorming ideas for a campaign.
Although the content itself will vary based on the influencer and their audience, identifying some key concepts or messages the influencer needs to communicate will act as the partnership’s “North Star”—the guiding point that your influencer content will revolve around. What message do you want to leave your audience with?
4. Be transparent about budget.
Be prepared to pay a premium for high-quality content. Like any advertising effort, influencer marketing should be viewed as an investment, and evaluating the return on your investment is important. The amount you will compensate influencers will be determined by who you want to partner with and the overall deliverables.
When working with influencers, always be transparent on the overall budget you have and the timeframe upfront. Nobody likes working for free. Sometimes we secure influencer collaborations with products in-kind or an experiential offering when the campaign allows.
How to Create Quality Influencer Content
Once you have identified your potential influencers based on your overall objectives and budget, it’s time to consider how your brand’s sponsored content comes to life. Creating quality content can be daunting, and adding more cooks to the kitchen can take things to another level.
To make everyone’s lives easier, start with these goals in mind: Create quality influencer content, and lean on your influencer to establish an authentic connection with their audience.
To ensure your content is high-quality, come prepared with content ideas that are relevant and interesting to your influencer and their audience. It is essential to have specific vision in mind when it comes to potential collaboration, so that both parties can evaluate content from the same place.
For example, an influencer may request that you provide feedback on their storyboard and script before starting on their deliverables to ensure time isn’t wasted reshooting or re-recording.
This also enables influencers to create content that delivers on the messaging points you want to communicate, in a creative approach that feels right to their audience. If you are willing to compromise on creative control, both parties can walk away with what ends up being a positive collaboration.
When evaluating your influencer’s content, always ensure your feedback is prescriptive and constructive. Take the time to understand their perspective; they know their audience better than anyone. It can be challenging for an influencer to provide quality content when they feel rushed or frustrated. Planning ahead and building a good relationship during the outreach and negotiation process will pay off in the long run.
Trust your influencer so much that you don’t need to review their content? Think again. Proofread your influencer’s work extensively before publishing any content to avoid common mistakes such as typos and grammar errors and ensure that your brand is being talked about in the right way.
Working with influencers can be a great way to promote your brand and reach new audiences. But to create successful influencer marketing campaigns that have a positive impact on your business, you need to establish a positive relationship with your influencers as partners, with a clear goal in mind. Be sure to respect their time, set clear expectations upfront and be willing to compromise on creative control.
If you want to learn more about how Motion uses influencer marketing to accelerate our clients’ brands, let’s connect.
