Written by: Account Executive, Amy Rauch
Working with influencers can be hard. Influencer marketing is a form of marketing in which the focus is placed on influential people rather than the target market as a whole. These influencers typically focus on social media platforms, such as Youtube, Instagram, or a personal blog. There are also a lot of gray areas, decisions that can be difficult, and for some, its uncharted territory. As someone who has been on both sides of the influencer market as a lifestyle vlogger on YouTuber, here are five tips to help you create an effective influencer campaign or sponsorship.
1. Give the influencer creative control: Simply put, the influencer knows their audience best. They know how to convey a message effectively and genuinely. Handing over a word-for-word script outlining exactly what you want them to say might seem like a good idea, but will end up looking less authentic in the long run. Establish what you want the outcome of the collaboration to be, but be open to hearing the creative ideas your influencer has in mind!
2. Find an organic fit: While it might be instinctive to pick the influencer with the highest following count to promote your brand, it may not be the most effective. For example, a fashion blogger with 100k followers might not be the right fit for your new eco-friendly cleaning product. However, a mommy blogger with 55k followers who actually uses your cleaning product would be a much more natural fit and will therefore be a more successful collaboration.
3. Check engagement: Again, the influencer with the highest following count might not be the best option. Do your research on the platform you want to promote your product on. For example, an Instagram ratio of 1 like to every 10 followers ratio is typically ideal. So, if you’re debating between choosing an influencer with 100k followers and 3,000 likes per post, or someone with 35k followers and 3,000 likes per post, go with the latter.
4. Create an incentive: Influencer’s followers want to be involved too! Give them exclusive access to a giveaway or a contest. If you don’t know where to start or have a small budget, try giving away something small on Instagram. Make the rules simple - follow your account, the influencers account, and to tag a friend in the comments. This is an easy way to generate high engagement of comments, follows, and post views.
5. Be professional: This should go without saying, but it’s extremely, extremely important to treat influencers with respect. Before you send your pitch, double check the spelling of their name is correct, mention something specific you enjoy about their platform, and keep the tone professional. Influencers work really hard to represent both themselves and their brand well, treat them with the same respect as you would approach a new client or potential investor.
There are so many opportunities and ways to work creatively with influencers. At the end of the day, be open to creative content, do your research, and treat the influencer with respect. Good luck!