How to run successful influencer campaigns
Krum Dzhermanov, Senior Customer Success Manager at impact.com/creator offers advice for brands on getting the most out of their relationships with influencers and creators
Influencer marketing is booming as consumers, weary of being bombarded with advertising messages, turn increasingly to trusted influencers and creators when looking for product recommendations. No surprise, then, that experts expect the influencer marketing industry to be worth a huge $24 billion by the end of this year.
Influencers act as a bridge between brands and consumers, offering an authentic, transparent and trusted source of advice through high-quality content that aligns, ideally, with the brand’s values. Indeed, 64% of consumers repeatedly make purchases based on an influencer’s recommendation or review, at least some of the time.
Influencers are a powerful ally, commanding massive loyalty among their follower base, which is why partnering with influencers/creators can be such an effective move for brands. But they are also a breed apart from brands’ usual marketing partners, and those marketers among you who want to run successful influencer campaigns need to know what makes them tick and what will incentivise them to go the extra mile for your brand.
Follow these tips and you won’t go too far wrong.
Remember the reason you want to work with an influencer
When dealing with influencers and creators, it’s important to treat them just as you would any other marketing partner. Take time to share the goals of your campaign with them, the tone of voice you are looking for, and the type of actions you would expect their posts to inspire among their followers.
Remember too, that influencers will have their own goals from the campaign. From our many conversations with creators, we know that they value their relationship with their audience, and place more importance on creating content that will be well received by them than their impact on conversions and sales for the brand. So if you really want to get them on board, you should respect this and allow them to be as authentic as possible in the content they create on your behalf.
In other words, try not to be too prescriptive about what you expect them to create. All the influencer needs to know is what messages you want them to get across. After that, as far as possible, the influencer should have almost total creative control. Remember, there’s a reason you want to work with them, and that is the loyal following they have built up, which in turn is a product of the content they create. So, having hired them, let them do their thing. Don’t kill the creative spark you hired them for.
Communication is key
In addition to communicating campaign goals to the influencers/creators you work with, it’s vital to share the timeline with them, and to set realistic deadlines for the content they are creating. If the influencer activity forms part of a bigger campaign, and you need the content on a particular schedule in order to prepare creative assets for other channels, make sure this is shared with the influencer at the planning stage. Our own research found that 44% of influencers cite unrealistic content deadlines as a reason for breaking off a partnership.
Prepare a detailed brief that includes deliverables, with deadlines, building in time for approvals and possible amendments. And take responsibility for managing the timeline throughout, keeping in regular contact with the influencer to check on the progress of content in order to prevent delays and identify any pain points.
Think long-term
As with many things in life, long-term brand/influencer partnerships will always deliver better results than one-off campaigns. So when you first engage with an influencer, be realistic about your expectations, and make it clear to them that you are looking to work together on an ongoing basis. The promise of a regular flow of work – and income – will encourage the influencer to produce great work that hits all your campaign objectives.
Payment is another factor that you can use to engender commitment and loyalty among the influencers you work with. Offering incentives, such as performance-related bonuses, will motivate influencers to give their all and produce their best work, which will deliver better results for the brand. In our experience, both brands and influencers prefer this type of hybrid payment model.
Keep it compelling
The consumer trend away from advertising and towards influencer recommendations as a way to research new products and services they are interested in shows no signs of abating.
To leverage it to maximum effect, look to build long-term relationships with the influencers you work with; treat them just as you would any other marketing partner, sharing your goals and aspirations with them, but giving them the freedom to express themselves; and keep the lines of communication open with them throughout campaigns to ensure that deadlines are hit and expectations met.
This way, you will build up a network of influencers who are motivated to do their best work for you and create compelling content on your behalf.
Also published in: Modern Retail
