With the growth of social media celebrities in recent years, influencer marketing has expanded. This form of marketing is far more effective than it appears, which is why many small businesses use influencer marketing strategies.
If you want to improve your Influencer marketing skills, it’s time to let go of your ties to the way things used to be and start learning from those who have done it well.
Let’s look at 6 insights from influencer marketing regarding your small business as a photographer, designer, or artist.
Importance of online relationships
It’s all too easy to get carried away in the internet marketing numbers game, speaking about likes and shares. But, in the end, what do these indicate?
They’re good indicators that you’re reaching out to a large audience. These statistics can even come close to defining what that influence is bringing you as part of an influencer marketing strategy.
Whether or not an influencer is involved, the purpose of any content marketing strategy is to show and deliver value to your audience.
The term “customer value” is a bit misleading. In some circumstances, it could imply giving a tangible advantage to the customer. In other cases, it could mean putting a value on the consumer, motivating them to participate actively in the campaign.
In either case, the idea is to establish a relationship with the audience by emphasizing the client rather than the product. Influencers are beneficial in this regard. For starters, their already-established reputation gives a business an edge over competitors in driving interaction.
Reconsider your approach since influencers are your medium to the target audience, treat them with respect, include them in your post, send handwritten cards, and trust in their abilities.
Furthermore, because the influencer is the guardian of an engaged community of fans, a campaign is more likely to generate quantitative interaction beyond a like or share.
Consider the “#mycalvins” campaign by Calvin Klein, which launched in February 2014 and is still holding strong with:
- 469 million individuals were reached globally, with 23.5 million fan interactions.
- Increased social fanbases by 2.2 million, 1.8 million, and 1 million individuals, respectively, on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
- During the first year, 100,000 user submissions were received, and a microsite was dedicated to exhibiting the finest of them.
A larger audience isn’t always the correct option
It’s not the number of an influencer’s followers that matters when finding the proper fit for a company. In reality, as the number of followers grows, the chances of audience interaction decrease. That sounds reasonable: it’s difficult for a user to connect with an influencer when they’re among millions of other people.
In a survey of over five million Instagram posts, the researchers discovered that users with 1,000 followers or less have an 8% like rate on posts. But, of course, likes don’t matter, as stated in the preceding section. Therefore they don’t matter in terms of a campaign’s efficiency.
However, as the minimum standard of user participation, the social like is a good indicator of the engagement ceiling – the point at which interactions will reach their limit. And as the size of a particular following base grows, so does the number of interactions.
The percentage reduces to 4% when users reach 1,000 to 10,000 followers. This downward trend continues: influencers with more than 10 million followers see their like rates decline to 1.6%.
Brands want more profound relationships with influencers
Many customers are becoming skilled at recognizing sponsored influencer efforts and don’t have problems rejecting an influencer that appears untrustworthy.
Most brands are shifting away from one-off campaigns and forming influencer networks and ambassador programs. That is because they want to sustain genuine influencer connections and keep those devoted, high-performing influencers in their inner circles.
Influencer fraud is still a major problem. More than 50% of the marketers polled were concerned about the trustworthiness of their followers. Creating a brand ambassador program composed of thoroughly verified influencers who proved professionalism and affection for the business is a good method to maintain brand safety.
Brands can benefit by paying attention to campaign performance statistics and determining which influencers consumers respond to the most. This approach will grow easier as more data becomes accessible, and small businesses (photographers, designers) will rapidly discover the ideal candidates for programs.
The popularity of video content is rising
More and more people are watching online videos. TikTok and Instagram Reels (introduced in August), in addition to well-known platforms like Facebook and YouTube, are fueling users’ desires for video content.
Live footage, in particular, has risen in popularity. For example, the number of Facebook users viewing live video in the United States grew by 50% in the first months of the pandemic, forcing the site to provide new options to help video creators.
Brands may improve the originality and appeal of their feeds by allowing influencers to make their own content. Even if they’re not precisely created or trimmed, authentic and genuine videos build a significant connection than scripted ones.
TikTok is becoming a social platform leader
While Instagram remains the most popular platform for influencer marketing, TikTok’s users are gaining traction. In a poll of 200 marketing professionals, TikTok was named the ideal medium for influencer marketing efforts by more than 30% of the respondents.
Users appreciate the platform’s easy-to-watch, creative films, and brands love how easily their content can reach a large audience. Meanwhile, TikTok’s user base is still growing, with around 850 million monthly active users.
Advertising on TikTok is more casual that is well-suited to pandemic life, where many people appear to seek connection and realism. By incorporating your influencer partners’ ideas for using this platform and adding diversity and human interest to your entire marketing plan, you can develop informal, funny, and honest interactions. Make sure you understand how to search for people on TikTok so you can shorten the time needed to find ideal influencers.
Generating quality influencer content
Authenticity is a vital feature of good influencer marketing material. It’s important to remember that collaborating with influencers is a collective approach. Brands must be responsive to the influencer’s unique style and feedback rather than pushing their concepts or ideas on them.
Whether it’s an article, photo, or a social media video, such content should genuinely reflect the brand. While providing key messages is a good starting place, the focus should be on giving the influencer a realistic experience with the product. With such an approach, influencers can weave it into their content spontaneously.
Monitor how influencers handle their duties and work connections as the last advice for working with them. Unresponsive or disagreeable influencers can cause you more trouble and cost you more money in the long run.
Conclusion
As you can see, the influencer marketing technique changes traditional marketing methods immensely. You don’t spend much time marketing a brand or a product personally. You don’t directly promote to the people you want to be your customers.
The most renowned people aren’t always the best choices for marketers. You won’t be successful just because you’re able to reach millions of people through multiple channels. It’s not unfamiliar territory, and with these tips, you’ll be better prepared to navigate it.
About the author
David Wachs is the founder and CEO of Handwrytten – Handwriting Services for Brands. David is also a frequent speaker on messaging technology and has presented for the Direct Marketing Association, South By Southwest, and others.
