Everything you need to know about influencer marketing
The need for brands to live in the digital landscape is becoming ever crucial, but it’s even more important for brands to know which aspects of digital they can leverage to benefit their brand.
One is the biggest playing fields for any brand is social media. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter and consistently coming up with new features that can bring your brand greater relevance, engagement and interest.
One of the simplest ways for a brand to play on social media effectively is by using influencers.
People who essentially know how to engage followers and generate interest in an authentic way. It’s essentially the digital version of ‘word-of-mouth’.
But let’s break down these influencers into their two major categories.
MICRO-INFLUENCERS
Micro-influencers have proved to be more effective on social media because they are perceived as ‘normal people’.
They tend to have less than 10K followers and are known for their great aesthetic profiles on Instagram. They lean towards an image that speaks to lifestyle, fashion and travel which draws in their followers.
But what makes micro-influencers a brand’s greatest asset is that they’re seen as believable, trustworthy and makes a brand seem more attainable.
MACRO-INFLUENCERS
Macro-influencers are celebrities or individuals with over a 100K following that are considered to be “Instafamous”.
They create great appeal but can cause a disconnect with their audience in the sense that they create a grand lifestyle that is ‘out-of-reach’ for the average person, so often the products associated with macro-influencers tend to have the same effect.
However, a partnership with a macro-influencer is guaranteed to get your product great visibility and awareness. Probably more than a TV ad would now days so, if you’re launching a new range or a brand-new product, rather put that budget into digital where there’s a bigger chance for your audience to see it.
But if you don’t have a big budget, rather partner up with multiple micro-influencers through platforms like indaHash. Micro-influencers get paid like $3 per post or more depending on how big their following is.
ONLINE ENGAGEMENT
According to Social Media Today, the authentic feel of a micro-influencer draws in more engagement and gains greater brand recall. Plus, I believe it gives brands a more realistic view of the product’s performance online.
When you use a macro-influencer such as Kylie Jenner, you’ll never be sure if the audience is double-tapping her post just because it comes from her account, the appeal of the production behind the post, because they’re a fan or if they genuinely like the product.
It will be difficult to tell. But with a micro-influencer, you strip away those factors and are able to get a better judgment of your product’s performance.
WHEN TO USE A MICRO-INFLUENCER?
- When a budget is tight
- When the brand recall is more important than awareness
- When you’re launching a new product or range
- When you don’t have the resources to manage an influencer campaign.
(Most micro-influencer platforms will do the admin for you.)
QUESTIONS TO ASK
- Will you have exclusive rights to the images posted with your product or will you have to pay extra for those rights?
HOW TO LAUNCH A MICRO-INFLUENCER CAMPAIGN
To successfully launch a micro-influencer campaign, you need a good brief. It should cover the basics and not be overly complicated. When brands overcomplicate the brief, micro-influencers are less motivated to engage with a brand and promote it on their platform.
The basics:
- Brand background/purpose of the campaign
- Name the product that micro-influencers should use
- A brief overview of what they should say about it
- List any hashtags, call to actions and links they should use.
(Some influencers put links in bio if they can’t put it in their posts) - List any major no’s for the brand
E.g. If your brand is going anti-plastic, it will be important to ask your influencers not to use any plastic products, containers or etc in their post.
ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS
Consumers online are known to be eagle-eyed, which means they can spot a paid partnership a mile away. To keep posts as authentic as possible, let micro-influencers use their creativity to tell your brand’s message.
i.e. If your brief asks influencers to post a flat-lay pic that incorporates your product but that flat-lay doesn’t follow their ‘insta-aesthetic’, their followers are less likely to believe the post and influencers are likely to delete the post after they’ve been paid to post it. (Check the T&C’s with your influencer platform about this.)
At the end of the day, you should have the final say on which posts get approved but check with your platform too.
For additional assistance with your influencer campaign contact Ayvel Media.