Improving Your Influencer Marketing Campaigns

Best Practices on How to Improve Your Influencer Marketing Campaign

It’s no secret that influencer marketing is extremely effective. Statistics show that influencer marketing plays a pivotal role in increasing brand awareness and generating revenue. Although it holds its fair share of challenges, with fake followers being the main concern of 42% of marketers, this industry still continues to evolve and grow.

Last year’s statistics indicated that almost half of consumers rely on influencers’ product recommendations before purchasing anything, while businesses that implemented influencer campaigns experienced an ROI of 520%.

Consumers’ demand for authenticity and transparency has prompted brands to invest in this type of strategy. Many experienced marketers are starting  to collaborate with influencers who are experts in their niches, in order to expand their market reach. Fashion and beauty brands are among the most popular industries for influencers. Brands that target a younger demographic tend to launch their campaigns on Instagram and YouTube, where most users spend their time online.

As a marketer, it’s important to know who to trust when considering an influencer campaign as your next marketing effort. Here are a few ways to improve your influencer marketing campaign.

Consider a Long-Term Commitment with an Influencer

Marketers today are investing more in long-term influencer partnerships due to the many benefits it can bring to their business. Some of these benefits include wider reach, better engagement, and more optimized content co-creation between brands and marketers. 

Influencers who have partnered with a brand for more than one project already know the effective ways to promote a product on their chosen platform. They can even experiment with different types of content without losing their distinct style and tone, all while staying true to the brand’s objectives.

A long-term partnership, complete with a contract or agreement, also protects both parties and saves them from the hassle of not meeting content deadlines and payment timelines, as well as going overboard with the influencer marketing budget, among many others.

Produce High-Quality Video Content

Video has long been considered an excellent marketing tool as it engages wide audiences. YouTube, for instance, is a massively popular platform used by many influencers to create product reviews and share day-to-day experiences. Based on a 2018 influencer-statistics report published by Forbes, YouTube influencers earned nearly $200 million that year. Clearly, the popularity of videos is not something to be taken lightly. Instagram also plays a major role.

Aside from YouTube, social networks have also introduced various video features such as Instagram Stories, IGTV, Facebook Stories, to name a few. Making use of these features is proven to draw more attention and drive interaction. Wildleaf, for example, a skincare brand with a cult following, uses Instagram Stories to share product users’ skincare journey and before-and-after photos, resulting in an upswing of engagement activity.

Brands can take advantage of these influencer-friendly features by encouraging their influencers to create relevant video content like a short clip of their skincare routine or an IG story that promotes contests and giveaways.

Improve Engagement with a Micro-Influencer

Even the most experienced marketers can sometimes be deceived by an influencer’s huge follower count. This is one of the common influencer-marketing mistakes — overlooking an influencer’s level of engagement activity.

Micro-influencers have a smaller follower count compared to celebrities and macro-influencers, but they deliver a higher engagement rate. Collaborating with this type of influencer is a great way to target a specific market.

In addition, micro-influencers are more relatable than those with massive followings, making it easier for their followers to reach out to them, leave comments on their posts, and participate in discussions on industry-related subjects. Leveraging micro-influencers has the potential to boost your brand’s credibility and overall reputation, which could result in increased engagement and more conversions.

Encourage Content Co-Creation

Generating backlash over an influencer campaign or post that sounds unnatural or forced is something that you should definitely avoid. Prevent this kind of situation from happening by establishing a meaningful, collaborative relationship with the influencer you chose to partner with. Instead of completely interfering with their distinct tones, communicate your goals clearly and be open to suggestions.

There are many reasons why influencers are able to gain a cult following in their respective niches. Some of these include their knowledge of the industry, unique styles, and ability to engage their audience. It would be easier to work with influencers who genuinely love your brand. So lay out the campaign specifics, let them express their creativity, and give them the compensation they deserve.

Launch an Influencer Marketing Campaign for a Cause

Try launching a campaign that inspires change. The role of the influencer is very important in this type of campaign as they serve as a digital promoter for a specific cause. As a marketer or business owner, you should choose an ideal influencer to effectively convey your brand’s message and drive people to take action. 

Moreover, launching a campaign that promotes social responsibility can do wonders for your brand’s credibility.

Measure Your Campaign’s Success

Monitoring the number of shares, likes, and comments on your posts, as well as the website traffic data, will give you a rundown on how many people your campaign has reached. For accurate data, use influencer analytic tools to measure the key performance indicators (KPIs).

A wider reach doesn’t always translate to an increase in return on investment, so take the time to gather the data, analyze it, and calculate your ROI by comparing the sales performance from your past campaigns with the one you just recently launched.

Keeping track of your campaign allows you to analyze the user activity in your target market. You will discover users’ purchasing habits and activities, and ultimately make informed adjustments if you don’t see an upswing in results.

Final Thoughts

Like any strategy, influencer marketing comes with its fair share of challenges, and it requires careful planning, testing, execution, and experimentation. But once you finally establish what works for your brand, and the influencer you’re collaborating with, the combined efforts can produce an outcome that will benefit your business in the long run.

Want to dive deeper into the world of influencer marketing? Check out SBG’s 80+ influencer marketing statistics infographic, and our influencer marketing guide to increasing sales.

Author Bio

Andriana Moskovska is proud to call herself SmallBizGenius’s community manager. Her mission is simple: to connect small business owners with the best tools and resources to help them thrive. When she’s not working, Andriana likes to go for walks with her two pet dachshunds and binge-watch documentaries, usually not at the same time.