How to Set Up the Right Influencer Marketing Campaign for Your Business

It doesn’t matter what size or even what type of business you own, influencer marketing can be a huge benefit to you. If you think about it, famous people have been selling things to the masses for years, whether through commercials or print ads. Influencers just represent a new age of celebrity, and compared to traditional celebrities or commercial actors, social media influencers are actually seen as much more relatable to the average consumer.

In fact, data from MuseFind shows 92% of consumers trust an influencer more than an advertisement or traditional celebrity endorsement. I mean come on, do you really think Jennifer Anniston colors her hair with an at-home box dye kit? ????

Influencers are seen as more trustworthy because they post real thoughts and moments from their daily lives, so their followers actually build a virtual relationship with them, so much so that many would consider themselves to be virtual friends!

Okay that’s all good and well, but what does it mean for your business?

Why You Should Work With An Influencer

Influencers can…

• Build your brand’s following
• Increase your credibility
• Bring in more sales, new leads, and conversions

Okay that sounds intriguing…

6 Steps to The Perfect Influencer Partnership

So how do you actually BEGIN to work with influencers? We have 6 simple steps to get you well on your way!

1. Determine Campaign Goals

What are you trying to accomplish by working with an influencer? Brand awareness? Increase product sales? Encourage more user generated content? Before you can properly choose an influencer to represent your brand, you need to know exactly what you want your business to be known for and what you want to accomplish with your campaign.

2. Define Your Campaign Audience

What kind of audience are you trying to reach? It’s important to learn about and identify the exact type of customer you’re going after to help you determine what type of content and which influencer will best appeal to them. You likely know exactly who your target audience is, but you may need to dig a little deeper to understand what type of media your audience is consuming. You want your target audience to align with the influencer’s following.

3. Set Your Budget and Choose An Influencer Type

There are So. Many. Different. types of influencers on social media today, all with completely different followings. There are macro-influencers like actors or Youtubers who have MASSIVE followings, but if you’re not one of the few companies that can afford the $500,000 Kim Kardashashian reportedly charges for an Instagram post, there are other plenty of other options for you! There are also micro-influencers (i.e. stay-at-home moms who share their favorite life hacks with a couple thousand followers). Each type of influencer has its own benefits. So if you’re struggling to get responses from celebrities/influencers, or if they’re asking for more money than you have in the budget, micro-influencers can be a great option for you. In fact, they’re just as or even more effective because of the trust they’ve built with their following and their dedication to building a larger audience. Working with a micro-influencer also allows you to test multiple markets at once to see which get the best ROI. (You can also check out our blog on how to choose the right micro-influencer for tips on getting started.)

4. Choose Your Influencer & Review Their Work

After you find an influencer that works for your brand, take time to look over their page and try to get to know them. Look at what they are posting for other brands to make sure it’s high-quality and they keep their end of other deals they make! Then begin liking, commenting, and replying to their posts to get them familiar with your brand at least a few weeks before you message them. Make sure to include a unique message that directly references things they’ve posted in the past. Some influencers are being bombarded with hundreds of messages a day so you’ve got to find a way to stand out.

5. Finalize Campaign Expectations With Your Influencer

Alright, you did it. You have an influencer and they’ve agreed to post for you! You’re done, right? Unfortunately, not quite. You should be friendly, open to suggestions, but also be extremely clear what your expectations are for the campaign. (Pro Tip: get it in writing and have them sign it!) There’s nothing worse than spending weeks trying to find an influencer and then their post goes out with incorrect or insufficient information about your brand. Or even worse, they never even post (It happens A LOT unfortunately). Don’t forget to thank, compensate, and support your influencer’s posts even after the campaign is over! This helps to build trust with them to keep doors open in the future.

6. Measure Your Results

You’re almost done! Lastly, it’s a great idea to measure your results and determine the level of success you had in reaching your audience with the help of that influencer. How many people did it reach? How many of those people followed your brand after seeing the post? Did the campaign bring in conversions? If the influencer’s reach went above your expectations, make sure to let them know and show your gratitude! If it didn’t meet your expectations, it’s okay! Just take that information and let it guide your decisions going forward about who you choose to work with.

Final Thoughts

OK, so maybe it’s not THAT simple. Influencer marketing requires a lot of time and well thought out planning, but the ROI can be well worth it. If you need help, we’re always here for a one-on-one strategy session. Hit us up here.