What is Influencer Marketing?. Influencer marketing has become an… | by Scott Forde | May, 2023

Influencer marketing has become an increasingly popular buzzword in the digital world. You may hear the term popping up in articles and social media platforms, but what does it really mean? The digital marketing industry has taken this concept and run with it — for good reason. In this article, we will explore the concept of influencer marketing to get a better understanding of what it entails and how it can be a highly effective marketing tool.

As consumers increasingly rely upon the opinions and recommendations of their fellow person, brands have been looking for new and creative ways to better connect with their base. When it comes to making purchasing decisions, consumers want to feel informed, validated, and engaged. This is where influencer marketing comes in.

You may be wondering what the term influencer marketing encompasses and how companies can utilize this technique. Influencer marketing is a type of digital marketing technique that uses individual online creators with a decently large following to promote a brand or product. These creators are also known as influencers.

These influencers have worked to develop a significant following of loyal and engaged fans. This follower base is then more likely to value the opinions and recommendations of the influencer. Companies can use this dynamic to create more relatable and easily consumable promotional content. Influencers can connect in a more meaningful way than a traditionally formatted advertisement can, and this is why influencer marketing is so highly effective.

Influencer marketing can take many forms, some more subtle than others. For example, sponsored posts, product reviews, and social media takeovers are the more explicit and upfront formats for a digital partnership. The goal of these examples is to tap into the influencer’s network directly and leverage their reach to promote your brand. This way your specific product or service can reach a much wider audience in a relatively short amount of time.

One of the biggest reasons for the immense popularity and efficacy of influencer marketing is the fact that it allows brands to connect with consumers in a more meaningful, authentic way. As time goes on, marketing techniques have had to evolve to keep up with public opinion and values. It’s clear that consumers today put significantly more importance on the idea of authenticity. If a brand lacks awareness and appears disingenuous to the public, their likely to face backlash and see their sales suffer.

Unlike traditional advertising, which can feel intrusive or spammy, influencer marketing feels more like a recommendation from a friend that you can trust. This can have a hugely positive impact on your brand’s credibility and online reputation. Potential customers will receive a better first impression than your brand might have been able to achieve on its own. This can easily lead to increased brand awareness and improved sales.

Additionally, influencer marketing offers a level of targeting that traditional advertising cannot achieve alone. By partnering with influencers who have amassed a following that matches your target demographic, you’re immediately reaching an audience that is more engaged. This audience is much more likely to then take action on your message.

1. Identify Your Objectives

What do you hope to achieve through an influencer marketing campaign? Is it building brand awareness, generating leads, or driving direct sales? Having a clear goal in mind is important before you even start making concrete plans. Understanding what you want to achieve can help you more effectively organize your strategy and decide the type of content and influencer you’d like to work with for your campaign.

2. Find the Right Influencers

Once you’ve identified your objectives, it’s time to start looking for influencers with which your brand can partner. It’s important to seek out influencers that align with your brand’s values and have garnered your target audience. Some tools you can use to find influencers include social media platforms, representative agencies, and influencer marketing platforms like Upfluence and AspireIQ.

3. Plan Your Campaign

Now that you’ve acquired the essential influencer partnerships that you need, it’s time to draw up a solid campaign plan. This will include crucial steps like setting a budget, defining the scope of work, outlining key deliverables, scripting, developing contracts, and more. This part will undoubtedly be an integral part of the process and it can most definitely be time-consuming. It’s important to get it right because a sturdy, well-developed plan could lead to a potentially immeasurable reward.

4. Track and Measure Results

After you’ve launched your campaign, it’s vital that your team takes the steps to properly track the incoming metrics. This can include metrics such as engagement, reach, and conversion rates. Compiling this data allows you access to actionable insights that you can apply to future campaigns. Staying in the know about what works and what doesn’t will save you time and money for your next launch. It will also lead to improved results and higher success rates in your next partnerships.

Influencer marketing is a powerful way to reach and engage with your desired audience in a uniquely authentic way. The capabilities of influencer marketing campaigns are something that we haven’t seen before with traditional advertising formats. Whether you’re a small business or a large corporation, partnering with influencers can help you build brand awareness, drive sales, and achieve your marketing goals more efficiently than ever before.