Influencers are everywhere, aren’t they? In fact, there are more than 64 million influencer accounts on Instagram, worldwide. There is an almost endless range of influencers posting content every day, and it can be overwhelming. With so many influencers to choose from, there’s a huge opportunity for brands to collaborate with someone who is quite literally perfect for their brand. From micro to macro, finding the ideal influencers who align with your brand's voice and values is essential for reaching your target audience effectively.
When selecting influencers, the first step is getting a feel for their content. Is it shot well? Is the engagement looking legit? Are they working with other brands? These considerations are essential to the very first step of influencer marketing; the vibe check (we can’t believe we just said that either). Essentially, it’s understanding whether they are at their core, in line with your brand and the accompanying values.
It’s also worth bearing in mind the type of influencer you want to work with. The two most common forms of influencer are micro and macro; each at the opposite end of the social media scale, but neither trumping the other for results. Micro-influencers, with smaller but highly engaged follower bases, can offer a more intimate and genuine connection with their audience. Meanwhile, macro-influencers have a wider reach and can provide more visibility for your brand.
To maximise the impact of your influencer campaign, you must ensure that the influencers you choose resonate with your target audience and share your brand's voice. Whether it's through lifestyle, fashion, or technology, partnering with influencers who genuinely believe in and use your products or services adds credibility and trust to your brand.
So, let’s delve into the importance of matching your brand voice, utilising appropriate influencers, and leveraging their authentic presence to boost your brand's online presence.
Understanding influencer marketing
Influencers have become the driving force behind many successful marketing strategies. In fact, a study showed that a whopping 93% of marketers have used influencer marketing, and 61% of consumers trust influencers’ recommendations. That’s some serious influence.
The most common form of influencer marketing is product advertisement. This works particularly well for a visual medium like social media because there’s something physical to show. As a result, the content produced is absolutely stunning and makes your offering irresistible. While service-based products are also advertised with influencers, it can often take a more specific brief to achieve the same top-quality results.
At Modern Classic, we set objectives for influencer marketing using one of the following outcomes.
Increase in followers
This is ideal for brands that use social media as a main avenue of marketing, which is very common. Building a loyal following on your own social media account puts you in direct contact with your customers and gives you endless opportunities to convert them into loyal lovers of your brand and product.
It’s also a great way to provide easy customer service! Don’t you hate it when you try and talk to a company and you just get chatbots? Well, social media is a sure way to rectify any complaints and reward loyalty.
Driving traffic to your website
Getting traffic to a website is pretty much every marketer’s goal. After all, more traffic means more sales, right? Kind of. The beauty of social media is that it attracts interest from potential customers who are genuinely interested in your offering - not just vanity metrics.
So, while a 10,000% boost in site traffic may sound great, it’s useless if it means nothing. With influencer marketing, you’ll bring a more concentrated number of genuine customers.
A rise in leads and enquiries
This is absolutely ideal for any business offering a service. As mentioned, influencers and services can be tricky to match. The content is trickier to shoot and the audience is often far more niche.
Thankfully, that’s not a blocker - it just means the concentration of quality is higher. When aiming to increase leads and enquiries, we drill down into the leading voices in the industry to communicate directly with your target audience.
Building a bank of beautiful content
Did you know that all campaigns from Modern Classic Digital come with reuse rights across all marketing channels? That means any content that you receive from influencers can be repurposed on your website, social media, e-commerce, and much more!
This is a fantastic solution as an influencer marketing campaign often costs roughly the same as a professional photo shoot… so why not get the visual assets and sell some product at the same time? It’s a win-win!
The power of influencer marketing
So how come influencer marketing is so powerful? Well, open up Instagram and scroll through your feed. We’ll go ahead and agree that it’s a mix of organic and paid content. Some posts from friends you follow, some posts from brands you follow, and then a few ads in there too. The interesting thing about influencer marketing is that your friends and brands are actually being used as a vehicle for ‘organic’ advertisement. Weird concept, but it’s true!
The power of influencer marketing lies in its ability to create a genuine connection with the target audience. Unlike traditional advertising, which can often feel forced or inauthentic, influencer marketing allows brands to seamlessly integrate their products or services into the influencer's content. This approach creates a more natural and relatable experience for the audience, leading to higher engagement and trust.
Influencers have built their following based on their expertise, personality, and ability to connect with their audience. They have established themselves as trusted sources of information and inspiration, making their recommendations and endorsements highly influential. By partnering with the right influencers, brands can leverage this trust and tap into the influencer's influence to promote their products or services effectively.
Types of influencers
As we mentioned earlier, there are two main categories: micro-influencers and macro-influencers. Micro-influencers are individuals with a smaller but highly engaged follower base, typically ranging from a few thousand to a hundred thousand followers. They often focus on specific niches or industries and have a more intimate connection with their audience.
Micro-influencers are known for their authenticity and relatability. Their smaller following allows them to engage with their audience on a personal level, fostering a sense of trust and loyalty. Their recommendations and endorsements carry weight because their followers perceive them as genuine and knowledgeable.
On the other hand, macro-influencers have a larger following, often in the hundreds of thousands or millions. They have gained popularity due to their expertise, celebrity status, or unique content. Macro-influencers can provide brands with a wider reach and visibility. Their endorsements can reach a vast audience and generate significant exposure for a brand.
Identifying your target audience
Identifying your target audience is crucial, and has many benefits past influencer marketing. Understanding who your ideal customers are will help you choose influencers who can effectively reach and resonate with them. Consider factors such as age, gender, location, interests, and behaviour to create a detailed buyer persona.
By understanding your target audience, you can narrow down the pool of potential influencers to those who have a similar demographic and interest overlap. This alignment will ensure that your influencer campaign reaches the right people and generates the desired results.
Finding the right influencers for your brand
Once you have identified your target audience and set your goals, it's time to find the right influencers for your brand. Start by researching influencers in your niche or industry. Look for individuals who create content that aligns with your brand's voice, values, and aesthetics.
Consider factors such as the influencer's engagement rate, content quality, and authenticity. Look for influencers who have a genuine connection with their audience and create content that resonates with them. This authenticity will help ensure that their endorsement of your brand feels natural and genuine, further strengthening the trust and credibility of your brand.
Evaluating influencer credibility and engagement
When evaluating potential influencers, it's essential to go beyond their follower count. Look for influencers who have a high engagement rate, meaning their followers actively like, comment, and share their content. High engagement indicates that the influencer has built a loyal and engaged audience who values their opinion and recommendations.
Additionally, consider the influencer's credibility within their niche or industry. Do they have a track record of working with reputable brands? Are they seen as an authority in their field? Partnering with influencers who have established themselves as trusted sources of information will lend credibility to your brand and enhance the effectiveness of your influencer campaign.
Tracking and measuring influencer marketing success
To measure the success of your influencer marketing campaign, it's crucial to track and analyse key performance metrics. These metrics may include reach, engagement, website traffic, and sales conversion. Use tracking tools and analytics to monitor the impact of your influencer collaborations and make data-driven decisions for future campaigns.
Regularly communicate with the influencers you partner with to gather feedback and insights. This collaboration will not only help you optimise your current campaign but also build long-term relationships with influencers who align with your brand's values.
Final thoughts
Are influencers for everybody? At Modern Classic, we think so. We’ve run influencer campaigns for coffee specialists, beer breweries, and much more. We’ve seen the results of influencers first-hand and know that the outcomes leave our clients absolutely beaming.
If you have a product or service that you want to show to thousands of people, just get in touch and we’ll make it true. At Modern Classic, we make influence iconic.
P.S. Ever considered layering influencer marketing with off-site link building and on-site blog content? It’s the holy trinity that truly makes you online royalty.
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