5 Techniques of Influencer Marketing That Can Help You Grow

Successful brands across the world have tried to tap into the illusive power of word-of-mouth advertising. The reason that this form of marketing communication is so effective is that the target consumer implicitly trusts the media of communication. Brand endorsement from a person of trust is a powerful motivator for the consumer. This principle is at the heart of any good influencer marketing strategy.  There have been issues with influencer marketing because, like any other form of marketing, it has been used incorrectly by brands. Surveys, however, indicate that influencer marketing strategies can earn up to $5.781 for every dollar spent on them.  So, to get your influencer marketing strategy right or even hire a social media marketing expert, it is important to understand a few things about influencer marketing. 

Evolution of Influencer Marketing 

The types of media people have been consuming have changed due to the digital revolution.  Television and print media were a one-way form of communication. Social media is an interactive form of communication. Social media marketing evolved with audience engagement at its core. It is here that influencers are the most effective. 

Influencers build a loyal following by offering something of personal value to their audiences. Their offerings could be life hacks, information analysis, humor or personal experiences.  Thus, the audience has a personal connection with the influencer they follow. Since influencers endorse brands as a part of their content creation process, it can be effective in addressing multiple challenges that social media marketing poses. 

Current status of Social Media Marketing 

Almost all brands, big and small now maintain a social media presence. The reason, 81%2 of consumers in America are on social media regularly. Social media, as we mentioned before has changed the very nature of the interaction between brands and their consumers. However, this proverbial marketing paradise is not without its challenges. 

You cannot scroll down a social media channel without stumbling upon some marketing content. This overload of advertising is countered by the consumer by using ad blockers and pop-up blockers. The consumer’s minds too filter out the marketing content and focus on the content that truly interests them. The information overload on social media has turned social media marketing into an engagement challenge. 

There are five core challenges that an influencer helps you overcome in your social media marketing plan. To tap into the complete potential of influencer marketing it is important to follow a certain path while making your influencer marketing strategy.

Influencer Marketing Checklist 

Define your goals

Set empirical targets to achieve with a predefined budget for your social media team. Clear branding objectives will help you select influencers and give them a clear brief about the brand’s expectations of them. 

Your campaign should echo your objectives

The campaign that you roll out should refer to your branding objectives at every stage. Influencers are a part of the social media campaign, and their influence needs to be backed by other activities your brand does on social media.   

Make a list of relevant influencers 

Every industry has its own set of influencers. Influencers can impact both B2C and B2B campaigns. Ask your social media team to make a list of influencers and analyze their channels before selecting them. It’s important to know what your influencers can or cannot do. 

Be flexible with your influencer marketing strategy

One of the greatest advantages of digital media is the detailed feedback and analytics that you receive. Use the data in your hands to fine-tune your strategy. Make sure that the brand develops loyalty through your campaign. 

Hire a social media marketing expert

Hire a Social media marketing will always be one part of your overall marketing strategy and business plans. Social media is a versatile field with the rules of the game constantly evolving. It is best to hire a social media manager who will keep you abreast with changing rules and help you execute your branding strategy. 

 The influencer checklist should help you keep your marketing strategy on track with your goals. You can then effectively deploy your influencers to ensure the following benefits for your brand. The benefits you seek should guide you in your choice of influencers. 

Gain visibility  

Influencer marketing is perfect to increase the visibility of your products and services. The influencers reach out to their network of followers and guide them to your website or other digital marketing assets. The increasing traffic can be used by the brand to engage with the TG further. This is equally effective for both B2B and B2C marketing. The interest generated by the influencers should be used to further the strategic objectives of your overall branding campaign.

Gain trust 

You can use influencer marketing to build trust with your TG. The choice of influencers matters here the most. If your strategic objective is to build trust, then you have to pick your choice of influencers carefully. Despite being a paid activity, certain influencers inspire more trust than others. Use that trust to honestly promote your brand and build a deeper connection with your TG. 

Gain Reach and Leads 

You can use Influencer Marketing to expand your business into new markets. Established SMEs need to grow out of their comfort zone into new areas for business. Influencer marketing is a great way to increase your reach. It can have a direct impact on your sales and help your sales team achieve their targets.

Gain accessibility 

There is an ongoing war between advertisers and ad blockers on the internet. Ad-blockers create an uneven playing field with SMEs at the losing end. Influencers add your advertising content to their core content. This leads to a democratization of access to the TG. You can move around every ad-blocking technology using influencer marketing strategies.  

Gain better returns 

Influencer marketing by its very nature ensures massive exposure for your brand. You can reach millions of people through a trustworthy source. Therefore, it has the potential to give you massive returns, much greater when compared to other forms of advertising. 

Add Influencer marketing to your overall marketing strategy as a strength booster. Use this new, effective tool to communicate your brand message across the market. 

Make sure your marketing communication gets the space on the various social media platforms they deserve. Be a step ahead of the competition by getting the highest ROIs using influencer marketing.