It’s undeniable: influencer marketing leads the pack as the most effective marketing strategy for brands today. After all, there’s nothing more persuasive than seeing someone you admire using and enjoying certain products.
Influencer marketing is…
“…a type of marketing that focuses on using key leaders to drive your brand’s message to the larger market. Rather than marketing directly to a large group of consumers, you instead inspire / hire / pay influencers to get out the word for you.”
Seems pretty simple, right? Well, kind of.
When deployed strategically, this marketing niche forms an incredibly effective part of a company’s marketing mix. However, it takes careful thought and manpower to get an influencer campaign off the ground without a hitch.
Influencer campaigns come in all forms
Of course, there’s no one single way to guarantee that a campaign will work out according to plan. Instead, the “perfect” campaign is heavily dependent on the brand that the content is created for in the first place. The strategies, formats, and industries may change from campaign to campaign, but one thing about influencer marketing stands true: it’s always unique. Check out these real-world success stories:
Pala Casino Resort and Spa
Brands from all sorts of backgrounds use influencers to boost their marketing efforts, and casinos are no different. This upscale spa and casino tapped Instagram influencers to produce beautiful, stylized shots promoting their resort — and it worked! In total, the influencers had a combined reach of 28 million people and generated over 1,000 new Facebook likes for the resort.
ThredUP
Influencer campaigns don’t always revolve around static photos for the ‘gram. Video testimonials, reviews, and hauls also form a vital part of an effective marketing strategy. A good example is ThredUP which partnered with Reelio to create influencer videos. The result? Over 2 million impressions! Pretty crazy, right?
Want to become an influencer?
If you’re a digital creative, then this has surely got you thinking. Do I have what it takes to become an influencer? With the help of numerous platforms to help get your feet wet, there’s no need to worry.
Even if you’re concerned over your follower count, some of these services don’t even require members to have a large following to get started! These are viable options even for newbies who are just starting their first campaigns with affiliate brands.
Take note how the following companies make use of social influencer campaigns:
AmbassadHer
AmbassadHer partners with brands that offer campaign opportunities for creatives at all stages of influence. While not all of their campaigns are paid — some of them are just classic trades with products in exchange for posts — the AmbassadHer network remains a good source for influencers to find brand partnerships.
Social Native
Social Native is another platform that connects brands with influencers to come up with user-generated content. They’re a marketing powerhouse who also have the case studies to back them up. They are a skilled liaison between brands and creatives and have worked with industry juggernauts like Dollar Shave Club, Perrier, and Polaroid.
Paladin
Paladin Software helps digital talent agencies and networks by automating the legwork of their influencer marketing across social platforms. Using tools that identify the best influencers to work with for a specific target audience, as well as generate beautiful campaign reports that update in real time, Paladin Software helps make influencer marketing effortless.
Go at it alone
Sometimes campaigns fall into your lap without the use of services like AmbassadHer, Social Native, or their counterparts. Perhaps you were referred by another influencer or a brand may slide into your DMs (or send an email). If and when that’s the case, vet out the brand, make sure you agree to the terms, and when everything looks good, finally seal the deal. Sometimes the most lucrative and long-term opportunities are the ones that come straight to you!
All in all, influencer marketing is here to stay. It comes with its own unique set of challenges, but has proven time and again to be a win/win for creatives and brands. It’s a dynamic promotional strategy that will continue to adapt over time, and brands and influencers will also continue to adapt to changing nature of the industry.
The original article appears on the Instasize blog.
