My $0.02 on Influencer Marketing
I was asked a couple of questions on Influencer Marketing so I thought I would share my replies with you. Do let me know what you think. Do you agree? Or not?
What do you understand from the term Influencer Marketing?
A main principle or key term that has to be kept in mind when diving into the world of Influencer Marketing is authenticity. It is very important to realise that there is an enormous society out there on social media platforms of people that bring their own talents and stories into the world through these platforms. If your brand ties in nicely with the talents of these people then why not let them use you to embellish their story?
Too many brands see Influencer Marketing as something that will advance their story, but social media is about people, not brands. Be the brand that helps people and communities grow through the authenticity of these influencers.
* Is it something specifically Digital/Social or are there other forms of Influencer Marketing?
For me Influencer Marketing is very digital/social media based. This is how these people grew their communities and interact with them. Others/followers can easily find them and create these communities around them.
However, Influencer Marketing has always been around, even before Social Media existed. Look at Wimbledon and you can see each tennis player is sponsored by a clothing brand etc. …
Social Media is just a facilitator (to become an influencer as well as to find them) and creates visible and more human engagement. The influencer is seen as “one of us” which is how a brand ideally should position themselves on Social Media.
* As a company, what are the first steps you take when launching into Influencer Marketing?
Most brands will create a list of top influencers based on number of followers. This is all good and well, but I believe in the power of micro influencers. By this I mean influencers with between 1.000 and 10.000 followers.
Why? Influencers with 10.000 to 100.000 have around a 2,4% engagement rate while the smaller ones range between 8% and 4% (source).
Larger influencers will also cost more and demand more. Smaller influencers will be easier to handle and work with and often don’t ask for (much) money when collaborating.
You will also have more choice when selecting smaller influencers. If you create a dynamic group of small online personalities, you will create a huge reach potential in different domains.
Here is a really good example of the use of Micro Influencers:
How I see it: You don’t want one big marshmallow in your hot chocolate, you want lots of little ones so you can savour them with each gulp ;)
* Which objectives do you focus on when engaging in Influencer Marketing?
You have to start by figuring out what story you would like to tell. Or what story you would like the influencer to tell on your behalf. Of course, this sounds very utopian but if you have a story in mind, it will be easier to shape all the other things around. Things such as briefing the influencer, look at what angle you will use to place your product/brand and what you want to achieve.
Furthermore it is always a good idea to imagine how you will engage with the influencers yourself, as a brand. Will you watch from a distance or actively participate? How do you see your influencer team? What “vibe” do they have?
All this does necessitate some research. Get to know the online personalities of your influencers. Watch their videos, check their type of content, analyse their TOV. Does it fit with your brand? Does your brand fit with them? It is always good to know the tricks of “Social Media stalking” ;)
* How do you measure the effectiveness of your Influencer Marketing campaign
Through influencer marketing you can focus on KPIs such as reach, awareness and engagement (rate %) and of course, if you play it cool you can push it and get some UGC out of it.
Watch out! Asking personal stats from influencers after a campaign is a no go for me, but you can ask them beforehand if they would be willing to share these with you at the end of the collaboration. You can also ask general stats such as monthly visitors or average video views/reach.
However, a truly successful Influencer Marketing campaign for me is when, as a brand, you were able to add something to the influencer’s story and inspire their fans. Measuring emotion is difficult but creating inspiring and original moments together with other creatives is a way for a brand to show its more human side and that is the moment your Influencer Marketing campaign was successful.
