Every business online wants to connect with its target audience to gain brand awareness and sales. A great way to attain this connection faster is through influencer marketing.
Influencers are not necessarily celebrities. They are people online with an engaged audience of a distinct niche. They hold some power or authority over these audiences and can influence their opinions and purchasing decisions.
By tapping into influencers on social media platforms such as Tiktok, Instagram, Youtube, etc., you get to connect with captive audiences of specific demographics.
In this article, we will run you through everything you need to know about influencer marketing.
What Defines an Influencer?
With the rise of personalities from Instagram and Tiktok influencer marketing, it is easy to confuse influencers with celebrities.
Unlike celebrities, you may find that most influencers may not even consider themselves famous in an offline setting. These influencers usually have an enthusiastic audience they have grown and engaged with for years.
Here are some characteristics that define an influencer:
- They have a following in a distinct niche with which they actively engage. Common examples of these niches include tech, beauty, fashion, food, fitness, crafts, etc.
- They hold authority, knowledge, and a relationship with their audience, affecting their opinions and purchasing decisions.
Collaborating with Influencers
Audiences online are more likely to follow influencers and care about their opinions rather than the products of any brand. You can benefit from these influencers’ enthusiastic online audience by collaborating with them to market your products or services.
Given that influencers can be anyone anywhere, there are various ways to collaborate with them. You need to carefully select the influencers that match your specific niche and industry.
They may have hundreds of thousands if not millions of followers and are considered experts or authorities in their field. They are frequently the go-to people who answer questions, and you will find people engaging on their social media posts.
An earlier example of influencer marketing involved YouTuber PewDiePie, who teamed up with makers of a horror film set in the French Catacombs of Paris. They filmed a series where they made him undergo challenges in the catacombs, producing entertaining content for PewDiePie’s 27 million subscribers. The series received nearly double the views as the movie’s trailer.
Creating a Successful Influencer Marketing Campaign
Here are some tips to consider when planning your influencer marketing campaign:
- Spend time on research, strategy, planning, and budgeting
- Decide on whether you want to search for influencers organically, subscribe to an influencer platform, or work with an agency.
- Remember that you are a human talking to another person and not just a company talking to other companies. These partnerships may require patience.
- Integrate your schedule with the content the influencer puts out. These can be through monthly/quarterly/biannual newsletters, product releases, etc.
- Establish regular communication through calls, emails, and face-to-face meetings
Instead of just the statistics of likes and followers, the key to a successful influencer marketing campaign is finding an influencer whose niche, preferences, and dislikes align with your company.
Conclusion
With the rise of influencers through various platforms such as Instagram influencer marketing, it is now easier for brands to reach an engaged niche audience. This allows for better brand awareness and sales.
However, other than just the likes and followers they have, it is essential to find an influencer whose values align with your company.
Are you looking for a company to help you with influencers and social media marketing in Los Angeles? We at CCG can help you select the social media platforms and influencers to connect you with your audience. Send us an inquiry today!