An influencer campaign being set up can be a daunting task. It is important to reiterate that influencer marketing is basically about building relationships. Without relationship building, networking, marketing is nothing.
I wrote an article on Influencer marketing is the best digital marketing strategy for your business in 2017, and in that article I stated that influencer marketing which is a relatively new niche has a lot to offer before it becomes crowded like other digital marketing tools.
When businesses take advantage of individual targeting rather than large groups, this is called influencer marketing. These influencers have large followership and they can influence trends in fashion, lifestyle, music, businesses etc. when they do something, everybody just follows suit! Most celebrities fall into this category, whether it’s a haircut or a dress, everyone wants to have it, it just becomes a fashion statement!
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This article will outline how to set up an influencer campaign from the scratch and certain gray areas that must not be ignored.
1. Know your niche
A business without a niche is like a city without walls. It has no boundaries or rules and as such anything goes. Finding your niche in the industry that you are most passionate about gives you a clear vision of what you want to do and how to get there. If you are into clothing and fashion accessories, ask yourself which area of the industry appeals to you. You may want to focus on an area like men’s fashion or women clothing and fashion accessories rather than focusing on so many areas at your peril.Take Home: Don’t be a flag on a pole, define your business with clear goals and mission.
2. Study influencers
If you own a clothing line and want to use an influencer campaign to push your business, it is important to study influencers who have follower-ship that might be interested in what you offer. This means that through research and adequate study, you determine the influencer whose followers are most likely to buy your products.Taking adequate time to study influencers exposes you to the various kinds of influencers like bloggers, vloggers, social media influencers, musicians, actors, actresses and other persons of interest.You will be able to determine the medium or channel through which your marketing campaign can be integrated with that of the influencer and the right strategy to follow.Take Home: Not every influencer will work for you. Know the one that is most appropriate for your brand.
3. Choosing an influencer
Just like other digital marketing strategies, audience targeting is very vital to the success of an influencer marketing campaign. The kind of audience you want to reach determines the kind of influencer you pick. This translates to the fact that not every influencer is right for your business.You may want to know how to identify the right influencers for your business. Choose an influencer with a reputation strong enough to skyrocket your business, not the other way round. One must be very careful in this area because a mistake could be costly.An influencer usually command followership from a large number of people. This followership is deeply rooted in loyalty such that whenever such an influencer puts a word out for a business or products, it becomes valid. This may be the idea behind large companies endorsing certain influencers from different spheres of life to represent their brands. Ensure that the influencer represents your brand well such that his/her presence adds positivity and growth to the business.
Take Home: Never choose an influencer because of popularity; your overall business goal must be the reason for your choice.
- Define your campaign strategy
Understanding that there are different types of influencers makes it easier to define your campaign. If your influencer is a blogger, a blog review will be a wise influencer campaign choice. If on the other hand, your influencer is a probably a well-known celebrity, your strategy may need to be changed. You may want to consider giving away free items so they can put out a good word for you to their fans.Whatever your campaign strategy, make sure it suits your goal (conversion, leads, brand awareness) and the influencer you picked. Keep in mind that influencer marketing is all about relationships and networking. If an influencer puts you in a good light, it has a boomerang effect on the followership. This is why it is extremely important to choose your influencer and strategy wisely.Take Home: Your campaign strategy must reflect your business goal. It must suit the influencer as well to avoid unnecessary conflict. Have you recently used influencer marketing for your business? Or do you have questions? Kindly leave a comment.
About The Author
Stephanie Braga
Hi, I am Stephanie Braga. A professional blogger and content community manager on this platform. I love to write and post content on different niche. Contact me, if you need any help related to digital marketing or content marketing.
