Why and how to develop an influencer marketing strategy?

Ten years ago, influencer marketing was only for celebrities and a few dedicated bloggers. Today, we are facing a remarkable boom in influencers on social networks. According to Forbes, influencer marketing is growing faster than digital ads. It is indeed proven, influencer marketing is an effective method if it is well conducted. Most brands that try it have testified to being satisfied with the results.

According to a survey by Influencer Marketing Hub, 75% of respondents will spend a budget on influencer marketing next year. This only confirms the scope of this branch of digital marketing. In order to better understand this marketing tool, here are the points to consider, the benefits and the steps to start a campaign.

What is influencer marketing?

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Influencer marketing is a type of social media marketing. It appeals to the approval and mention of products by influencers. People who have a loyal following and are considered experts in their field. It therefore consists of marketing to influencers, with them and through them. The goal is to convey brand messages to your target audience and theirs.

Influencer marketing is similar to word-of-mouth marketing. However, it is not based solely on specific recommendations. The engaged audience usually follows the content creators. Advertising to them on different social media platforms allows a company to expand its reach. This will improve brand awareness and generate new leads.

Influencer marketing can be used as an independent tool or as a way to improve already existing campaigns.

The benefits of influencer marketing

This marketing approach increases brand awareness and builds credibility, as well as the trust of the target.

Compared to other social media marketing methods, influencer marketing offers brands a viable and discreet way to communicate with customers. This can be done regardless of the widespread adoption of ad blockers and the general distrust of overt ads.

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Long-term win-win partnerships

Overall, this is a win-win collaboration, as both parties have an interest in the outcome. When you partner with the right influencer who caters to the same market as yours, influencer marketing is naturally profitable.

Increased sales

According to research, for every dollar spent to send a message to the customer through influencers, businesses earn about $18. And that number may be higher for many other brands.

More profitability and time savings

For an advertising campaign, it takes you a considerable amount of time to produce the images, duplicate them and schedule the ads on the different platforms. Still, partnering with influencers will allow you to outsource everything and save valuable time.

Unlimited sharing potential on social platforms

There are many ways for influencers to help brands spread the mess. For example, they can opt for a post on Facebook, inspiring scenarios on Instagram, a review video on YouTube, promotional codes, links to stores, etc.

A convenience for all companies

Regardless of size and industry, there is always room for everyone. This is provided of course to identify the influencers best suited to your needs.

Where to start to reap the benefits of influencer marketing?

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To get started in influencer marketing, here are the 5 golden rules to get convincing results.

Identify influencers to work with

Influencer agencies can be helpful, but if the company (or its budget) is small, it needs to make that decision itself. Let’s not forget: although the number of followers counts, the content and engagement rate of influencers are often much higher.

Find the right platform to focus on

Most popular influencers embed content on different channels like Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and more. Each platform is tailored to different formats, approaches, and audiences – and this should also inform your influencer marketing strategy.

The question that will have to be asked is why would the target customer create a YouTube account? What does he expect to find on Facebook? Does your campaign meet their expectations and needs?

Maintain authenticity by working with micro-influencers

We would tend to think that more followers equals more success. But many brands – and not just small ones – actually prefer to work with micro-influencers. Micro-influencers can have between 1,000 and 100,000 followers, which may not seem like much. But studies show that they often have higher engagement rates than mega and macro influencers, as they are perceived as closer and more trustworthy.

Converting loyal customers into brand ambassadors

If your brand already has a high engagement rate on social media, you may not even need to hire an influencer. Your next brand ambassadors could be right under your nose.

Develop a mutually beneficial relationship based on shared values

When it comes to choosing an influencer, it’s essential to find someone who aligns with the brand’s identity and core values . And it goes both ways: financial compensation isn’t the only reason influencers will want to work with you. Each influencer has strategically designed their image, and they must remain faithful to this identity.

In conclusion, even if the collaboration with influencers has particular aspects, the implementation of a campaign is the same as that of most marketing campaigns. Although influencer marketing is a powerful tool , there is no one-size-fits-all approach that works for all targets or time periods.