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What Are Some Influencer Marketing Strategies?

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What Are Some Influencer Marketing Strategies?

All around the world today, brands large and small are putting together their digital marketing strategy for the year. The ones on top of the most cost-effective strategies will be trying to find a way to implement influencer marketing into their mix. 

In this blog, we’ll discuss how to dip your toes into influencer marketing, as well as some top influencer marketing strategies that you can use to rise to the top of the social media stratosphere.

What Is The Best Way To Get Started With Influencer Marketing?

Let’s take it from the top. To get started with influencer marketing, you’ll need to formulate a campaign that incorporates influencers. For some inspiration, consider conducting research on past successful influencer campaigns, especially ones in your niche or ones targeting a similar audience to yours.

When you have a campaign idea in mind, including a timeframe and deliverables, you’ll begin to research content creators. Simply searching through categories and keywords on the social media platforms you’re planning to market on is a great way to start. For a more sophisticated approach, consider using an influencer marketing platform like Lionize, which utilizes AI to find the best influencers for brands to partner with. 

What Are The Most Successful Influencer Marketing Strategies?

It’s important to keep in mind that the influencer marketing landscape is constantly evolving, and what worked well in the past may not be as effective in the future, so you should always be open to experimenting with new strategies.

That being said, here are a few strategies that have been effective in recent years that you can consider implementing into your influencer campaigns:

  • Micro-influencer campaigns. Micro-influencers are influencers who have a smaller following but a high engagement rate and a strong connection with their followers. Micro-influencer campaigns can be a cost-effective way to reach niche audiences.
  • Authenticity. Consumers are becoming more skeptical of traditional advertising, and they are more likely to trust the recommendations of people they know and respect. Influencer marketing campaigns, especially those that prioritize authenticity and transparency, tend to be more effective.
  • User-generated content. Encourage influencers to share user-generated content, such as photos or videos of customers using your product, in addition to sponsored posts. This can help to build trust and credibility with potential customers – and also generates lots of usable content for free! 
  • Long-term partnerships. Long-term partnerships with influencers can be more effective than one-off campaigns, as they allow for a deeper level of engagement with an influencer’s followers. Additionally, the more you work with a content creator, the better they’ll understand your brand goals and guidelines, meaning more aligned content for everyone.
  • Integrating influencer marketing with other marketing channels. Having creators market your product through avenues such as email marketing, social media advertising, or PR can amplify the reach and impact of your campaign.

How Do I Create An Influencer Marketing Campaign?

Let’s get you started with building out an influencer marketing campaign that fits your brand goals and helps you grow your business. 

Here are the typical steps to creating an influencer business plan:

  1. Research influencers in your niche. There are a number of ways to find influencers to work with, from influencer agencies to “best of” lists to on-platform research. Be sure to look for influencers who align with your brand image, values, and/or whose following fits your target audience. There’s no use in partnering with an influencer with no relevance to your product offerings. 
  2. Reach out to influencers. Once you have identified a few influencers that you would like to work with, reach out to them through emails or DMs. Let them know a bit about the campaign and inquire about their availability and rates. 
  3. Negotiate terms. Once an influencer agrees to work with you, negotiate the terms of the partnership, such as the content to be shared, the duration of the partnership, and the payment they expect.
  4. Provide clear guidelines. Make sure to provide the influencer with clear guidelines for the content of the sponsored post, such as the message you want to convey or product features you want to highlight.
  5. Create an agreement. Create an official agreement that outlines the terms and conditions of the partnership, such as the influencer’s obligations, duration of the partnership, and payment amount.
  6. Monitor and evaluate. Monitor the performance of the sponsored post(s), tracking the reach, impressions, and engagement. These analytics will help you evaluate the success of the campaign.

What Are The Best Social Media Platforms For Influencer Marketing?

According to Oberlo research, the best social media platform for influencer marketing is Instagram. The others that top the list are Facebook, an older behemoth, and TikTok, the quickly growing newcomer to the social media space. 

Other good platforms to use for influencer marketing are YouTube, Twitter, and Snapchat. 

Chart of the Top Influencer Marketing Platforms

Pictured: Top Influencer Marketing Platforms (Source: Oberlo, eMarketer)

Consider using any of the above platforms to achieve success with your 2023 influencer marketing campaigns. 

How Lionize Can Help With Influencer Marketing 

Lionize’s influencer marketing platform can help your brand tackle the influencer marketing process from start to finish. We can help you find the right influencers, contact them, manage your campaigns, and even make payments. We can also help you track the results of your campaigns. Book a Discovery Call with Lionize today and jump-start your influencer marketing strategy.