Influencer marketing is a hot buzzword these days, and for good reason.
It leverages the power of people in all niches and corners of the globe to help companies build brand awareness. Essentially, influencer marketing is today what public relations once was, and it’s a strategy utilized by small startups and major corporations alike.
Without question, it’s one of the best social marketing strategies you can employ for long-term growth and scalability.
Through Influencer Marketing
Through this marketing practice, businesses can bypass the declining effectiveness of paid ads and go straight to the source: the people that consumers know and trust.
One of the best things about influencer marketing is that it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Typically, influencers aren’t looking for a big check: some free products usually does the job (just as long as the product or service is relative to their own brand).
From there, these influencers will use their personal creativity and influence to help you tap into their audience.
With 600 million active monthly users, Instagram is a treasure trove of opportunity, and as the platform grows, so does it capabilities. Other brands have done it, and you can too. Here’s how to launch a successful Instagram influencer campaign
Find Your Target Audience
Finding relevant influencers can be highly time-consuming, and this is where social tools like Grin come in. Grin’s Instagram search tool allows users to locate the most influential people across all major niches. You can check it out here.
Once you’ve signed up, use its proprietary filtering tools to sort through over 100,000 well-known Instagram users based on gender, location, age, industry, and more.
Tools to Use
A combination of machine learning and artificial intelligence allow the tool to gather comprehensive portfolios that show exactly what a user enjoys based on the content they post. From there, easily export your shortlisted candidates into your CRM and scale your recruitment efforts.
Look at Other Brands
It can also be helpful to take a look at other brands and the type of content they post. Review the social strategies of both direct competitors and outside brands who share similar audiences. Pay close attention to the people they tag on their social media.
This will give you a better idea of the unique ways you can deliver information, as well as how well-known brands are running their own influencer campaigns. Keep an eye out for what’s garnering the most engagement and why
Work With Your Influencer
To improve your chances of success, it’s best to consider the influencer before you make any moves. The type of content one influencer would like to produce differs from the next.
Go through their Instagram profile, blog, and other social media pages to get a feel for their aesthetic. Furthermore, don’t be afraid to ask for their input. This will make them feel even more valuable, creating a better partnership.
Goals and Expectations
Be very clear about your goals and expectations. You can use mood boards to help convey the type of content and message you’re looking for.
Mood boards are valuable tools for marketers and designers alike. Tools like MURAL and Niice are great for piecing together different types of content and collaborating on ideas
When it comes to sealing the deal, your content usage rights and payment should also be discussed upfront. Depending on your business, you may allow the influencer to retain full control of their content, or you might request the rights. Whatever the case, it’s important to avoid later surprises, and the best way to do this is by being honest from the beginning
Promote Your Content
Don’t expect the influencer to do all the work for you. An influencer campaign is a joint effort. You can embed your Instagram content on your website and other social channels, publish it on your personal accounts, and encourage sharing from friends and family
Facebook?
You can also go ahead and pay for Facebook ads based on your Instagram content. Facebook advertising is very effective for businesses, and just because you’re targeting Instagram doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of other platforms.
This also promotes your influencer, too, providing them with additional benefits and motivation for your influencer.
Track and Measure
Lastly, you should be able to track and measure your success. If you want to work with the same influencer in the future, you should be able to truly understand the value they brought to the table.
You can also see what types of content worked best, and what could benefit from some reworking