Navigating influencer marketing: the marriage between brands and content creators
Remember when social media was the next innovation of integrated marketing communication? So many new opportunities, so much promise. Then, out of left field, comes a new way to capitalize: influencers.
“Influencers.” It’s not a new term. They’ve been around since the early to mid-2010s, when platforms like Twitter and Facebook took off. But influencer marketing is growing exponentially, with spending expected to hit $7.14 billion by 2024. Crazy, right?
Adams & Knight’s Senior Public Relations Specialist Caci Cosenzi delves into what makes a relationship with an influencer strong, effective ways to determine appropriate influencers for the brand, and more.
Major misconceptions remain on the topic. Caci explains, “People underestimate how much goes into establishing these relationships. It’s not something that can quickly be turned around or should be. It’s a process in and of itself to identify the influencers you want to work with, evaluate their audience, and build a thoughtful content strategy.”
She recommends forming an initial connection, which opens conversation before any discussion about partnership or a long-term campaign.
Let’s discuss how you can make the most out of influencer marketing…
The Key Points:
Never discount research. Influencers become an extension of the brand, so make sure you know if they match brand values and voice. Research allows you to streamline how the influencer works and doesn’t work, because the last thing the client needs is a partnership with a sellout. We’re looking at you, Scott Disick.
Confirm active engagement. Sure, someone may have 1 million followers, but how many of those followers are engaged? Impressions alone don’t net website traffic and conversions. A small but dedicated fanbase is far better than a massive following with people who aren’t actively involved. This gives the creative team more freedom to craft something unique for both the brand and influencer.
Provide baseline tools. This isn’t talked about as much, but it’s just as important. Influencers are primed to make better content with better tools. A media kit, for example, helps the influencer understand what the brand’s message is and how they say it. Past work samples from the client may spark concepts from the influencer that results in a more collaborative, two-way workflow.
Evaluate for the future. It doesn’t matter if you plan on working with the influencer again or not; it’s the same with the client. Every experience has a lesson. This goes back to research — it never stops. It’s a continued effort before and after hiring the ideal influencer. However, this time, feedback from the influencer may present new strategies that make the content creation process more efficient.
Take a full listen to our podcast, What’s the Big Idea About Influencers? If you have your own insights or ideas related to influencer marketing, connect with us. We love to keep the conversation open.
