While social media influencers may seem like a relatively new thing, the concept of celebrity endorsement has been influencing consumers for over 100 years. At its core, influencer marketing is when a company or brand ties itself to an influential person for a marketing campaign, with the goal of building brand trust with customers who may be enticed to buy the product. I.e. “If Kim Kardashian uses this product, it must be good!”
In decades past, this would be primarily done through traditional mediums such as TV commercials, billboards, and newspaper ads. However, with the rise of digital marketing, influencer marketing can cross into digital media such as podcasts, social media, digital ads, and more, such as the Cerave influencer partnerships with Michael Cera. This celebrity endorsement message was carried across different mediums, working with niche influencers to market to their audiences on podcasts, YouTube channels, social platforms and more.
Getting an influencer endorsement can benefit your brand as these influencers are often considered role models or experts in their field and gather trust from their audiences. These collaborations can increase your brand awareness and boost your sales. However, it’s important to choose the right influencer for your brand. If both your brand’s and the creator’s audiences match up, you’ll be able to reach more people already interested in your industry, and in turn, influence more people.
When developing your influencer marketing campaign, ensure you define your goals (E.g. Impressions or engagement), and track your KPI’s accordingly. Communicate these goals so that your content creator knows the results they must strive for. Secondly, set a budget. Every influencer will have a different pay rate.
The campaign can be short, like a one-time video or photo discussing or featuring your product or service. Alternatively, some brands partner with specific influencers for a more long-term relationship.
Do your research before you choose an influencer to work with. Evaluate their demographics and tone of voice. Ensure their audience is aligned with your target audience and their brand voice is aligned with yours. Be cautious of any scandals and try to get a feel for how your influencer is seen on social media. Find out if your influencer has worked with other brands before, and if they have, how was that content received? Lastly, ensure your influencer will be authentic, and set clear guidelines in your creative brief.
There are four types of influencers, which are determined by their number of followers: mega, macro, micro-influencers, and nano-influencers. Influencers with a large following (mega-influencers) will have a broader audience and be more expensive. In contrast, influencers with a smaller following (nano-influencers) can have a more targeted demographic with whom they’ve built an online community.
Stay tuned for our next blog, where we go in-depth on the variations and what benefits each influencer level has. If you’re ready to tap into influencer marketing, contact our team at Sims Advertising. We’re here to help you with your strategy and creative direction. Follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter) for the latest digital marketing tips, project spotlights and more.
