You may have heard of influencer marketing. In fact, you might even be considering it for your small business. With an engaged community of over 1 billion active users, Instagram is on course to become the top visual marketing platform. Harnessing the power of influencers isn’t just good business, it might be one of the best marketing moves your small business can make.
What is an Influencer?
An influencer is an online personality. They use social media to share their opinions about products or brands with their followers. It’s been proven they can influence their followers to purchase products by highlighting them in a positive light. As a result, more and more brands are partnering with influencers to produce content together.
How Influencer Marketing Works
Influencer marketing is a type of word-of-mouth recommendation. We’re happy to receive recommendations from friends about products and services they enjoy; Social media has simply amplified this marketing technique. People typically have a positive view of those they follow online, and you can reach that audience of like-minded people by partnering with an influencer they trust.
Getting Started with Influencer Marketing
Instagram is the number one influencer marketing platform and it’s easy to see why. Sixty-five per cent of the best-performing posts on Instagram feature products, while 29% feature an influencer. Here are five tips to consider before launching your campaign.
Do Your Research
What are you hoping to achieve from influencer marketing? Look at your industry and your competitors; have they used influencer marketing? If so, what type of content worked for them? You’ll notice most brands shy away from giving the “hard sell” on Instagram. Instead, they weave stories around their products, working with influencers that speak to their target demographic.
Find the Right Fit
Don’t settle for an influencer because they have a lot of followers or offer cheap rates. Instead, find an influencer that has proven success with your target demographic. It’s also vital to consider if your product is a natural fit for the influencer. For example, a Kardashian might be perfect for lifestyle or beauty brands but they are probably not the best fit for your line of camping products.
Give Clear Instructions
Influencers are good at what they do. It’s how they have built such a following. As a partner in an influencer marketing deal, you are entitled to provide a brief with the creative goals you’d like to see in the campaign. You need to trust the influencer to create an authentic and engaging campaign, but this is done with your input. Think about how you’d like your brand to be featured and work together to achieve the goal.
What Structure to Take
Whatever your end goal may be, clearly define it and make it clear from the start. Influencers are well versed in providing metrics to their partners. Decide whether you’ll be paying a flat fee per post. Or, would you prefer to pay based on the post’s performance? What kind of content do you want from the influencer? Will it take the form of a conventional Instagram post, or will it be a video or Instagram Story? Influencer marketing strategy is an area that’s seen robust growth. Don’t be afraid to look at previous successful campaigns for inspiration.
Understand the Legalities
It’s vital to understand the Competition Act and how it applies to your business and influencers. Remember, you may be liable for representations made through influencers. Here are some other legal points to consider when working with an influencer:
- The influencer is obliged to disclose all payments
- Sponsored posts must be clearly labelled
- Must not make false or misleading representations
- They cannot make performance claims on your behalf
Here to Help
No matter what stage of business, or what problem you face, Small Business BC offers a range of seminars and one-on-one advisory sessions to suit any business.
