Influencer Marketing Starter Guide

Influencer marketing is an opportunity to grow your community and expand your network of customers. If you do not have influencer marketing included in your business marketing strategy, you should consider getting into it. According to research, 89% of businesses report that influencer marketing provides a return of investment, better than any other marketing channels. Being promoted by a community of influencers has never been more important for a business online. Influencer marketing can boost your brand awareness and direct-response action: comments, likes, followers, sales, downloads, subscriptions etc.

Lucky for you, we have assembled some influencer marketing strategy for you to try out:

1. Search for influencers that your ideal customers would be following:

Look for influencers and celebrities who show interest in your brand's niche, and discover as much as you can about their audience. If you ask an influencer to promote your product, but they are not relevant to your brand, your money will be wasted. If you pay beautiful yoga influencers to promote your products such as handbags and jewellery, there is a greater chance that the money spent goes to waste. Why? Simply because yogis are not your ideal customers.

Tip 1 - Always consider your customer and the platforms they use! If your ideal customer is mature-aged; a Facebook influencer may be more valuable. If your product is for a younger demographic, Instagram may be better.

Tip 2 - Find influencers by searching with hashtags. Try putting vague hashtags such as #fashionjewellery into social media. You might have the opportunity to discover influencers you never knew existed that attracts your ideal customers.

2. Allocate a portion of your marketing budget for strictly influencer marketing.

As an entrepreneur, it may be frustrating striving to divide your budget between all the costs of running a business, so you may be unable to pay for influencers to showcase your product.

Many influencers, particularly those who aren't as well-known, will be happy to post about your product or brand in exchange for a product. Make sure you continue communicating with the influencer as much as possible to build a wonderful relationship with them that will hopefully last.

Tip 3 - If you can only start with a small budget, you could try starting out with gifting products to your favourite influencers.

If the influencer gives you positive feedback, ask if they would be willing to share a photo of your product on their social media. If they do love your product, chances are, they will be willing to do so!

3. Find influencers who engage with their community!

Include influencers with a following ranging from micro-influencers status to mega influencers celebrities to diversify your network.

It is important to note that there are some social media personalities that do not have control over their social accounts, and their engagement with their followers is limited. These accounts can also be known as 'fake' accounts. The accounts that truly engage with their followers and interact with comments and replies are genuine and are more valuable to your brand.

NOTE - Smaller influencers who engage with their followers are way more valuable to you than famous influencers with no engagement!

Ensure the person you reach actively engages with their community, as their endorsement of your product will intend so much more.

"Micro influencers (around 10K - 100K followers) are just as valuable as larger influencers, and will be more willing to collaborate on a 'contra' deal (product in exchange for post)."