Influencer marketing has been around for years and has taken many different forms. Of course in the present day, in terms of digital marketing we’re talking about those popular personalities on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, etc… Some advertisers that choose to tap into influencer marketing to deliver their message choose a platform, some choose an influencer marketing firm that offers a white glove service where everything is strategized and managed. Some choose to DIY Influencer Marketing…
For those thinking about a DIY Influencer Marketing campaign, here are 10 points to consider prior to reaching out.
1) Define Your Audience
An Influencer’s following and creative may be alluring, but remember the goal is to get in front of the right audience. The Influencer is the conduit to reach your desired demographic. For example, a business selling swimwear may focus on influencers who are good looking and post pictures in similar attire. The problem with that is many of these influencers might be followed solely for their looks and not for their lifestyle or flare for fashion.
2) Define The Message
The marketer should determine what idea they want to pass through the influencer and then create the messaging and concepts that support the idea. Perhaps the idea is to have people think of a comedy club the next time coworkers look for something to do. What kind of imagery, text and hashtags will get coworkers visiting the comedy club the next time they get together?
3) Define The Mediums
Influencer marketing is not just on instagram. There are many digital mediums that have audiences, which include, but are not limited to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Podcasts, YouTube, Musical.ly, and Snapchat.
4) Define How The Materials Will Be Used
An Influencer may be willing to take a picture with a product, but they may not be comfortable with that content being repurposed. Advertisers may want to use that content to on their own social platforms, digital advertising and out-of-home collateral for indefinite amount of time. Being clear upfront avoids potential complications down the line.
5) Compile a List of Influencers to Reach Out To
Organization will be the key to being effective with your time. Write down all of the influencers and their social profiles in a spreadsheet to keep a log of who you’re reaching out to, and where you’re tracking in the conversation (have they got back to you, are they interested, etc).
6) Evaluate The Quality and Theme of Their Content
As part of the process of compiling your list, look through the influencer’s work to see if they’re a great fit to deliver your message. Do you like the quality of their messages? Do you like the quality of their creative and formats?
7) Calculate Engagement Rates
One way to understand if an influencer is able to connect with their following is to calculate the average engagement rates such as likes, comments, shares, plays, etc…
8) Look Through The Comments
Comments are commonly one of the best kinds of engagements, but the quality of the comment and the intent behind it matters too. If the goal is to get an influencer to espouse the values of a new smoothie and the overwhelming number of comments are focussed on the appearance of the influencer it begs the question what their engagement truly was for.
9) Determine Who To Pay and Who To Perk
Some influencers are motivated by the brand itself so some may be willing to lend their services in exchange for product. We find this arrangement more common with new influencers, influencers that have smaller followings and those that do not generate much income for their influence. Indeed, many influencers do not know how to price themselves or value their work.
You can try to just perk an influencer, but typically the professional that takes being an influencer seriously will ask for some degree of pay. Sometimes a free trip isn’t enough!
10) Create Exciting Offer Messages (DM and Email)
Remember, you’re reaching out to influencers with a range of egos and unique circumstances that get messaged constantly. It’s important to put some sales oomph in the message, get the influencer excited and you’ll have an easier time getting influencers on board and at the right price.
There’s a lot to do before you can start an influencer campaign, but the bulk of the work will come once you start interacting and working with influencers. It’s hard to know or appreciate the amount of hours you’ll spend:
- Negotiating Rates and Production
- Negotiating Usage Rights
- In the Back and Forth Over Creative
- Scheduling Posts
- On Measurement and Tracking
You can anticipate a lot of learning and reacting in the moment. Campaigns can become even more complicated depending on the ask. The ask can become more complicated when travel, event attendance, collaboration with others and producing multiple creatives on different mediums start to enter the frame of work.
Multiply that for every influencer you’re working with.
In addition to learning lessons in the process, you’ll also learn who is good to work with and who you’ll never work with again.
Our recommendation would be to start small if you’re going to manage the campaign yourself. Engaging in large and intricate campaigns might sound exciting, but they’ll come with a ton of work. If this is the direction you want to take in order to make a big impact on your brand – remember that we’re here to help!