Influencers have become an important part of marketing strategies for many businesses. With social media platforms gaining popularity and people following every step of their favorite online celebrities, many companies have decided to give influencer marketing a try.
Influencer marketing is one of the fastest growing online marketing channels and it produces some of the highest returns on investment. According to a poll conducted by Tomoson, businesses are making $6.50 for every $1 spent on influencer marketing. That said, it’s not as simple as paying someone with a lot of followers to shout you out on Twitter and Instagram. Here are some steps you can take to successfully market your brand online with the help of influencers.
Pick the right influencers for your niche
The first thing you should take into consideration when it comes to influencer marketing for your business is to choose the right people to work with. For example, if you own a clothing brand, you should reach out to influencers who take part in the fashion and beauty industry.
By picking the right influencers to work with, you will find it a lot easier to attract your target audience. This gives you a higher chance of attracting customers who will truly be interested in making a purchase.
Influencers are generally considered trustworthy and honest when it comes to the products they promote, so your new followers will find it a lot easier to give your products a try if they see their favorite influencer promoting a product that’s right up their alley.
Use the right strategies to promote your products
After reaching out to the right people and establishing partnerships, the next step is to decide how you want them to market your products online. Thanks to the popularity social media platforms have gained, there are many different things you can do with each influencer you work with.
“Since most influencers can be found on Instagram in our day and time, you should probably focus on promoting your brand on that platform and trying out new strategies in order to find what works best for your brand,” shared Keith Randall, Social Media Manager for Top Writers Review.
One thing you can do is ask the influencers you are working with to create a social media post on their page where they can demonstrate how they’re using the product and where to buy it.
On top of this, you can also ask influencers to create “Stories” on their social media pages in order to help you market your new products easily and quickly, and without them having to invest in an advertisement post in their feed.
Host influencer-centric events
Parties, gatherings and various other events are usually great ways for brands to bond with the influencers they are working with. Not only are they an awesome way to promote your brand through their social media accounts, but they are a way for you to thank them for their collaboration.
When a brand hosts any type of event for the influencers they work with, it is common for them to prepare a small gift bag, depending on the products the business makes. This is an effective way to introduce new products into the market, as your influencers will share the new things they’ve received online, especially when synced with your other marketing campaigns.
Create affiliate links
Many people online follow various influencers to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and to benefit from the offers and discounts they usually supply their followers with. Affiliate links help you gain new customers and see the effectiveness of your collaboration with specific influencers.
These types of promotional links are essentially discount codes the influencer can offer their followers in order for them to earn money from a purchase. The influencer can also earn revenue by driving a new customer your way.
Affiliate links don’t only have to be used in online stores. You can tell the influencers you work with to inform their followers that they can simply use their discount codes at the checkout of your physical store and still benefit from the offer.
Use testimonials from the influencers you work with
Last but not least, it’s a good idea for you to use the testimonials and reviews of the influencers you work with to your advantage. When an influencer reviews certain products from your store, they are most likely to either post a picture or a video of themselves using them, so they can show their online audience.
By working with them you can, with their permission, reuse this content and promote it on your social media pages so that you show new customers which influencers have been happy with your product. This will help your new followers and potential customers feel more comfortable with your brand and be more likely to give your products a try.
Giving your business the recognition it deserves
Marketing your physical store can be quite difficult if you don’t use social media platforms. Influencers can help you connect with people who fit the description of your target audience and boost your sales without you having to put a lot of effort into content creation or extensively planning your next marketing strategy.
Additionally, companies like Zenreach can help you determine how many of the customers who walk into your store found out about your business from one of your online marketing strategies. It works by offering free WiFi in exchange for an email address. You can then create audience lists based on this in-store, opted-in data. This will allow you to see exactly how successful your campaigns have been.
The tips mentioned in the article will help you get a better understanding of some key points you need to keep in mind when it comes to choosing the right influencers to work with. While there are a few things you need to know, influencer marketing is not only easy but also a great way for you to attract new customers and grow your business’s reputation in a short amount of time.
