Influencer marketing is the collaboration between a brand and popular social media users, who are commonly referred to as influencers. The partnership between the two is organised and negotiated to promote the brands products and/or services – which is shared with the dedicated and engaged audience that the online creator has curated. 

This approach is certainly not a new one, having been around informally since social media began. However, it’s over the last decade that influencer marketing has evolved significantly. So, understanding what it is, how you can incorporate it into your strategy and how you’ll benefit can be extremely valuable to your business.

Where to start

Before you decide which influencer(s) you are going to collaborate with you need to select which audience you are trying to reach. This will of course be dependent on your overall target demographic but will also fluctuate based on the product or service you’re trying to promote. Once you have decided this you can begin your search.

Influencers exist across a wide variety of different categories such as travel, lifestyle, parenting, money-saving and more. Your search may focus on just one category if the audience you’re trying to reach is quite specific or you may choose to broaden your collaborations.

Once this is complete you can vet your selections to make sure they’ll be the right fit for your brand and offer the most value to you. You may want to consider having a look through their existing content, any previous brand partnerships, as well as their engagement rate. Don’t be put off by those with a smaller following, if their engagement is high, you may see a greater benefit from this  collaboration than partnering with someone with a larger following.

Types of collaborations

Influencers can produce content in a variety of different ways for your brand and this is something you’ll discuss with them when negotiating the partnership. Some examples include:

• Sponsored content – this type of collaboration will see the influencer create content for your brand to promote your product or service. They will do so in exchange for a fee or product/experience.
• Brand ambassadors – this is where you’ll arrange a more long-term partnership with an influencer, and they’ll represent your brand continuously.
• Influencer gifting – you can also opt to gift an influencer one of your products or provide them with the chance to enjoy a service you offer for free, in exchange for an honest review on their socials.

Why choose influencer marketing?

Ultimately, influencer marketing is a successful way to help your business grow. They put your brand front of mind in a way much more authentic to consumers, that doesn’t come across too promotional. As a result, it helps you to generate leads which can later lead to increased revenue. Additionally, it can also become an essential part of your SEO strategy, as influencers can provide quality backlinks to their followers directing traffic to your site and improving rankings.