If your business uses social media to reach existing customers and attract new ones, then you have likely heard of influencer marketing. Expanding your communications strategy to include influencer marketing is an effective way to reach specific audiences and deliver targeted, personalized messages.

After managing several successful influencer marketing campaigns, we provide a quick breakdown of what these campaigns entail, below.

What is an influencer?
Viewed as an expert within their niche with a large social following, influencers are people who use profiles across social media platforms (usually Instagram, YouTube, podcasts, etc.) to reach their dedicated and loyal followers. Influencers are categorized into four groups based on their reach, as well as their specialty or niche (activism, travel, fitness, nature photography, etc.),

Nano influencer: 10,000 followers or less
Micro influencer: 10k – 100k followers
Macro influencer: 100k – 1M followers
Mega influencer: 1M + followers

What is influencer marketing?
Simply put, influencer marketing essentially throws the keys to an important person to help sell or market products and ideas. A digital tool, it utilizes an influencer’s voice and reach to promote a business or product. The benefit of using influencer marketing is the ability to gain visibility and reach a market that the business might not have access to. Social media favors these #sponsored content messages, and now include features to support and protect influencers. One notable feature is in-app purchasing, which allows influencers to use their profiles as e-commerce for brands or products.

How does a business successfully implement influencer marketing?
It begins with the right partnership. Finding the right people that align with the brand and the business’s audience is the most important aspect, and commonly the most challenging piece of influencer marketing. Once a list of influencers is built, outreach and negotiating begins. The fee an influencer charges is based on the influencer’s reach, the duration of the campaign, and the scope of work requested by the business (e.g. posting one photo vs. producing and posting a video). As with any business transaction, terms and conditions need to be agreed upon by the parties involved.

Influencer marketing has proven effective at authentically growing a business’s visibility and credibility. Questions about how influencer marketing might work for you? Contact us today for a free consultation.