Why should brands use influencer marketing?

In today’s digital age, social media platforms have become the go-to destination for consumers to discover new products and engage with their favorite brands. As a result, influencer marketing has emerged as a highly effective way for brands to connect with their target audience and build their online presence.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the key reasons why brands should consider incorporating influencer marketing into their overall marketing strategy. Let’s start by understanding better what is influencer marketing, how to set up a campaign, and the benefits of embracing one.

What is Influencer Marketing?

In influencer marketing your business will partner with individuals who have a large following on social media to promote your brand, product or service. Known as influencers, they are typically seen as authorities in their respective industries and from that, have the power to influence the purchasing decisions of their followers.

Influencer marketing can take many forms, from sponsored posts on social media to collaborations on blogs and YouTube channels. The key to a successful influencer campaign is to choose the right influencer who aligns with your brand’s values and target audience. Influencer marketing is projected to reach $21.1 billion.

By partnering with an influencer, brands can tap into their existing fan base and build trust and credibility with their audience. In turn, this can lead to increased brand awareness, customer loyalty, and ultimately, higher sales and revenue for the brand.

Challenges of influencer marketing

While influencer marketing can be highly effective, it also comes with its own set of challenges. Brands need to carefully research potential influencers and know ways on how to best find them, to ensure that they truly align with the brand’s values and target audience.

Another challenge is the risk of partnering with influencers who engage in unethical or illegal practices, such as buying followers or promoting fake products. To mitigate these risks, brands should establish clear guidelines and expectations for influencer partnerships and monitor their campaigns closely.

4 Key steps to implement after finding your influencer

Once you’ve found your influencer, the next step is to implement your campaign. Here are four key easy steps to keep in mind:

1. Define your goals
   Before you start creating content with your influencer, define what you want to achieve with your campaign. Knowing your goals will help you measure the success of your campaign.
2. Create authentic content
   it’s crucial to create content that feels genuine and connects with the influencer’s audience. Collaborate with your influencer to produce content that matches their voice and style, while showcasing your brand’s unique strengths and selling points. By crafting content that resonates with both the influencer and their followers, you’ll increase the likelihood of generating positive engagement and achieving your campaign goals.
3. Promote and use visuals
   Once you have created your content, it’s important to promote it across all your marketing channels. Share it on your social media profiles, website, and email newsletters to maximize its reach.To make your campaigns stand out, it’s important also to invest in high-quality visuals that break up the text, engage audiences, and convey complex ideas. This means investing in using high-resolution images, quick-loading file formats, and maintaining consistency with your brand’s message. By prioritizing visuals and optimizing for mobile, brands can enhance their influencer campaigns and drive engagement and conversions.
4. Measure and Adjust
   Finally, it’s important to measure the success of your campaign and adjust your strategy accordingly. Use tools like Google Analytics and social media analytics to track your metrics, and adjust your campaign as needed to achieve your goals.

By following these four key steps, you can ensure that your influencer marketing campaign is a success and helps you achieve your business goals. Why should you embrace such steps? Let’s dive into that next.

Increased brand awareness

With influencer marketing, you can count on increasing brand awareness. Influencers have a large and engaged following on social media and brands can tap into new audiences and expand their reach. This is particularly effective for brands that are looking to target a specific demographic or niche market.

For example, Glossier, a popular beauty brand, has leveraged influencer marketing to build its online presence and generate buzz around its products. By partnering with beauty bloggers and influencers on social media, Glossier has been able to reach a younger, millennial audience that is highly engaged on social media.

Improve your reputation

In addition to increasing brand awareness, you can also help improve a brand’s reputation. When influencers endorse a brand or product, it can help to establish credibility and build trust with consumers. This is especially true for influencers who are seen as experts or authorities in their niche.

For instance, Sephora, a beauty retailer, has partnered with makeup artists and beauty influencers to promote its products and services. These influencers often share their favorite Sephora products and provide their followers with exclusive Sephora discount codes, making it more attractive for customers to try out the products for themselves. By associating itself with these influencers and offering special promotions, Sephora has been able to position itself as a trusted source of beauty advice and expertise, while also incentivizing customers to make purchases.

Higher engagement rates

Another advantage worth mentioning is a higher engagement rate on social media. Because influencers have dedicated followers that trust and value their opinions, they are often able to drive higher levels of engagement and interaction with their content.

This is important for brands that are looking to increase their social media presence and connect with their target audience. By partnering with the right type of influencers with a high engagement rate, brands can increase their reach and build a loyal following on social media. If you are not yet convinced, let’s check more positive impacts of aligning with the right influencer.

Reaching new and diverse audiences

In addition to engaging with existing followers, it can also help brands to reach new and diverse audiences. If you end up choosing to collaborate with influencers who have a different demographic or geographic location than the brand’s existing audience, brands can expand their reach and connect with new customers.

For example, H&M, a global fashion retailer, has partnered with influencers from all over the world to promote its products and services. By leveraging the reach and influence of these influencers, H&M has been able to reach new audiences and expand its customer base.

Conclusion

Influencer marketing has become an essential tool for brands looking to build an online presence and connect with their target audience on social media. By leveraging the reach and power of influencers, businesses can increase brand awareness, improve their reputation, and drive higher levels of engagement on social media.

However, influencer marketing also comes with its own set of challenges, and brands need to carefully research potential influencers and establish clear guidelines for their partnerships. As influencer marketing continues to evolve, brands will need to stay up-to-date on the latest trends and strategies to stay ahead of the competition and connect with their audience on social media.