How to Define Your Brands Influencer Marketing Goals
Garnering millions of followers, thousands of brand-related conversations, and driving significant attributable dollars in revenue, influencers are very much at the heart of marketing and PR campaigns across the globe.
Businesses remain eager to invest in influencer marketing, driving it to become a $15 billion industry by 2022. Quickly replacing traditional advertising avenues, influencers are helping businesses increase their reach, build brand credibility, and boost sales.
Still, some brands aren’t quite sure where to begin. Below is a helpful guide on how to create a successful influencer marketing strategy.
DEFINE YOUR BRANDS NEEDS
Are you looking to tap into Millennial and Gen Z consumer markets?
Are you launching a new Instagrammable product that can capitalize on or even become a new trend? Or does your business need a boost in credibility from reliable sources?
Social media influencers can tap into the emotions of your target audiences and inspire them to engage with your brand to help you achieve your marketing goals.
Make sure the actions you plan to take align with those goals and expected outcomes across the board.
IDENTIFY YOUR UNIQUE SELLING POINTS
Identify your USPs and use them to find influencers in a similar niche who can help you build consumer trust.
Be prepared to let your influencers take the reins in some cases; it helps to let your marketing efforts originate from a place of authenticity when they’re working to amplify your brand.
Have an eco-friendly product you’re launching? Let influencers speak to their audiences about why sustainability is important to them and the points that matter most and how your brand is hitting each one.
SET GOALS DETERMINED BY ROI
How will you measure the ROI of your influencer campaigns?
It would be wise to establish base KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to help you estimate the success of your influencer campaigns. Reach, CPA, engagement, earned media value, click-through-rates, etc. are all examples of reliable ways to check the effectiveness of your influencer marketing campaign beyond just revenue.
Running a successful influencer marketing campaign isn’t a ready-set-go strategy. You’ll need to carefully lay down the groundwork, cultivate and monitor generated content, and look to optimize on what is working.
DETERMINE THE RIGHT SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS
Users today have access to a plethora of platforms to fulfill their entertainment needs – the average user having at least eight accounts.
That said, each platform has its own user culture, audience, and demographics that tie into its unique offerings. Whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok, you must market content that aligns with your brand and target audience.
Creating short video snippets for your Instagram IGTV or stories can generate interest in your product – they’re 15 times more popular than in-feed content.
Similarly, YouTube is great for gaining impressions, and Facebook offers an unprecedented reach for your marketing collateral – so take your pick.
RESEARCH YOUR CURRENT BRAND PERCEPTION
Regardless of where your consumers are in their purchase journey, brand perception plays a crucial role in influencing their purchasing decisions.
Do the upfront research to gain insights into how users feel about your brand and how you can improve your image when leveraging influencer partnerships.
Influencers can not only validate the credibility of your brand, but they can also help to spark word-of-mouth referrals for those toeing the line on a purchase.
Use the above considerations when working with influencers after determining whether their niche ties into your brand and product(s).
Be prepared to review your strategy and adapt it to changing circumstances as you go along.