Creating a powerful Influencer Marketing Campaign that works

There is no denying the power of an influencer in 2021.

From banks and fashion companies to diaper and wet tissue brands, every product out there now has an influencer marketing campaign as part of their larger marketing strategy. According to a study by Tomoson, influencer marketing was as cost-effective as the email marketing channel and yields a $6.50 return on investment for every dollar spent.

Influencers have the power to affect public sentiment and decision-making powers for your consumer. While your consumer often couldn't care less about your 'brand', a recommendation from an influencer - someone consumers think they know and connect with - can pique their interest, and possibly even sway their decision from a competitor brand's to yours. In fact, a recent study by Twitter says that users now trust influencers as much as they trust their friends.

Clearly, influencer marketing works. However, what should you know and consider to make an influencer marketing plan work for your brand?

Creating a successful influencer marketing plan

Research, research, research Don't just blindly follow the number of followers an influencer has. Check out the kind of engagement they receive - such as what kind of comments do their videos or posts have. Are they relevant or just spam? Are people interested in their content? Micro-influencers are doing as well in terms of engagement rates as Category A influencers. For instance, if you're reviewing a tech blogger's profile, see whether they receive comments that include questions or pertinent discussions about the product. You aren't looking for an influencer's followers who comment "wowwww🤩🤩🤩🤩" and have probably not even really watched the review and assessed the information.

Have a plan Can you spend on paid collaborations or are only considering barter deals? Do you want multiple collaborations or just one at a time? Does it integrate with a larger marketing or PR campaign? There is a lot to consider and plan for an influencer marketing strategy and documenting your KPIs and goals for the campaign is an absolute must. Define what success would mean to you and then plan backward - is it likes and comments received on the influencer's post? Is it sales conversion? Is it traffic (in which case ensure you've given them UTMs to track traffic)? Whatever the case, know what you're expecting out of an influencer marketing campaign, because if you don't know - how would they?

It's all in the details Many influencers coordinate directly with brands and are creative professionals at the end of the day. Be patient. Clearly define your expectations and goals. Specify what you can offer as a brand. In fact, it will help to have an agreement in place to ensure every deliverable from them and you are documented. And last but not least, build a good relationship with them.

Have faith If you've done your research on selecting the right kind of influencer, that's it. Sit back, relax and trust them to do their thing (in most cases). Influencers are not just someone you pay to say cute, sweet things about your brand - where is their credibility in that? Let them use their voice to do a thorough review or feature your product how they like. Their followers will think it's organic and find their review more genuine.

Hope these tips help you and don't forget the most important part of the plan - your own marketing intuition and knowledge.

Have an influencer marketing strategy of your own? Tell me in the comments below.

Want an Influencer Marketing Plan Checklist and Influencer Marketing Agreement Sample to plan your next campaign? Reach out to me and I'll share a template you can use to assess influencers for your influencer marketing campaign.

Originally published here.