If you have a small social media following, influencer marketing is one of the most tried and trusted ways to get your business brand noticed.
But if you haven’t run an influencer marketing campaign before, how do you get started?
To help guide you with your first social media promotion, here are the five components of a successful influencer marketing strategy.
1.Understand Your Audience
Before you spend time or money on social media marketing, you must have a clear idea of who your target audience will be. The more intimately you understand your audience, the more effective your marketing will be.
Start with some research into your existing customer base, and use this to get a clear picture of your customer’s social media behavior. What content do they like and share? This will shape your social media strategy.
2. Know What to Look For in an Influencer
There are good and bad influencers out there, and it doesn’t always come down to who charges the highest fee. If you want to find a great influencer, spend time looking at their social media account.
A highly effective influencer doesn’t necessarily have a large following, but they will have an engaged audience. When a good influencer posts content, they will typically receive plenty of personal, thoughtful comments.
3. Learn the Art of Negotiation
An influencer’s fee is rarely set in stone. Instead, see it as a starting point for a negotiation.
Many influencers value a long-term relationship with brands. If you like the look of an influencer but discover that their fee is too high for your budget, consider negotiating a reduced fee in exchange for a long-term contract.
Always ask what you will get for your fee, so expectations are clear. For example, if you are promoting on Instagram, it’s worth finding out if the influencer will add your link to their profile page. You will get better results.
4. Get Your Data Organized
A successful campaign starts and ends with high-quality marketing data. That means you need to measure how much engagement your content receives and how that translates into sales.
Knowing this will help you shape future promotional campaigns and improve your strategy to increase your return on investment.
5. Be Original
Influencer marketing is growing in popularity. With so many brands competing to get the attention of social media users, you have to go the extra mile when it comes to your promotional content.
Don’t make the mistake of running a similar campaign to your competitors. Take the time to think about a truly original promotional that will help you achieve higher levels of engagement from your target audience.
Make sure you stay engaged with your audience once your promotion is launched. Hiring an experienced community manager will help you get the most from your marketing campaign.
Get Your Influencer Marketing Strategy in Place
Now it’s over to you. Use these five tips to put together a strong influencer marketing strategy to help your business get significant results with your social media budget.
Did you enjoy this article? Before you go, take a read through some of our recent business posts for more tips and advice on improving your marketing strategy.