Marketing’s Next Big Thing: Influencer Marketing
There is no end in sight for influencer marketing. Experts predict that 67.9% of companies in the US will use influencers for marketing purposes.
So, if you’re looking for a strategy to boost your business, try influencer marketing. In this article, we’ll break down the concept and show you how it works.
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What Is Influencer Marketing?
This is a modern marketing concept. Its rise is due to the fact that people prefer to buy products upon the recommendation of another.
First, it identifies persons with influence over potential customers. Then, it centres marketing activities around them.
As a brand, you can collaborate with an influencer to promote your goods and services. This collaboration can also be only to create brand awareness.
It is common to mistake influencers for celebrities, but that is not the case. Anyone can be an influencer as long as people come to them to answer their questions.
What makes an influencer is the persuasive influence they wield over their followers. There are influencers with thousands of followers. Yet, others get the job done with hundreds of followers.
In every industry or niche, there are pockets of influencers that command authority. What you need is to find the ones that match your brand goals and work with them.
How To Use Influencer Marketing
Like other strategies, influencer marketing involves proper planning. You cannot send freebies to everyone with a couple of thousands of followers.
You must make strategic decisions and involve careful planning. Here’s how to:
#1. Research
First, choose the platform you want to market your product or services on. Then, scout the people who walk the talk in the relevant niche.
Your brand determines the right platform you should promote on. If you are in the beauty industry, Instagram or YouTube are good places to start.
Adopt social listening to help you identify the influential voices in your industry. Also, decide what category of influencers you want to go for.
Depending on your budget, you can go for celebrity influencers with a large following. Or, you can work with micro-influencers with less than 2000 followers.
#2. Decide On Goals
What does your brand need? The answer to this question will determine what you should expect from influencers.
Influencers will then channel these goals to specific audience demographics. These are the people who have an interest in your kind of products.
#3. Budget
Find out the common rates of influencers in your relevant niche. This will give you an idea of how much you need to set aside.
Also, factor in the cost of production of marketing content. It will help you gauge how much to pay.
Some influencers work with an agency, while others are independent. These are points you must consider before choosing who to work with.
Take-Home Points
The world of influencer marketing has gone through changes, but it is here to stay. Now is the best time to ride the wave as a business owner.
Choosing the right influencer for your brand is a sensitive process. Follow the tips in this article to guide you.
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