Why Influencer Marketing Works

By Meagan Hardcastle, Social Media Specialist, Open Sky Communications

Social media is a crucial aspect of business strategy. While that may not have always been the case, today, more than ever, we rely on it to connect with people in every capacity of our lives. Consumerism is no exception. However, it’s not the big brands that are making the connections leading to consumer purchase. It is the social media influencers they utilize that are building connections leading to consumer purchase and brand loyalty.

What was once considered a brand ambassador has a new name.

Thinking about the last product I purchased, the decision was based on a friend’s recommendation. She already owned the product, used it on various occasions and shared her happiness with her own purchase. Social media influencers work no differently. Consumers don’t want to trust in the brand until a friend encourages them to. It can be easier to talk yourself into distrusting a brand with an internal monologue running amuck: “they are just out to make money” and “they don’t value my opinion about the product.” Influencers create credibility and act as an amplifier for your brand.

Influencers are everyday people who started with a small following but weren’t afraid to take their passion to the next level. Dedicated influencers gave time and resources to gain the following and credibility they have. Similar to brands, they’ve developed loyalty and followers; different from brands, they have more personal interactions. They are relatable and perceived as down-to-earth, compared to corporately voiced social media accounts. They talk about their personal lives, not just the brands they love. They are human, discussing strengths and weaknesses – at least the influencers I follow and respect. We often approach social media strategies with ideas to humanize the brand. This means sometimes you just need an actual human to do it.

Choosing an influencer to work with should be carefully considered.

It’s not one size fits all. The first thing to consider is your industry and how your product can be integrated into their life. Choose an influencer who doesn’t diversify too much. Just because they have promoted brands in the past doesn’t mean they will work with any brand. It should make sense that they would represent your brand (i.e. a photographing influencer to represent a framing brand or a travel influencer to represent a suitcase brand). However, you also don’t want them to be too niche that they have represented some or any of your competitors in the past. Look for an influencer who genuinely has nice things to say about your product and brand. Think about your audience as well. Most influencers are focused on millennials and Instagram as their platform of choice. Is this where you want to take your brand?

Don’t be mistaken, this is still a business transaction.

You want it to be a valuable relationship for both of you. The exchange may depend on the popularity of the influencer, but you can anticipate exposure in social media or blogging, which is how they gain the most traction. Of course, you’ll want to offer the product for free to the influencer in addition to payment for content (social media posts, a blog, a product review). It’s also a good opportunity to ask the influencer about the trends they see in the industry and about collecting consumer insights in a more creative way. They are a consumer and can evaluate what other consumers, your target audience, want to see in the latest products. Another great opportunity that a social influencer partnership provides is the use of a referral discount code specific to that influencer.  The benefits are two-fold: (1) consumers love a sale and (2) it’s an effective way to track the success of the campaign. In return, an influencer can offer you a special click-through rate and engagement data on the blog or posts.

Like choosing a PR agency, choosing an influencer should be a strategic decision, but also a comfortable working relationship. Do they align with your values as a brand and show interest in the brand and product? Contracts and agreements aside, you want to work well with your influencer of choice. Potentially, it can develop into a long-term relationship, benefiting you both. Influencer marketing isn’t for every brand and it can be a costly experiment if you don’t know for sure. Interested in working with a social media influencer and don’t know where to begin? We’ve got you covered. Contact info@openskypr.com to create your social media strategy.