It’s not new that many consumers are growing tired of the constant advertisements they are literally forced to see throughout the Internet. That tactic doesn’t work unless the ad is super targeted, well integrated and relevant to the content you are reading or looking. As a brand, it’s important to be able to reach your audience AND convert without going overboard. Well, there is an easier way and it’s much more palatable to consumers. Using the power of influencers can greatly increase the visibility of your business, product, or service if done right. It gives the organic word-of-mouth type marketing without you having to directly advertise.
Now let’s get into it. Here are my 10 essential tips on how to launch a successful influencer marketing campaign for fashion, beauty and lifestyle.
1. Establish a budget, target influencer audience, and goals.
Determining your budget, target audience, and goals are the same as any marketing plan. The first thing to do is to establish how much you will need to spend and find out who your target influencer audience is. This is very important since you will need to determine what it is you’re trying to accomplish and how you will measure your progress. Establishing campaign goals (KPIs - key performance indicators; e.g., social media traffic and conversion rates), can also let you know what type of marketing campaign to design and which influencer(s) you choose to affiliate or connect with. Remember, let your goals lead the way. This will help you decide if you need to create a huge instagrammable event vs simply sending some products and some cash to a few key players.
2. Decide on the best social platform.
Choosing the best social platform for your influencer marketing campaign is mainly centered around your target influencer audience. For example, do your consumers hang out on Instagram, Snapchat, or Facebook? Knowing the answer to such questions will allow you to make an informed decision about which platform will help you achieve a successful influencer marketing campaign.
3. Establish a content publishing schedule.
Synchronize your influencer campaign launch with your other advertising projects to create a holistic experience for the consumer. This will help your content have a greater effect. Also, once you decide on which influencer to use, s/he will have insight into when their followers are the most engaged and can make use of these peak days and hours for the best possible publishing times that will produce optimal results.
4. Find the right social influencer
Finding the right social influencer is no easy task according to marketers. A few ways to make this process easier is to check out each social media star before initial contact is made, utilize influencer marketing tools or platforms, and/or partner with established influencer marketing companies and agencies. Look for micro-influencers since they are inclined to have engaged followers that are fully drawn to their content. I also believe you need to create meaningful relationships with the influencers you want to work with. Take them to dinner or lunch; get to know them, as this will help the partnership be that much stronger and more powerful.
5. Outline the influencer marketing campaign
After you have chosen an influencer, make sure that you explicitly convey what you hope to make happen from your marketing campaign launch. It’s okay to give creative guidance about what your goals and expectations are, however, it’s equally important to allow the influencer to be creative in their content creation. Besides, they are much more informed about what their audiences will respond to.
6. Always settle rates upfront and draft contracts.
Many marketing influencers have set fees, but in many cases, these fees are negotiable especially if you are purchasing multiple posts. After a deal has been made, each participant should sign a legal contract that specifies costs, deliverables (e.g., talking points, deadlines, etc.), publishing schedule, and licensing rights.
7. Look over campaign content.
Prior to launching your marketing campaign, set aside time to go over the entire influencer- linked content verify it contains all of the required copy points, it supports your brand’s messaging, as well as meet the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines concerning the appropriate way to disclose sponsored content. This is one of the most important points because you don’t want the government coming for you. You can be out of thousands of dollars because an influencer doesn’t disclose. It’s important to keep up with the changing laws and act accordingly. And always make sure to leave a paper trail that you require the influencer to disclose.
8. Launch your influencer marketing campaign.
After you’ve given the content the once over and everything is a go, launch the campaign. Once it’s launched, be sure to keep an eye on what’s happening and keep a record of the engagement it receives.
9. Boost your content.
Don’t forget to share your sponsored content on your own social network to increase your reach. Also, ask the influencer to do the same (make sure this has been stated in the contract).
10. Report and analyze your findings.
By keeping track of your influencer marketing campaign, it will give you insight into what is working and what is not working. You should definitely want to know this. Why? Because it will let you know how your referral traffic stacks up. Has it increased? Decreased? Are your followers engaging with your content? Are they sharing it? Are your leads/sales increasing or decreasing? These are just a few of the many questions that need to be answered. So, don’t neglect to keep track of how your campaign is doing.
Let’s sum it up
At the moment, social media platforms play a key part within the overall shopper trip. But do note that it’s not just the social media channels that are having an impact on consumers’ buying choices; it’s the peer-to-peer content and personal storytelling communicated on these outlets that influence sales.
These are just a few tips on how to successfully launch an influencer marketing campaign. Let me know some of the tips you have used to launch a campaign in the comments section below.