To benefit from influencer marketing, there are a few basic concepts that you will first need to understand. In our previous blog, we discussed what influencer marketing is all about and the various categories of influencers. To communicate with, persuade, convince and excite a new audience, you need to create an influencer marketing strategy that fits your brand and business objectives.

The trust already built between the influencer and their audience will be our bridge to more natural communication with our potential customers than other formats or advertising techniques. Influencer marketing is the new public relations.

If the influencer can convey the benefits obtained by your product or service confidently, their audience will have more affinity for your product. And that’s no small feat.

How To Create An Influencer Marketing Strategy

First, you must understand that influencer marketing is only one tool in the toolbox or one tactic in your integrated marketing strategy. And as such, it should be effectively coupled with the rest of your marketing efforts. Decisions such as the choice of influencers and clear objectives will help you get better results.

Below we have created a list with some guidelines to help you make an influencer marketing strategy.

Determine Your Goals

Your first objective should be to reach new customers. Influencer campaigns increase awareness and build trust in your brand. Think of it as a trusted referral from a friend. And don’t worry if you don’t see immediate results; influencer campaigns are a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time to build awareness and trust. Your initial goal should be matching your campaign to your strategy and creating measurable objectives that you can report on and track.

Know Who You’re Trying To Influence

An effective strategy requires contacting the right people and using the right tools. To do this, you must define who your audience will be. Developing a buyer persona will also be very useful to know who you want to sell to and then choose the right influencers for those people.

Understand The Rules

Before getting into influencer marketing, you must be aware that there are agencies responsible for regulating these collaborations. In the United States, those rules come from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), while in the United Kingdom, there is the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

The rules vary slightly by country, so be sure to check the most current requirements in your jurisdiction. Generally, be clear and straightforward, so viewers can understand when a publication is sponsored.

Consider The RRRs of Influence

Influencer campaigns are made up of three components:

Relevance

The success of the campaign depends mainly on the choice of influencers. A content creator important to your niche can generate incredible numbers for you.

Reach

Reach is the number of people you could reach through the influencer’s follower base.

Resonance

This is the potential level of interaction the influencer can create with an audience relevant to your brand.

Compile a List of Influencers.

When thinking about who you want to work with, trust is key. You also need to consider the influencer’s engagement rate (a good engagement rate also means loyal followers). For example, if someone has a million followers but only gets a couple of hundred likes on each post, that’s not a very good sign.

The tone should also be suitable for how you want to present your brand to potential customers. This will ensure that social media posts are not disjointed for either party. Be sure you research your influencers well and know the tone of the content they publish.

Communicate With Your Potential Partners

Before making a personal approach with your potential partners, start communication by interacting organically with their content. The truth is that it may take you a little longer to write a personal message to each influencer, but it will show that you are serious about the potential partnership. This, in turn, can increase your chances of reaching a deal.

Cooperate With Your Influencer To Develop Compelling Content

A social media influencer who has worked hard to build a follower base will not accept a deal that makes their brand seem inconsistent. After all, influencers are experts at creating content. Their work will get more engagement if you allow them to showcase those skills and create content that feels organic to their feed.

Of course, it’s a good idea to provide some guidelines about what you’re looking for. But don’t expect to run the entire campaign. Lean on your influencers for creative direction. After all, they are the artists.

Measure Your Results

To measure the effectiveness of a campaign, you must know its value in terms of ROI. Giving influencers a discount code is an easy way to track the sales they achieve.

You can also request that the influencer send you detailed reports on their posts’ reach and engagement levels.