Influencer marketing has been a buzzword for a while in the digital marketing landscape. Whilst it was mostly reserved for celebrities around a decade ago, the introduction of social platforms like Instagram and Tik Tok has made it easier for brands to reach and exercise ‘influence’ on their customers.
However, the influencer landscape has changed a lot since it rose to fame. If you think that the old tricks that were used around two years ago will still work today, then you need to think again. Just like any tool in digital marketing, creating a winning strategy in influencer marketing requires staying on top of the everchanging trends and adapting them to your own unique value offering.
So, with that in mind let’s explore how you can use influencer marketing in 2021 to grow your business!
Why your business should consider influencer marketing
First of all, it’s important to remember that just because something has worked for another business, it doesn’t mean that it will work for yours. If you’re confused as to whether influencer marketing is something that you should pursue, it’s a good idea to go back to basics. Rather than focusing on the current trends, truly understanding how influencer marketing works will help you decide whether it’s worth tapping into.
Put simply, influencers influence. As humans, we are more likely to trust the opinion of others, over a brand. People buy from people, not businesses. So, when you tap into influencer marketing, you are leveraging their authority to influence your target market’s buying decisions. It’s an extremely powerful tool that goes back to the core of marketing.
Let’s review some of the strategies that you should consider in 2021
Finding the correct influencer
Long gone are the days of getting in touch with every macro-influencer and asking them to promote your products. First of all, macro-influencers are very expensive. Second of all, you should first focus on reaching your own niche market. It’s important that you target the influencers that are most likely to persuade the market you’re trying to reach. Choosing the correct influencers will involve a lot of research, including social listening.
Once you have determined the audience, remember to search for the right influencers across different social platforms. For example, if you’re in the beauty space, you might want to reach out to influencers with a following on YouTube, or if you’re selling a course, then someone on Clubhouse or with a well-established podcast might be more appropriate.
Setting goals and measuring them
The two main reasons to use influencer marketing are to raise brand awareness and to increase sales. Before diving straight into contacting influencers, you need to define the goals of your strategy, and how you will measure your success.
If you’ve decided to increase brand awareness, then you will need to track engagement such as likes, comments and shares. Remember to track the performance of the influencer’s sponsored posts, as well as your own!
On the other hand, if the sole purpose of using influencer marketing is to increase sales, then setting up a specific landing page will help you track conversions. You can also give a unique discount code, and each time a customer uses it on your website, you can easily identify which sales are driven by the influencers.
Creating authentic content
It’s easier than ever to differentiate between paid and real reviews. Today’s consumers are tired of being sold to and want real and authentic content that they can relate to. Seeking out partnerships with influencers who will embrace your brand values is a great way to create such content. When influencers promote products they believe in, they are not only increasing trust with their followers, but are also showing integrity to your brand. And in 2021, being a value-driven business is second to none.
So, if you’ve decided to tap into influencer marketing in 2021 to grow your business, use these tips to your advantage. And remember, influencer marketing is a strategy, not a once-off campaign!
