When it comes to social media, sometimes bigger isn’t always better.
Ever since influencer marketing was introduced, Instagram quickly became one of the best platforms for brands to partner with influencers to reach new audiences. However, it can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking that all it takes is paying any random influencer with a large following. When it comes to Instagram influencer marketing, one of the main reasons for its success is that it breaks down barriers of traditional advertising by using an influencer that people trust. If you want to find out more about how influencer marketing can work for your brand, you can check it out in our previous blog here.
You’ve seen thousands of posts on Instagram with influencers and you might be wondering how can I successfully work with one too. Luckily for you, we’ve broken it down into 6 easy steps to ensure you not only choose the right influencer but take the right steps to increase your engagement.
1.Do your research
Numbers are just numbers. With the amount of fake followers on Instagram, you can easily fall into the trap of paying an influencer to promote your product that no one will ever see. An easy way to find out if an influencer is legitimate or not, is to pay close attention to the amount of likes they receive based on their follower count. Generally, a 2-3% engagement rate is a good indication that they are reaching real people that can result in sales.
A few questions you might want to consider:
- Does this influencer’s brand align with my message, values and aesthetic?
- Do they have a good portfolio in working with similar brands?
- What is their legitimate audience reach?
@taramilktea has 1 million followers on Instagram and ranges from 40-60k each post.
2. Reaching out
With billions of users active everyday, Instagram influencers receive multiple emails a day from brands. Here’s a few things to keep in mind when clicking send on that email:
- Be clear and concise about the brief of your campaign
- Set a deadline
- Output: a number of content pieces you expect from them
- Payment: outline budget/payment per sponsored post
3.Leverage Micro- influencers
The term ‘micro-influencer’ refers to social media content creators that have a small but dedicated following of between 1,000 to 100,000 users. They tend to have a following that is catered towards a niche subject: whether it be fashion, food, travel or fitness. This is just another strategy you might want to consider, a form of re-targeting to reach the right people.
Although smaller in follower numbers, they often have higher engagement rates and may be easier to work with as they are not overwhelmed with offers everyday.
@wearetriibe
4.Budget
Consider your budget. Instagram influencers tend to charge a certain flat rate for each post depending on their following so before you reach out to them, make sure you’re willing to spend a certain amount
5.Disclosing Instagram Sponsored Posts
Recent regulations by the Federal Trade Commission have cracked down on Instagram partnerships to increase the transparency between a brand, influencer and their audience. It’s important to disclose full information, so that Instagram followers know that an influencer is getting paid to promote a certain product.
@sam_kolder
6.Set a clear brief
Make sure that the influencer understands what you want as a brand, but make sure that you allow them creative freedom. Besides, you’re working with this influencer because you value their content. Allowing influencers to take the time to create something they want, makes it feel more genuine and engaging.
When influencer marketing is done correctly, it can certainly drive sales and reach new audiences. Remember to keep in mind these 6 steps if you are looking to use influencer marketing in your strategy and don’t be afraid to chat to our team if you would like some help planning or executing your next influencer marketing strategy or want an obligation-free chat to see if this new marketing concept could work for your brand.