Looking Past the Post: How to Determine if an Influencer is Right for Your Campaign
Looking Past the Post: How to Determine if an Influencer is Right for Your Campaign
In the world of influencer marketing, selecting the perfect blend of voices and faces to represent your brand can make or break your campaign's success. It's not just about the number of followers an influencer has — it's about finding individuals whose values and audience align seamlessly with your brand identity and marketing objectives. Let's delve into the intricate process of identifying and engaging influencers who will elevate your brand to new heights.
Understanding Your Audience and Goals
Before diving into the realm of influencer marketing, take a deep dive into understanding your own audience and goals. What demographic does your company cater to? What are the primary objectives you aim to achieve through this event/ campaign/ activation? By defining these key aspects, you can identify influencers who resonate with your audience and can fulfill your goals effectively.
Consider the values and interests of your target audience — are they tech-savvy individuals interested in the latest gadgets, or are they passionate about sustainability and eco-friendly initiatives? Understanding these nuances will guide you towards creators who not only speak to those interests and values, but bring an additional audience who can’t wait to be introduced to your brand. Hello new customers!
It’s pivotal to outline clear goals for why you’re engaging an influencer or content creator. Whether it's to drive brand awareness, boost sales, or encourage audience engagement, your chosen influencers should be able to contribute meaningfully towards these objectives, not just post a picture or reel that people ultimately don’t feel compelled by. Social media audience’s standards are higher these days for brand & influencer collaborations, and they’ll feel distrustful of anything that seems too transactional or insincere. A recent example was backlash received by influencers who were sent by brands to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour — those who didn’t know her music and weren’t connected to the event were quickly denounced by her loyal fanbase, resulting in a missed opportunity for the brands that sent them to reach an incredibly activated audience.
Consideration of your brand’s audience and carefully strategized campaign goals are the lampposts along the path of selecting the right influencer — they will make everything a lot more clear. But when it comes to navigating that road, Cultivated’s deep understanding of these factors, and solid foundation of influencer relationships and management can take your brand exactly where it wants to go.
Identifying Potential Influencers in Your Niche
So, once you have a clear grasp of your audience and objectives, it's time to dive into the pool of potential influencers within your niche. Explore social media platforms, blogs, and other relevant channels to identify influencers who have a strong presence and engagement within your industry. Sometimes it is the unexpected angle that makes the most profound impact. Influencing is about a lot more than a pretty picture and a storefront these days. Pay attention to a creator’s interaction with followers and authenticity in promoting products or services. Are they chatting with their audience in the comments and creating a thoughtful community? Are they promoting multiple different brands with the same type of product, clearly just waiting out their contracted period until the next brand deal can fall into place? While Cultivated has tools to get into the nitty gritty of audience engagement from a numeric perspective, there’s also a lot of judgment and experience that comes into play when researching and vetting prospective creators.
There’s been a lot of discussion about micro-influencers recently, and for good reason. They often have a more dedicated and niche following that can drive higher levels of engagement and authenticity. Sometimes it is advantageous for a brand to not align with a massive star or social media maven. If a brand’s messaging is more grassroots, pulling in micro-influencers will be more true to who they are. On the other side of the coin, it can be refreshing for a brand that seems fueled by star power to align with smaller creators. It can lend them an accessibility and cool factor that they might have been missing.
Engaging and Evaluating Influencers for Maximum Impact
Engagement is the key metric to keep in mind when approaching influencers for collaboration. However, when evaluating influencers, look beyond the surface metrics. While reach and engagement are crucial, authenticity, relevance, and alignment with your brand’s values play a significant role in determining the impact an influencer can have on your audience. You cannot have one without the other for a successful campaign, but Cultivated knows how to leverage both to get you the best fit for your business.
Establish clear communication channels and expectations with your chosen influencers. Provide them with detailed briefs, creative assets, and guidelines to ensure they understand your event's messaging and objectives. Though Cultivated is considered a Booking Agency, we stay in communication throughout the entire creative, production, posting, and reporting process. Creative processes can move either quickly or slowly, but communicating consistently throughout is the most important step in a successful campaign.
Ultimately, as you navigate the realm of influencer marketing, remember that authenticity and relevance are paramount! The right creators have the power to captivate audiences, evoke emotions, and drive meaningful connections that leave a lasting impact on your brand.