INFLUENCER MARKETING, HOW TO SET UP A SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGN
INFLUENCER MARKETING, WHAT IS IT FOR, OBJECTIVES AND GOALS
The phrase ‘influencer marketing’ has by now become a stock phrase for those working online and who have products and services to offer. Once upon a time we relied on word of mouth, a friend’s recommendation that passed from mouth to mouth until you had created a real pool of clients. Now the concept remains the same, it is simply the ‘forum’ for discussion which has changed. The new generation have to be intercepted online and specifically in their social networks (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, Snapchat…)
WHAT IS AN INFLUENCER?
They are real people who might be more or less famous who have created a loyal following based around certain interests and topics. Influencers consciously decide to publish and share a large part of their life with their network, creating a familial atmosphere, starting discussions on various topics and influencing the choices (commercial or otherwise) of their followers.
TYPES OF INFLUENCER
- We are talking about very famous people with more than 1 million followers
- Macro influencers. These are people who share a large part of their live and have reached more than 500,000 followers
- Middle influencers. Users who have reached more than 100,000 followers
- Long Tail. Profiles with less than 100,000 followers
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT INFLUENCER?
First of all, there has to be an affinity of interests and topics. What does this person do, what is their most relevant content? Obviously if they are a food blogger, we’re not going to offer them a cosmetics product campaign.
The influencer’s target audience has to be in line with your own target client group, and it is therefore essential to ask for demographic data on the followers of the chosen person.
Heading straight for celebrities and Macro Influencers isn’t always the best choice. It depends on the campaign you want to run. Very often, a Long Tail with fewer followers, might create a more active involvement compared to those with a large number: a wide audience is often a fragmented one.
THE NUMBERS
Research by Launchmetrics has shown that 65% of fashion brands have activated an Influencer Marketing campaign (2017 data), and that 74% of those interviewed answered that Influencer Marketing has helped their brand and increased their sales.
Sensei Marketing reveals that 74% of businesses intend to plan influencer marketing strategies in 2017 with the aim of promoting relevant discussions, consolidating the reputation of the brand and to predict the behaviour and choices of their users.
What is more, according to statistics reported by Tomoson, 76% of marketers recognise a clear corrolation between influencer marketing and customer loyalty.
IS IT A GOOD IDEA TO TRUST YOUR OWN MARKETING STRATEGY TO AN INFLUENCER?
Our answer is yes, but with the right precautions.
Influencers must be perfectly in alignment with the image of the product and the services offered, and must use a similar tone, in order to attract the right customers. Big numbers don’t always translate into big results. If you own your own business, micro influencers can be a useful starting point for this strategy, in order to cultivate a more widespread and organic network.