Influencer marketing is one of the hottest advertising trends because it gets results. Sixty percent of consumers say a blog or social media post has influenced their in-store purchase decisions. A whopping 88 percent of consumers say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from family members or friends. These tactics will help you harness the power of influencer marketing and make it work for you.
Engage With Loyal Customers With Social Media Presence
Many companies reach out to established influencer marketers to promote their products. However, this strategy can be risky. Established influencer marketers receive a lot of products, so they may not make time for yours. Even if they do, they may not be as passionate about them as someone who already loves what you do. While working with these online-savvy marketers can pay off, they shouldn’t be the only ones you engage.
Chances are there are some very influential people among your existing consumer base. Pay attention to the people who regularly interact with your social media accounts and use your hashtags. Visit their social media pages and see what content they post and how many engaged followers they have.
Build a natural rapport with people who seem to be a good fit with your company by commenting on or sharing their posts. Once you’ve established a connection, reach out to them and ask whether they’d like to work with you. Since they’re already engaged with your brand, they’ll probably create the kind of honest, positive content you’re looking for.
Send High-Quality Products
It might pain you to give away your most expensive products, but sharing quality goods with influencer marketers is the best way to secure positive reviews. Leah Jackson of junkfreemomma.com says that she doesn’t like receiving “junk” and she isn’t afraid to say so.
“I do honest reviews so I tell them if I’m not going to like the product,” she told Intellifluence. “I will highlight some of the things I did like about the product, but in the end I will tell you honestly … that I do not — I just do not care for your product.”
Just consider the impact of Jackson’s more than 2,800 YouTube followers hearing negative comments about your product, then perhaps sharing that negative feedback with their family members and friends. Send the products you’re most proud of to get the glowing reviews you hope for.
Let Influencers Speak From the Heart
It might be scary to hand over the reins to your influencers, but resist the urge to script your influencers. The copy you create will feel like advertising, and modern consumers hate that. Even pointing out features you want highlighted can alter the way your influencers speak about your products. Instead, let your influencers use your products and discover the things they like for themselves. Trust them to create their videos or blog posts. The review will feel more authentic and get better results.
Effective influencer marketing is a powerful tool for promoting your products and encouraging consumers to choose your brand. Use these smart strategies to make the most of this growing marketing trend.
