Top tips is a weekly column where we highlight what’s trending in the tech world today and list ways to explore these trends. This week, we’re looking at how you can use influencer marketing to increase your online brand visibility.
Love them or hate them, there’s no denying that social media influencers are incredibly effective at what they do. Some people may not view it as a “real” job, but you can’t ignore the fact that it takes plenty of skill to engage an audience the way many influencers do. What’s more, they often carry plenty of sway or influence (hence the name) over their audience, and this persuasive power is something companies are looking to leverage.
Tell me how to think
Having someone you respect, admire, or simply find entertaining endorse a product or service is bound to, at the very least, get you thinking about it. That’s why advertisers take a chance with influencer marketing. Even though it doesn’t guarantee anything, it provides more opportunities to align with an audience.
For example, if a tech YouTuber I’m a big fan of were to recommend a specific piece of tech that I haven’t given much thought to, my interest would certainly be piqued, simply because they endorsed it. Also, an influencer doesn’t necessarily have to be an expert for an endorsement to work; I might also find myself interested in a product or service simply because an influencer I find entertaining speaks about it, even if they aren’t an expert.
Influencer marketing isn’t exactly a recent concept. For example, celebrity endorsements have been a thing for a while now (when I say “a while,” I really do mean a while). In order to achieve influencer status, you need to have a considerable fan following—which is why you’d want to tap into their (semi-)celebrity status. So if you’re looking to work with a social media influencer to boost your brand awareness, here are a few tips to keep in mind.
1. Find the right influencer
There’s a lot to consider when you decide which influencer(s) to work with. Factors such as content type, target audience, image, and of course, compensation, can play a major role in helping a company determine if an influencer is the right person to promote its brand.
There are two main approaches here. One way is reaching out to an influencer simply to piggyback off their popularity. You can do this for simple brand awareness, just to get your product out there, to as many people as possible. But keep in mind, this approach generally only works for products that have mass appeal, like electronic gadgets and other consumer goods.
Alternatively, you could consider reaching out to an influencer in the same market as you. This approach is especially effective if you’re operating in a niche market and want to convince your target audience that your product is worth it. Additionally, if the influencer is a respected voice within the community you’re targeting, that can certainly lend plenty of credibility to your product and marketing campaign.
Also incredibly important is an influencer’s image. You don’t want to be associated with a problematic influencer who could have a negative impact on your brand image due to their online misdeeds.
2. Sponsored content
Of course, most viewers aren’t necessarily fans of sponsored content and generally skip through product plugs when they can. Despite that, sponsorships do provide you with an opportunity to use an influencer or content creator’s creativity and skill to promote your product or campaign.
The success of sponsored content is mostly influencer-dependent. Some creators have a knack for promoting such content subtly, where they effectively integrate your brand or product without it feeling intrusive, while still keeping things authentic and entertaining. This can help you promote your product without it feeling obtrusive or out-of-place, which can greatly contribute to the success of your campaign.
3. Run contests and giveaways through influencers
Companies often team up with influencers for giveaway campaigns. This is a relatively low-cost way to spread brand awareness. The effects are multi-fold: if a follower of said influencer is looking for a similar product, they might take the time to learn more about the product that is being given away. A lot of these giveaways come with pre-requisites, sometimes requiring people to follow your social media handles to enter the contest. So you get to generate plenty of buzz around your product along with some good ol’ social media engagement for your company as well as the influencer—meaning it’s a win-win situation all around.
4. Host interviews with thought leaders
Thought leaders are influencers whose popularity comes from their expertise in their respective fields. These thought leaders are usually extremely well-known and highly respected individuals within their field; so, obviously, anything they say can carry a lot of weight.
Interviewing them is a great way for you not only to tap into their generally quite large audiences but also address challenges and opportunities in the market and what you’re doing about them. Plus, being associated with these experts can almost guarantee great engagement rates, and why wouldn’t you want that?
Brand associations and personal connections
Influencer marketing, as a concept, just works. Having a familiar or respected face endorse your products can help you establish a connection with the target audience. There are plenty of popular influencers around in quite literally every market—this form of marketing is rife with opportunities. And it’s up to you how you’re going to use these opportunities to enhance your brand awareness and visibility.
