Regardless of the size of your business, it's best to diversify your digital marketing efforts. While tactics like search engine optimization and inbound marketing are useful, influencer marketing can still yield incredible returns.
However, before you reach out to an influencer to set up a contract, there are a few things you need to know.
Let's break down how to run a successful influencer campaign on Instagram.
A Primer on Instagram Influencer Campaigns
First, what is an influencer? An influencer is someone who has a large social media following. When you run an influencer campaign, you partner with influencers and they promote your brand. Influencers are typically ranked by their following, from nano influencers (fewer than 10,000 followers) to mega influencers (1 million or more followers). Each tier has pros and cons, such as budget, engagement, and reach.
One of the first things you must figure out when setting up a new campaign is where you'll promote your business. Instagram is the second-most popular platform for influencers, just behind Facebook (which coincidentally also owns Instagram).
Up to 80 percent of marketers in the US use Instagram for influencer campaigns.
When it comes to the ROI on influencer campaigns, exact statistics can be hard to measure. However, a campaign's value doesn't necessarily come from direct sales or site traffic. In some cases, success could involve increasing brand awareness or building a subscriber list. The more detailed your marketing plan, the easier it is to tell whether an influencer is working for your brand.
How to Run a Successful Instagram Influencer Campaign
Step One: Determine Your Marketing Goals
Not all marketing campaigns are created equal. Working with an influencer can help your business in different ways, so it's crucial to know what you want to get out of the campaign. Some common objectives include:
- Brand Awareness - In this case, you want to reach as broad an audience as possible so more people know about your company and what you offer.
- Site Traffic - Influencers can direct their followers to a specific landing page or promote the entire site.
- Direct Sales - You can create specific codes for influencers to track the number of sales they generate from the campaign.
- Subscribers and Followers - Influencers can tell their followers to subscribe to your email list or follow your brand on social media for updates.
Sometimes, a single campaign can have multiple goals, but it's best to prioritize them. This way, it's easier to measure the effectiveness of your marketing efforts.
Step Two: Research Potential Influencers
Because influencers are all about promotion, creating a list of potential candidates should be easy. One tactic is to search Instagram for influencers who are in your industry or related industry. You could do this research by using Instagram's search function. You could also search by hashtag, or research based on who some of your existing followers follow. And of course there are influencer platforms where you can enter your criteria and the tool will give you a list of potential influencers who match your needs.
Keep in mind that you can work with multiple influencers at a time. For example, one influencer can focus on brand awareness while another helps you build and curate a valuable subscriber list.
Remember that influencers with larger followings will tend to charge more. So, if you're going after a mega influencer, be prepared to spend a lot more than you would on a micro or nano influencer.
You should also start contacting influencers to see if they are available or interested in your campaign. Some individuals may have exclusive contracts, while others may be hard to work with. So, it's always good to have alternatives and backups in case a top pick doesn't work out.
Step Three: Determine the Right Campaign Type
Influencer marketing doesn't take a one-size-fits-all approach. Some influencers are great at specific types of content or promotion, so you should lean into their strengths as much as possible. Here's a quick breakdown of the different campaign options you can utilize:
- Sponsored Content - This is when you pay for a specific post or multiple posts. Because you're paying for the content, you have full control over it, including any hashtags or associated links.
- Affiliate Posts - Affiliate marketing involves creating a unique code for each influencer. Then, they are responsible for creating content to promote those links. You can set specific guidelines, but the influencer controls the content.
- Reviews - Influencer reviews can help shape customer opinions on a product or service. However, for them to work, the review must be or at least appear to be genuine.
- Brand Ambassadorship - In this case, you hire the influencer to be a brand ambassador. You set the terms of the contract, and they promote your brand whenever possible. You may also provide content for the influencer to post.
- Collaborations - A collaboration is when you work with an influencer to help them make content. For example, you might provide funding or supplies for a specific video in exchange for promotion.
Step Four: Set Goals and Expectations
Once you have an influencer and content ready, it's time to draw up a contract. Make sure to discuss as many details of the deal, such as:
- Upfront vs. Residual Payments - Will you only pay the influencer once, or can they earn money from your content over the long term?
- Non-Compete Clause - Can an influencer work with a competitor while promoting your brand? If not, for how long?
- Campaign Logistics - How many posts will the influencer make, and how often? You may also want to start with a single post and see how it performs before setting up a long-term contract.
Step Five: Measure Success
Once your campaign is running, make sure to check the necessary metrics as often as possible. Also, keep in mind that some campaigns may see immediate results, while others can take longer to be successful.
You may also include bonuses and other incentives to ensure success. For example, if an influencer reaches a certain number of sales, they get a bonus commission. Similarly, you might pay a reward for reaching a specific number of subscribers.
Get Help Running Your Influencer Campaign
While you can rely on an influencer to generate content for your business, running a campaign can still be time-consuming and complicated. Rather than do it yourself, you should use our marketing agency to handle the details for you. We can draft contracts, conduct influencer research, and provide insight into the different campaigns that may work best. Contact us today to get started.
