If you dabble at all in the marketing sphere, there’s a 99.9% chance you’ve heard the buzz word “influencer” by now. Maybe you’ve toyed with the idea of influencer marketing, maybe you’re one of the 75% of marketers who currently utilize some form of influencer marketing in your strategy, or perhaps you’re not yet convinced that influencer marketing is the right choice for your brand.
Regardless of your current connection with this ever-expanding phenomenon – and your opinion of it –influencer marketing doesn’t appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.
So, let’s review some of the basics and discuss just how powerful influencer marketing can be, and what it can help you achieve, when it’s done right.
Micro-Influencers -What (or Who) Are They?
Influencers are respected, trusted individuals who are sought-after for their opinions about specific lifestyles, ways of thinking, or niche topics. They share these opinions via their blogs, YouTube videos, articles, social media platforms – whatever channel fits their style and their audience. Why does this matter for your brand? An influencer’s opinion often times includes recommendations for specific products and services they just can’t live without – ones that have helped them achieve a certain level of happiness, fitness, success – you name it. That next recommendation could be your brand.
Got it. But…What is Influencer Marketing?
Influencer marketing is the strategic business of connecting brands and companies with authentic, influential online leaders to help increase brand awareness and buzz. This facet of marketing isn’t just reserved for million dollar brands who can afford to team up with celebrities. Small and medium-sized businesses now have plenty of opportunities to collaborate with experts, authority figures, and the often overlooked, but all-important, micro-influencer.
Ok…And What (or Who) Are Micro-Influencers?
Micro-influencers are popular bloggers, vloggers, social media gurus (individuals with a strong online presence) with a smaller, but very active and interactive following. How many followers to be exact? This number varies across the web but rests somewhere between the broad range of 1,000 to 100,000 followers.
But it’s not the overall number of followers that matters. It’s the level of engagement you should be keeping an eye out for (likes, re-tweets, comments, shares, etc.) Bigger isn’t always better, so don’t judge an influencer by the quantity of his/her followers – do a quality check!
A great micro-influencer’s readers, viewers, followers and/or listeners engage with their content – truly interested in what topics they discuss and what products and services they place their seal of approval upon. They’ve built trust among their fans and now, by forming a relationship with them, YOU can reach these fans – starting with a single campaign.
How Can Influencer Marketing with Micro-Influencers Help your Brand?
A significant return on investment (ROI) is always a top goal when it comes to any marketing endeavor, but with influencer marketing, the objectives and results aren’t so black and white. This strategy isn’t just about immediate return, it’s about so much more. And with the right micro-influencers in your corner, the possibilities are endless.
Micro-Influencers: Why You Should Use Them
Here are 8 reasons you should consider choosing micro-influencers for your next (or first) influencer marketing campaign:
- Brand Awareness: If a stranger sees your company name – is this going to mean anything to him/her at first glance? If you’re still new on the scene – your brand name, logo, tagline, etc. may not yet be recognizable to your target audience. But when you associate your product or service with a meaning, a message, and a promise via influencer marketing, you become more memorable and more trustworthy.
When members from the niche group you’re trying to target see your product or service and all of its “wow” factors (what sets you apart) on their favorite blogger’s blog or vlogger’s vlog – they’re more likely to identify your brand and associate it with something positive. They’re now, simply put, “aware of your brand.” The more people who hear your business being discussed by their favorite influencers – the more identifiable your brand becomes. How many times have you seen that Nike swoosh? You now associate it with a whole lot more than just basketball shoes – and you can point it out anytime, anyplace. - Trust: Micro-influencers have a strong connection with their fans and followers. The chances that your brand will gain trust by association – are pretty good. They trust the influencer and the influencer trusts you…simple math!
Plus, this type of advertising is, without question, more natural-looking at first glance than other forms. Influencers often times integrate brands organically within a story they’re telling instead of just shouting, “Hey! Go buy this thing!” So, while banner ads and other forms of advertising are still necessary for optimal success, a combination of both can attract a wider variety of interested parties. - Buzz/Exposure: While you don’t want to team up with just anyone (choose actual micro-influencers who are a fit for your brand – not just Joe Blogger), the more individuals who join the conversation about your company, the better. The more eyeballs that are exposed to your brand – the greater your chances of creating a loud buzz across some very oversaturated markets.
- Keywords: Get your brand positioned alongside the words and phrases that your prospects and customers are searching for. Influencers in your industry can help associate your company with certain terms – the ones that you’re trying to rank for- in the SERPs.
- Links: Your backlink profile needs a solid mix of follow and no-follow links and influencer marketing is a surefire way to secure no-follow links from credible, respected, high-domain authority sites, which can contribute to your overall SEO value.
- No Ad Blockers: According to a report by PageFair, 615 million devices (as of early 2017) use an ad blocker of some kind. Influencer marketing allows you to get your message and product or service out there without getting stiff-armed by this popular software – and micro-influencers will help you get that message heard by the right people.
- Long-Term Success: A lot of the content that comes from influencer collaborations remains live for extended periods of time or indefinitely (while a site or channel is still active), so a campaign that goes live tomorrow can easily have an impact the day after, two weeks down the line, or 2 years from now.
- Measurability: These days, pretty much every aspect of marketing is measureable. Thanks to Google Analytics and custom URLS, coupon codes, and a marketing firm’s secret tracking sauce, there’s no more guessing – it’s all about reporting.
And there you have it – 8 reasons you should consider hopping on the micro-influencer bandwagon.
So, when you’re ready to jumpstart your first campaign, start the ball rolling for your next, or discuss your influencer marketing options, contact us to schedule a time to chat.
You know your company and we know influencers. Together, we can get your brand into the right hands – and in front of the right crowd.
Are you ready to go all in with influencer marketing?