Stephen Covey, author of “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” stated it best; “There are three constants in life ... change, choice and principles.”
Change is inevitable, it’s always going to be around.
We face choices every day. From what to wear to our attitude and even choosing not to choose (e.g., getting two scoops of ice cream because you can’t decide between two flavors).
Principles keep you in line when handling change and making choices. They honor company values and should be a driving force in your influencer marketing strategy.
Previously, we’ve discussed the success of authentic content on social media and how influencers are able to expand your brand’s audience while staying true to theirs.
Influencer Authenticity Builds Trust.
When a product/service doesn’t match the brand of each party, credibility is lost for both. When an influencer’s brand and values align with yours, it lays the foundation for a genuine creator/brand relationship. Using these influencers for multiple campaigns offers an “always-on” strategy, allowing your brand to become part of their communities. Influencers know what their audiences like and will continue to present fresh, unique content to keep them engaged.
Repeat engagement with an influencer will build the creator/brand relationship. Based on your previous collaborations, you’ll have data insights available to refine a strategy to optimize future campaigns.
Too often, quantitative data dictates a marketing strategy. The reach mega-influencers and celebrities have (500k+ followers) is appealing, but they won’t be as engaged with their audiences.
Influencer marketing should be driven by qualitative data. Micro- (5k-100k followers) and nano-influencers (< 5k followers) are positioned to be more effective of an influence because they pay attention to their following and continually consistently engage with them.
Developing a consistent, ongoing partnership with influencers should be driven by authenticity. Over time, their audience will also develop a trust in your the brand because of the genuine relationship the influencer represents.
So which influencers best align with your brand?
An influencer study is a logical way to assess key engagement and saturation rates when it comes to authenticity. To get started with a complimentary influencer study, or for a second opinion on your current influencer marketing efforts, reach out to us right here.