15 Ideas to harness the power of influencer marketing

February 24, 2022By Jake Doran

The numbers say it all and they never lie. 70% of teens trust influencers more than traditional celebrities while 49% of consumers depend on influencer recommendations. This proves that influencer marketing is one of the biggest trends in digital marketing today. This is a collaboration between a brand and a social media influencer to market products or services or push brand awareness/recognition.

To appreciate the impact this strategy can have on your brand, check recent social media use numbers. Today, there are over 3.5 billion social media users worldwide. Reports show that 90.4% of Millennials, 77.5% of Generation X, and 48.2% of Baby Boomers are active social media users.

If your target audience is on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn and other platforms, using social media influencer is a no brainer. You not only tap into an influencer’s audience, but also their audience’s network.

This post proposes creative techniques will help you harness the power of influencer marketing.

Blog Post Reviews

An influencer blog post review is an easy way to drive conversion. The influencer’s followers easily believe such an endorsement. Do your research to identify an influencer who can connect with your target audience. You can also include discount offers and other goodies for a bigger impact.

Branded Hashtags

Hashtags are king in social media marketing. They’re the easiest tactic to increase your social media presence. Anyone with interest in your content can view your hashtag even if they don’t follow you.

Promoting a hashtag is not easy but if you work with an influencer, you can easily make your dedicated hashtag go viral. If an influencer uses your hashtag, their followers get on board and post it as well as engage your brand.

Social Media Shoutouts

This is the classic influencer marketing tactic and it never gets old. It works on the simple premise that an influencer already has a large following and this includes your target audience. If such a celebrity says something good about your products or services on social media, you can bet many people will check out what you have.

Connect with influencers, send free samples or offer free services and ask them to shout out your brand on social media. It works through sponsored posts which can generate millions of views, more traffic to your site and higher conversion.

Product Launches

Launching a new product is a big opportunity to showcase yourself. This event can work even better if you bring in an influencer to announce it.

When Samsung launched its Note 7 in 2016, they brought on board CyreneQ, a professional Snapchat artist and designer with a huge subscriber base. This generated a lot of hype around Note 7 as the Snapchat’s star fans drove the conversation.

Live Video and Events

Popular live video platforms such as Livestream, Twitch, YouTube live, Younow, Facebook Live and Periscope have made it easier for individuals and brands to generate hype around events.

Adding an influencer in your live videos can make a big impact and drive views. The collaboration between Mashable and America's Test Kitchen and chef David Vos to launch a cooking show is a good example.

Influencers in Commercials

If you’re filming a commercial, you don’t have to hire a professional actor. Bring in one of your influencers for the commercial and this will have a bigger impact.

From Danny Trejo, Steve Buscemi, Stephen Colbert, Jennifer Aniston to Christopher Walken, the biggest brands have invested heavily in commercials featuring influencers. This is a trend you should embrace. Make sure you generate a lot of hype around the commercial.

Social Ads

Social ads are now one of the quickest and most effective ways to connect with your target audience.

These adverts are profitable and versatile advertising channels but you can get even more out of them by bringing in an influencer. They look less like sponsored ads because an individual posts them with your brand’s mention.

Brand Testimonials

Testimonials are very effective for generating brand awareness, building trust, boosting conversion and so much more. With user-generated content (UGC) now at the core of digital marketing, you have to work harder to encourage reviews.

One way to supercharge your marketing campaigns is through influencer testimonials. Imagine well-known personalities recommending your products/services on your homepage or landing page? This is a smart way to build trust and drive conversions. You can even share these testimonials on other platforms including social media.

Exclusive Promo Codes

The hunt for promotional codes by consumers is a never ending undertaking. This is one of the most exciting tasks for online shoppers. While coupons and promo codes remain a popular tactic for converting, you can get more out of this marketing technique through influencer marketing.

If you already have an influencer in your campaign, give them a few exclusive promo codes to pass on to their fans. When showcasing your brand or service the influencer gives the promo code to a lucky fan who can access the same offer. This drives conversation around your brand and you’ll notice more engagement and conversion.

Exclusive Interviews

Influencers are a big hit in digital marketing because of their large following and the hold they have on their fans. However, fans don’t always get to hear from their favorite influencers and this is something you can sort out and capitalize on.

You can arrange an exclusive interview of your influencer and post this on your company’s account. You can organize a live interview where fans ask questions and your influencer answers these.

It is the best way to bring a personal connection to your campaign. Such an interview not only generates views but also helps with building customer loyalty and increasing conversions.

Contests and Giveaways

Contests never get old as an online marketing tactic. When you add giveaways to the mix, you have a smart strategy to generate leads and drive brand mentions. For instance, Instagram contests boost your follower count in a short period of time, and with little effort.

Working with an influencer is a creative way to spice up your contest and giveaways. Such a campaign generates frenzied excitement around your brand as fans try to win the prize. It’s a simple way to reach your target audience and promote your products/services.

Fan Meetups

In this digital age, there's a lack of physical connection between brands and their customers. While influencer marketing is all digital, you can tune things up through a fans’ meetup.

Fans would like to meet that influencer who has featured in your brand’s campaigns and get answers to all their questions. The meetup endears the influencer’s fans to your brand and you’ll enjoy more engagement.

Ambassador Program

After working with an influencer over a long period, brands can form lasting relationships. You can use such a connection to turn your influencers into brand ambassadors.

Good examples of brand ambassadors today include George Clooney (Nespresso and Omega), Karlie Kloss (Victoria's Secret Angel, L'Oreal and Swarovski), and Leonardo DiCaprio (TAG Heuer).

Look for an influencer whose values reflect your brand’s values and build a relationship that goes beyond marketing.

Product Development

If you find an influencer with experience in your niche, it’s most likely they have ideas you can incorporate into your products or services. You can harness an influencer’s creativity by bringing them into the product development process.

Of course, the influencer and your brand will share this information on social media to create a buzz around the product. This will get you brand mentions while promoting your new product.

It All Starts by Picking the Right Influencer

While influencer marketing is highly effective, many brands struggle to get it right. It all starts with the right choice of an influencer. Your choice can make or break your campaign. It’s been revealed that 30% of US and UK influencers have no organic audience. Their following comes from dummy accounts’ likes, comments and follows.

Such influencers will make no impact on your brand and can even ruin your reputation. Partnering with IMA can help you avoid such pitfalls in your campaign. We deliver comprehensive reports to reveal an influencer's true followers, engagement rates, potential reach per post. This helps you make a decision based on return on investment (ROI)

Final Thoughts

Influencer marketing is just getting started and there’s a lot of potential in this creative marketing strategy. Working with a social media marketing partner can help unlock the power of your campaign. These professionals help research, design and implement the best strategy to get the most out of your social media campaigns.

Contact us today to start harnessing the immense power of influencer marketing. We provide social media services from start to finish for businesses and influencers.