The social media world is constantly growing, changing and expanding. One way it has expanded over the years is the explosion of influencer marketing.
Influencer marketing is marketing out-sourced by a company through social media celebrities to sell products and services via social media powerhouses such as Instagram and YouTube. Major influencers usually have a blue checkmark next to their name on various platforms to indicate that they are in fact who they claim to be.
With over 1 Billion users on Instagram, it has become the perfect location for social media influencers to create content, showcase pictures and establish their own personal branding. Great social media influencers such as Kayla Itsines and Joanna Gaines use their personal brand to reach others while also featuring other companies’ brands. There are also hundreds of other people who create fitness, cooking and community Instagram accounts that are up for grabs for sponsorships. These people can serve as an extension of your marketing services and increase the bandwidth of your content on social media.
So, how do you nab one of these influencers to help sell your products and services?
The first thing you want to think about is who do you want to show off your brand and products. Potential influencers want to showcase brands that coincide with their personal brand. If you are a fitness clothing store, you would not want a make-up influencer promoting your products when they may not work out. You would want to target social media influencers who work out, enjoy workout clothes and run a fitness-related account.
Then, it’s time to reach out and establish your interest in working with them. If they express interest, then be prepared to outline your terms, pricing and tracking.
A simple contract can outline how often they should post, what they will be compensated and any benefits they may receive for working with your company. Benefits can include a discount on certain products or services and team gear.
Tracking can be created through hashtags and promo codes. For example, your company is named “Running R Us” so you could create a hashtag such as #RunningRUSsponsor or #RRUSad so you can easily track when your influencers post for your accounting records. You could also create influencer specific promo codes. If you want your influencers to give their followers a chance to buy your products at a discounted rate. For example, if Tiffany Runs was an influencer for this company and was asked to create a post to get her followers to buy running shoes at a discounted price. The company could tell her to use her own promo code such as #TiffanyRuns20.
While not every company is tapped into influencer marketing, it is a great tool to use to grow your social media following, increase sales and outsource your marketing efforts as social media continues to grow.
