What is Influencer Marketing? How to Find Best Influencer for Your Business

As a marketing manager, wide-ranging communication that is authentic and thus strengthens long-term trust in your brand is your top priority. In this context, influencer marketing can make a valuable contribution.

But what is influencer marketing, and what tasks does this advertising format include? Which influencer marketing strategy suits your company, and which social media channels are particularly promising for you? How can influencer marketing costs be kept manageable?

In this article, we have compiled the most important facts about influencer marketing and presented you with many valuable strategies and ideas for your company.

In line with this, we will first clarify the definition of influencer marketing and influencer marketing tasks and then present many interesting strategies you can use effectively, even with a smaller advertising budget.

What is influencer marketing?

The influencer marketing definition is based on selected personalities, so-called influencers, who have many followers on social media channels such as Facebook, YouTube, or Instagram, depending on their popularity.

Influencers give tips, comment on certain topics and refer their followers to various products that they have tested and recommended. The boundaries between personal opinion-forming and commercial advertising are blurred and give the target group a feeling of authenticity and trustworthiness.

Influencers do not directly promote products or offers but make recommendations or conduct product tests highlighting the features and added value.

The associated influencer marketing tasks include all activities aimed at finding suitable multipliers who will advertise your company's specific product or service. In the meantime, various areas have developed: Depending on the channel, influencers are becoming active as bloggers or in social networks with video and image content.

You can develop targeted influencer marketing strategies in your company, which you can implement creatively with the support of product or brand ambassadors. Be inspired by the following ideas.

Authenticity as the top priority

To remain authentic, you should rely only on influencers who fit your company and your brand.

For this reason, it is crucial when selecting the opinion leader that they deal with topics or problems that are simplified or improved by their products or services.

In addition, the influencer should also fit the values ​​and image as well as your company's target group as a person.

In this context, check the engagement rate of your desired influencer. This shows that the brand ambassador not only has a large number of followers but also that there is a lively exchange and interaction.

Quality over quantity is an important strategic feature.

The same applies to influencer marketing: quantity does not equal quality. It is common for companies to assume that a brand ambassador is only good if it has a particularly large reach and number of followers.

However, this attitude drives up influencer marketing costs and means that the chosen influencer has a well-known name but needs to fit your company.

For example, so-called micro-influencers with follower numbers of up to 100,000 and nano-influencers with up to 10,000 followers can be the focus of your influencer marketing strategy.

In your specific case, check exactly to what extent, for example, a micro-influencer or even nano-influencer can be used specifically and particularly effectively as an advertising partner.

Sponsored Content Strategy

As part of this strategy, you discuss specific products or services with an influencer that they are promoting for you. Depending on the channel and content, including photos, texts, videos, or blog posts, the sponsored content is developed with the influencer and put online.

The brand ambassador must be given specifications and a certain amount of creative leeway to address his followers authentically.

Also Read : Boost Your Website Growth Via Marketing

Influencer reviews

More and more potential buyers are finding out about product reviews online before purchasing. You attach great importance to the evaluation of other users as well as their role models (including stars and athletes).

For reviews, you can get an influencer on board who, for example, receives selected products from your range free of charge, tests the product accordingly, and publishes a review in their channels.

Well-known examples are so-called "unboxing" photo series or videos. For example, on YouTube, the influencer unpacks, examines, tries, and evaluates the product.

Cooperation on selected products or offers

Another marketing strategy is to design a selected product or offer with an influencer and then offer it on the market.

This influencer marketing strategy is used particularly frequently for fashion and beauty products. Entire lines are created here specifically associated with the influencer and his name.

The target group also identifies directly with your brand via the influencer.

Establish Instagram influencer marketing in the company.

Instagram influencer marketing plays an increasing role for companies in a balanced online marketing mix. In recent years, the social media platform, which places great value on aesthetic imagery and benefits from a large, emotionally influenced community, has grown significantly.

On Instagram, what counts above all is the integration of different products into the life frame of reference of the influencers. Advertising takes a back seat, which followers perceive as positive. Surveys among young adults show, for example, that they do not see Instagram influencer marketing as classic advertising, unlike on channels such as YouTube or Facebook, and that the statements made by influencers here are significantly more credible.

Rely on influencer marketing that suits your company.

Our collection of ideas shows: The versatility of influencer marketing is enormous. Thorough research, a well-thought-out influencer marketing strategy, and a sensitive selection of brand ambassadors are essential for the success of this online marketing discipline.

Trust your marketing manager's instinct and only cooperate with authentic influencers who positively underline your brand's image.

Gain product and brand ambassadors who act as specialists or role models for your target group. For optimal integration of your online marketing in everyday work, Social media management tools for Business combines the task management and document management with social network services, among other things.