It’s no surprise that influencers play a key role in marketing in 2020. But to be successful at it? That takes time, strategy, practice and influencers who know what they’re doing. If you’re looking to grow (or start!) incorporating influencers into your marketing strategy, you’re in the right place. We’re here to give you the scoop on successful influencer marketing in 2020.
Metrics
As much as marketing is an art, it is also analytical. We rely on numbers to drive growth, and if our numbers aren’t indicating performance, we try something else. Influencer marketing is no different. A lot of people think influencer marketing is just like celebrity endorsements, where clout and fame are all you need in order to get a message across. Nope — that’s not the case at all! There are four key things to look for when vetting a successful influencer:
Reach
Determine how the influencer will engage your audience. See where they spend their time, evaluate their expertise and look at the types of followers they engage with the most.
Expertise
First question: Is this influencer an expert in your field? If not, will they take the time to learn the ins and outs of your business? It won’t help to have an influencer endorsing your company if they don’t know anything about it. Remember: people will ask questions. Always. If your influencer doesn’t know the answers, it’s hard to establish credibility.
Demographic
Every influencer has a target audience. This target audience could be very narrow or it could be broad. Either way, knowing this demographic is key when you’re picking an influencer that will appeal to your audience.
Respect
At the end of the day, we hire influencers because their name is known. But it’s important that you are happy with what they’re known for. If they’re not well-respected or their ethics don’t align with your brand, you may want to reconsider.
Celebrity… or not?
Another change we can expect in 2020 is less emphasis on celebrity influencers. That’s not to say that celebrity influencers are becoming obsolete (we think they’ll always be around!), but there’s an emergence of full-time influencers. These are people who eat, sleep and breathe influencer marketing. They are all over the products, the brand relationships and the expertise of each company they work with — and it’s pretty hard to out-do that. Even if you are Kim Kardashian.
Video and audio
What started as pretty pictures with a custom filter is now evolving into all sorts of ways to spread the word about a brand or product. That includes video and audio. In the marketing world, video has become hot over the past three years. While we can’t expect all influencers to be expert producers and directors, we do see an incline in the usage of video and audio to message to their audience.
Long-term brand relationships
Gone are the days of one-off campaigns and month-long contracts. Okay, maybe they’re not gone, but they’re fading fast. Nowadays, influencers are dedicated to creating long-term relationships with the brands they represent. Why? There are several reasons. For one, it’s much easier to create content for a brand you know and love. Otherwise, it can be exhausting to try to conjure up interesting and worthy posts. Another reason is pretty simple. It’s more rewarding. A long-term partnership has an element of personalization. You get to know each other, you work with each other closely and you collaborate to create something great. When you’re on the hunt for an influencer for your brand, keep this in mind. Ask candidates if they’re looking for a long-term relationship and try to feel out if the relationship would be happy, healthy and long-lasting.
The best thing about influencer marketing is that it’s ever-evolving. Since it’s still new, you’ve got a lot of leeway with your campaigns. Just follow these guidelines and put your audience at the forefront and you’ll be on your way to a killer influencer marketing campaign for your business!