Influencers are people who have a certain level of knowledge, authority or trust in a specific niche or audience. They can influence the opinions, behavior, and purchase decisions of their audience.
Influencer marketing is similar to a modern day matchmaking service. However, instead of hearts fluttering it’s the brands that find their perfect online spokesperson in order to gain followers and increase sales. How do you find the right influencer to represent your brand?
Select a Type of Influencer
The first step in influencer marketing is to choose the type of influencer you want. Influencers are available in many shapes and sizes. From celebrities with millions to followers, to micro-influencers who have just a few hundred loyal fans.
Influencers can be used to achieve a variety of goals. However, it is important that they are aligned with your brand, its voice and target audience.
- Mega influencers: These are the superstars in the world of social media and Instagram marketing. They are usually household names, celebrities, athletes or other major personalities who have one million or more fans. These influencers have a massive audience, but they are also expensive and may dilute niche targeting.
- Macro influencers: With followers ranging between 500,000 and one million, macro-influencers are well-known within their industry. They are a better fit for marketing specific products and services than mega-influencers because they have a smaller audience.
- Micro influencers: These micro-influencers tend to have between 10,000 and $100,000 followers and focus on a specific niche. They are more engaged because they have a smaller audience, and this can lead to a better engagement rate.
- Nano influencers: Although they have less than 10,000 followers, micro-influencers have often the most engaged audience. This type is a good fit for brands looking to grow organically and make personal connections.
When deciding on your marketing strategy for influencers, it is important to consider the pros and cons of each type.
Your choice of a micro-influencer who has a niche audience with high engagement or a macro influencer with mass appeal should be based on the way this advertising strategy fits in with your marketing goals. Match your objectives with the appropriate influencer.
How to Find Influencers for your Brand?
Once you know what type of influencers you want, it’s time to find the one that’s right for your brand.
Define your Goals
Clarify your goals before you begin searching for influencers. Do you want to build brand awareness, generate sales leads, increase your brand’s visibility, or create trust in a particular community? The type of influencer that you require will depend on your goals.
If you want to launch a new product, and you want it to be seen by many people, you might choose a macro-influencer.
Micro and Nano-influencers may be a better option if you are a niche brand seeking deeper engagement.
It is important to understand your goals before you can set the criteria for finding your ideal influencer.
Identify Your Target Audience
Before diving into influencer profiles and defining your target audience, define your goals. What are the online habits of your ideal customer? Do you sell to eco-conscious millennials or fashionistas from Generation Z?
It is important to make sure that the demographics of your audience and your influencer match. You can find an influencer who has followers that reflect your ideal customers by knowing their interests, behaviors and pain points.
You can increase your chances of a successful engagement by ensuring that the followers of your influencer match your buyer persona.
Research Influencers Relevant to Your Business
Look for influencers within your industry on social media. Instagram, TikTok and YouTube are some of the most popular platforms. But don’t forget about other places like LinkedIn or niche blogs, depending on your product.
Start by manually searching the social media platforms. Use hashtags or keywords that are relevant to your industry in order to locate influencers already discussing similar topics or products. Pay attention to trending content, and who is generating engagement.
You can also use tools such as Upfluence or buzzSumo to identify influencers that align with your brand. These tools let you filter by engagement rate and demographics of your audience. They also allow you to filter out the noise.
Vet Their Content
Browse through the feeds of potential influencers. Do their posts feel authentic, or do they scream #ad with every post? Influencers who are doing their job right create organic content that is authentic and resonates with the audience.
You should look for consistency in the messaging, style and values. You want to find an influencer that aligns with the voice of your brand, whether it’s professional, playful, or aspirational. You wouldn’t choose an influencer who promotes fast fashion if your brand is about sustainability.
Consistency is also important. Influencers that post regularly have a greater chance of maintaining engagement with their audiences. Consistent posting will also help to ensure your influencer campaign is seen over time.
Check Engagement Rates
Engagement rates are more important than follower counts. Influencers with 500,000 fans who receive 200 likes on average and three comments each post may not be your best option. You should look for influencers whose fans actively engage in their content via comments, likes, and shares.
Divide the number of comments and likes on each post by the total number of subscribers, multiplying by 100. This will give you a percentage. A good engagement should look something like this:
- Nano-influencers: Around 5-7%
- Micro-influencers: Between 3 and 5%
- Macro or mega-influencers : 1-2% due to their larger following
To be sure, read the comments. Are there many bots, or generic comments, or are people asking real questions or sharing their opinions? Engagement is more important than likes.
Check out their previous collaborations
Look at brands that the influencer worked with previously. You may want to reconsider a collaboration if they have partnered with rival brands or promoted products that are in conflict with the values of your brand.
Influencers who promote too many brands may seem unauthentic and this can affect the effectiveness of their endorsements. You should choose influencers that are selective and only promote products they truly like.
Look at their previous sponsored posts to determine if they still maintain the quality and authenticity of their content, even when promoting a brand. Are they able to deliver the brand message while still keeping the content interesting?
A history of partnerships that is consistent with well-known brands is a good sign.
Set clear goals and compensation
It’s now time to contact. Do not send them DMs unless you have clear expectations and goals in mind. Be clear about your expectations and what you want, whether it is content creation, product review, or appearances at events.
Discuss influencer rate in advance, as they can vary depending upon factors such as audience size, engagement and the scope of your project.
By providing a brief, you ensure that the influencer is aware of your expectations and will be able to create content aligned with your goals as well as their audience’s preferences.
It will help to establish a professional relationship that is mutually beneficial.
Are engagement rates really that important?
Engagement rates are not the only thing to consider. Although they were listed as a top metric for Influencer Marketing, as they indicate how active an audience is. Although a nano-influencer’s 10% engagement rate may sound impressive, if the audience does not align with your brand then those likes and remarks won’t translate into sales.
In the same way, engagement rates are sometimes misleading. A high level of engagement could be due to the fact that an influencer’s content is provoking controversy, rather than being appreciated. This can backfire against your brand.
Engagement rates are important but also the context in which they occur. It is better to find influencers who have an audience that actively engages with their content positively and shares your values.
Bottom Line
It’s not about choosing the influencer with the largest following or flashiest Instagram feed. Finding someone who connects authentically with their audience and aligns your brand message is key.
You can reach new customers by choosing a micro-influencer that has a large following, or a Nano-influencer that offers more exposure.
Working with an marketing agency will help you streamline the process and find the right fit for your marketing goals. Allow the experts to handle the details so that you can concentrate on growing your brand. They will connect you with influential people who make an impact.
