In our modern world, the term “influencer” has been imbued with a different meaning. Gone are the days when you have to be a superstar or a celebrity to be able to promote brands. With social media being a huge part of every person’s life, the world of marketing jumped in on these platforms through influencer marketing.

Influencer marketing is a social media strategy that uses influencers or individuals with a significant social media following to generate product mentions, reviews, and recommendations. This approach works because influencers have the trust of their market and their followers, and their sense of community leads to a relationship that works.

Influencer marketing is now one of the essential digital strategies. However, since it is relatively new, it can be confusing to identify how to start working with influencers for your business.

If you consider influencer marketing for your brand, here are a few things you need to think about.

1. Decide on the Types of Influencers You Want to Hire

Before jumping on any strategy, it is crucial to spend time on research first. For instance, there are multiple platforms to reach out to influencers: Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Twitch, TikTok, and Snapchat.

In the beginning, it’s best to pick out just one platform first. Ideally, it would be best to choose a platform where you already have a presence or where you want to grow. Then, you should work on social listening. Look for the platform where your target audience is most present and find the strongest influencers in this community.

2. Design Your Influencer Campaign Budget

Now, decide on how much you are willing to spend. Influencers are categorized into different tiers based on the number of followers:

• Nano influencers - 1,000 to 10,000 followers
• Micro-influencers - 10,000 to 50,000 followers
• Mid influencers - 50,000 to 500,000 followers
• Macro influencers - 500,000 to 1,000,000 followers
• Mega influencers - 1,000,000 followers and above

As the tier goes higher, the price you have to pay for the endorsement deal also increases. 

3. List Specific Goals and the Message You Want to Send

Most companies invest in influencer marketing to increase sales and brand awareness. However, these goals are too broad, and it will help you work on your strategy better if you narrow down your goals.

For instance, do you want to capture the attention of a specific age group? Do you want to let your audience know about your brand values? Do you have a new product for a niche market? Influencers with a specific niche can help you get this message across.

4. Start Reaching Out to Influencers and Begin the Campaign

Once these things are ready, you can begin reaching out to influencers. Here are the factors you must consider before you pick out a specific influencer:

• Legitimacy - You can buy everything these days, even followers and subscribers. Make sure your target influencer is legit by checking out their engagement. Are their likes and comments from real people, or do they come from fake accounts and bots?
• Experience - When partnering with an influencer, you can ask for their portfolio or press kit. These details will tell you what type of work you can expect from them, the brands they worked with before, and whether they have experience in your niche.
• Niche - When you work with an influencer, you have to make sure you are in similar industries. For example, if you want to promote your restaurant, make sure you work with a foodie influencer who posts regularly about dining out.

The Bottom Line: Work on Your Influencer Marketing Strategy Today

With social media being an integral part of our daily life, influencers are indeed here to stay. If you want to ride the wave, make sure you familiarize yourself with influencer marketing and find the best ways to work with influencers.

If you want to begin building your influencer marketing strategy, work with a social media marketing firm like Social Cali. We offer SEO marketing services, Google ad management, affordable website design, and influencer marketing management services for small businesses like yours. Book a discovery call today to learn more.