Even though tough financial times have many marketers looking to save, a lot are spending even more on influencer marketing. They’re making it work for them so well that they can’t possibly think of cutting funding. Here are the influencer marketing tips they follow that you and your client need to know.
4 Influencer Marketing Tips
Utilize AI and Machine Learning
AI and machine learning (ML) aren’t just for generating your own content. According to an Influencer Marketing Hub report, 63% of marketers say they’ll use AI/ML to identify influencers to work with. Another 27.1% of marketers say that they’re considering doing the same.
How are they planning on accomplishing this? 55.8% say that they’ll use social media data analytics to identify the most effective influencers for each campaign. Another 5.7% will use AL/ML to identify bogus influencers to avoid partnering with.
Switch from Instagram to TikTok
Last year, TikTok and Instagram were fairly even when it came to delivering the best ROI for short form video. Now, 50.1% of marketers believe TikTok has the better ROI compared to only 29.9% who say the same about Reels. Facebook, YouTube and Snapchat barely even placed in comparison.
So, when picking which influencers to work with, one of the influencer marketing tips to follow is prioritizing TikTok.
Just in case you haven’t heard: TikTok isn’t just for kids anymore. According to the TikTok Users profile on AudienceSCAN on AdMall by SalesFuel, TikTok Users are:
- Ages 25 to 34: 26%
- Between ages 35 and 44: 25.5%
- Ages 45 to 54: 17.9%
- Between ages 18 and 29: 16.2%
- Ages 55 and above: 14.3%
What may also surprise you are their income levels:
- $75,000-$149,999: 28%
- $35,000-$74,999: 26.3%
- Up to $34,999: 24.4%
- Over $150,000: 21.4%
Surprising how evenly divided it pretty much is, right? But that’s not even the best part, according to a previous SalesFuel blog based on data from Dash Hudson. “TikTok audiences are highly motivated to buy… viewers are looking to learn and get recommendations.”
So, your client should partner with influencers who have a strong TikTok presence.
Partner with Smaller Influencers
The most popular types of influencers for marketers to partner with right now are nano- and micro-influencers. Nano-influencers have between 1,000 and 10,000 followers and micro-influencers have 10,000 to 100,000 followers.
Why? Influencer Marketing Hub says it’s probably because of smaller influencers’ engagement rates. They tend to be far higher than those of macro- and mega/celebrity influencers. That means brands get more bang for their buck.
According to another SalesFuel blog, based on data from Oglivy, smaller influencers also target niche audiences. “Collaborating with influencers who share the experiences, values and interests of a micro audience – bolstered by their geographic proximity to the audience – is a powerful way for brands to create impact. The power of grassroots influence lies in its ability to create thriving communities… and trusted content ecosystems around specific topics, causes and brands.”
That’s why finding a small, grassroots influencer to work with is one of our influencer marketing tips. They’ll already have an audience interested in your client’s products. All you have to do is get them on board.
Focus on User-Generated Content
More marketers are now focusing on user-generated content (UGC) when partnering with influencers than sales or brand awareness. This is a fantastic practice because UGC is invaluable.
According to a previous SalesFuel blog, based on data from Bazaarvoice, consumers value UGC. “Consumers are shopping around more and seeking our sources of information that establish value – including UGC like ratings, reviews, photos, Q&As, and social posts. Consumers say that UGC:
- Gives them more confidence in a product, service or brand: 78% of consumers agree
- Is something they rely on, especially during economic difficulties: 43%”
So, even if an influencer’s post doesn’t directly result in sales, it will definitely help with the sales process.
Follow these influencer marketing tips to get the best ROI out of your client’s partnerships.
Photo by: Vitaly Gariev