Over the last decade, social media has become an integral component of our everyday lives. We check-in when trying a new restaurant, story our weekend adventures, share photos of special moments and consume content daily from a variety of different platforms to keep up with friends and family as well as current events.
As a result, influencer marketing has exploded. We look to our favourite social media personalities for entertainment but also for advice and recommendations on purchasing decisions. Consumers trust influencers because they are often more relatable than traditional celebrities and have interests that align with their own.
Social media ad spend has even surpassed print, becoming the third-largest channel for advertising, representing 13% of the global ad spend in 2019, behind television (29%) and paid search (17%).
Navigating the ever-changing social media landscape can be challenging as it becomes increasingly saturated. We’ve created a field guide of dos and don’ts which will allow you to coordinate impactful influencer collaborations, access your target audience effectively, communicate key messages authentically and ensure that your brand remains top-of-mind across social media platforms.
DO engage content creators that align with your brand values. This influencer will be representing your brand in front of consumers so it’s essential to ensure that the partnership is a great fit.
DO engage influencers with followings that align with your target demographic. By implementing this strategy, you’re tapping into your targeted community directly, maximizing the reach and impact of your campaign.
Once a partnership has been established, DO provide a fact sheet with product information to support the collaboration. This easy-to-read document will streamline the content creation process and should contain handle and hashtag information as well as key messages to touch on (ie: what’s unique about your product), topline brand information and where to buy information to drive traffic to your site and positively contribute to sales as well as brand awareness.
DO work together on a storyboard for the collaborations, setting clear expectations of deliverables on both sides. Everyone’s time is valuable - by outlining a plan together, you will reduce back-and-forth or time-consuming and costly reshoots.
DON’T over edit content. Influencer content should not sound like an advertisement. Remember that you selected influencers based on the outstanding content they create - resist the temptation to overdo key messaging. Influencer marketing resonates with consumers because it’s more organic than traditional advertising - they know what resonates best with their audience, so let them be authentic in their content.
DO establish a metric of success. Brand awareness can be difficult to measure so find a quantifiable metric to measure the success of the partnership. Engagement is a great place to start but you can also explore measuring giveaway entries or new followers to the brands’ social media accounts immediately following the collaboration going live.
DO get creative with collaborations! Finding a unique angle to approach content will help to set you apart from other brands competing for visibility across social media channels.
DO support your community and add value with your collaborations. Sharing something like a self-care recipe made with your product not only showcases the functionality of the product but also provides consumers with a new self-care strategy, making an impact on their day-to-day lives!
Ready to take your brand to the next level with a creative influencer collaboration? We can help! Contact our team at info@butterpr.ca or use of nifty contact form here.
