3 Golden Rules of Influencer Marketing [Infographic]

3 Golden Rules of Influencer Marketing [Infographic]
Vamp 3 rules of influencer marketing

Don’t start an influencer marketing campaign before doing these three things

Last month, 92% of marketers revealed they planned to ramp up their Instagram influencer efforts. Considering the ever-increasing number of people using ad blockers, plus Facebook’s algorithm changes promising less content from brands, that number is only set to increase.

But as marketers rush to join the party, bolstered by the fact that it delivers 11x higher ROI than traditional forms of digital marketing, there have also been a number of influencer marketing fails. To avoid the same fate, protect your brand and ensure your campaign is a success, these are the three most important things to consider before getting started.

1. Scrutinise prospective influencer content

It may sound like an obvious one, but you need to be sure that an influencer is the right fit for your brand. If they’re not someone who would appeal to your target customer, then they’re unlikely to have access to the type of following that would lead to results for your brand. If they don’t seem the type of person who would legitimately buy your product or use your service, the placement won’t feel authentic and savvy audiences will spot it a mile off.

Consider the content themes they cover, their aesthetic, the quality of their photography and videos, the way they have worked with brands in the past. It can be time consuming, but these are the best indicators of what they can offer. You’ll be looking for examples of authentic and original product placements that don’t feel disruptive in their feed.

2. Judge the value of their engagement

Instagram bots have understandably got marketers rattled. Fake followers are a sad reality of the space and can even latch on without an influencer’s request. Marketers, lured in by huge followings can be disappointed to find that they actually receive very little results. After all, bots can’t swipe up to buy.

Engagement is key. Not only does a calculation of how much an average post is being liked and commented on, compared by their number of followers, give a good indication of how many of their followers are genuine, but it will also help you to gauge how your campaign will be received. High engagement proves the influencer has a captive, trusting follower base.

This is often most potent within these smaller micro and marco influencer communities because they’re more likely to interact with their audience. Look for the way they speak to their followers below the line. Replying to comments is a great indication of a valuable connection.

3. Think beyond social

Influencers are producing content of such a high quality, there is no need to limit briefs to purely social parameters. More and more, influencer marketing is being used at the start of a much wider campaign.

Think of it as the part of the process that delivers the creative assets. It has the added benefit of  raising brand awareness within the influencer’s community, but these assets can be used again on the brand’s own social platforms, their website, even in OOH advertising.

When setting a brief, your end goal should always be re amplifying the creative to get the most from your dollar. Whether this demands images or videos or both, think ahead and demand more from your campaign.

Rules of Influencer Marketing Infographic

Liked this? Read Why Influencers Rule the Age of Experience > Marketing strategies must evolve to appeal to the new ‘buy less, live more’ generation of customers living in the Age of Experience says Vamp’s Aaron Brooks.

Download the free Vamp guide and learn how your brand can succeed on the original influencer marketing platform, Instagram.

Download this free Vamp guide and learn how to succeed on the world’s most viral platform.