Using celebrities to promote products is no new concept. The rise of Instagram has taken this a step up with the new trend of “influencers“. Influencers on Instagram have tons of followers and promote brands and products for a price to gain more exposure to your company. Social media influencer marketing is on the rise and is changing how we approach marketing. These don’t have to be celebrities; they can be any Instagram user with a good social media standing and a high following. Consumers are starting to trust these brand figures to help determine their purchases. As Forbes puts it, “They [consumers] are no longer convinced by what a brand says about its products; instead, they form their own opinions through information they get from different online and offline platforms.” They can portray your company in a positive light to attract more consumers towards your company.
Importance of Social Media Influencers
Influencers are the new wave of marketing. Your business should always be on top of the latest marketing trends, which are always quickly evolving. Since there are so many companies and start-up businesses out there, it can be harder to reach consumers that are interested in your products and services. Social media influencers give additional exposure to your company towards your target market. Your company can benefit from them highlighting your brand to make it shine in growth.
Who to Choose to Promote Your Brand
There are different levels of social media influencers to determine the best fit for what your company may need for promotion. While celebrities can be used, micro-influencers are more beneficial for smaller businesses. They have a small follower ratio (10,000 – 200,000) and can be created for the type of niche your business fits into. If your company sells apparel, you should be finding fashion blogger influencers with similar style. They will already have an established loyal follower base that trust their opinions on fashion products.
It is important that the influencers do not have any negative feed. This can end up becoming harmful for your company if you choose to contact an influencer that can have a negative reflection on your company.
Be on the lookout for fake followers. Instagrammers can purchase fake followers to boost their following ratio and make it seem like they are more popular than they actually are. Go through their list of followers to know that the influencer has real people.
Sealing the Deal with Influencers
How do you get the influencer to actually promote your products? Make sure your Instagram is in good standing by not having a bad feed (because bad publicity goes both ways). You should set up a loyal connection between your brand and the influencer. Start by following them and engaging with their posts. After building a relationship, send the influencer a direct message expressing your interest in their posts and appreciation for their opinions via social media.
Different Ways They Can Promote
You are not limited to influencers only posting an image selected off of your own Instagram feed. Think outside of the box to gain the most exposure for your company. Send them a package with a free product of yours and ask them to post a picture of what you sent with a positive review. Having the influencer take a video for their story is a great tool to use. Consumers are curious and like to see the behind the scenes of people they hold in high standings.
Stay on top of the trends this year and find social media influencers to positively influence your brand. Connect with Image Marketing Consultants if you are looking for social media marketing that have effective results. Image is everything and we can help your brand shine.