How exactly does influencer marketing work?
Influencers on social media such as Instagram or TikTok have a great influence on the purchasing decisions of the young target group. Being mentioned in a post or livestream ensures companies and brands the highest interest and boosts branding considerably. In influencer marketing, targeted contact can be sought with influencers in order to optimally position one’s own products and services.
The form in which own products or services are integrated must be agreed individually. For example, samples of products can be sent for testing without influencing the judgement of the influencer. A direct advertising effect is also conceivable, whereby the influencer must clearly mark this as an advertising measure.
Whichever strategy is chosen, increased publicity and interest in one’s own products and services is a certainty – provided that product, influencer and target group fit together.
What are the benefits of good influencer marketing?
The objective of influencer marketing should be clearly outlined before a planned measure. For small and less well-known brands, it is already a success to even find a mention with a well-known influencer. Those who invest larger sums will want an attractive ROI.
Depending on the objective of the marketing campaign, the partnership with the influencer should be designed. For example, if it is purely about publicity, an independent test of the product by the influencer is advisable. This is authentic, enables a direct comparison with the competition and provides the impetus to take an interest in the product.
Good influencer marketing can also aim at the direct purchase of a product or the claiming of a service. Here, there should be fewer critical tones, but the influencer should be won over as an active advertising partner. A clever analysis in advance helps to find a suitable representative of the online world for one’s own offer.
Disadvantages and downsides of this form of advertising
Due to the high reach and an exact match to the young target group, cooperation with influencers is attractive for a large number of companies and industries. Especially since successes in influencer marketing can be clearly measured in comparison to other advertising campaigns. However, there are also downsides to this form of advertising that newcomers to this marketing are rarely aware of:
- The influencer’s content and target group only match their own product at first glance.
- Tests and opinions of the influencer are independent, but can develop a momentum of their own and in the worst case create a negative impression.
- When working with very well-known influencers, you have to dig deep into your pockets, which significantly jeopardises ROI.
As with other forms of marketing, it is therefore important to rely on professional help and get started with influencer marketing. Here are some practical tips that you can benefit from, especially in the initial phase of marketing.
Authenticity – the key to an influencer’s success
An authentic and honest character is the absolute basis for reaching an influencer’s target group. It’s no use advertising with exaggerated arguments or making your products and services look bigger than they are.
The same applies to the influencer himself, who fits your character in the way he presents himself. Think of the example of influencers in the cosmetics sector. Some present their experience with products live in the stream and show in real time what the products can do. Others provide more factual test reports and make a purchase recommendation after this. Both styles of marketing are functional and honest, but stylistically you will prefer one of them.
Therefore, take the time to get to know different influencers online in advance. Familiarise yourself with the type and style. It is also worth taking a look at the target group, for example through the accompanying live chat or comments. This way you can see whether you are addressing the target group that suits you.
No fear of advertising positioning
A common mistake made by newcomers is to overestimate the impact of labelling as advertising. They would rather have an independent test with free expression of opinion by the influencer, which can unintentionally develop a dynamic all of its own.
Instead, you should recognise: Influencers are known for their promotional activities. With all authenticity, the fan community is aware that the influencer generates money through advertising revenue. And for this, the products and services must be labelled from advertising.
It is precisely this labelling that is part of the authentic effect. Here you don’t have to worry about your product being put in a bad light. Instead, you ensure attention and interest, supplemented by a positive portrayal by the influencer.
Otherwise, one or more influencers are to be handled like any advertising channel. Through some you will generate interest immediately, in other cases you will suffer a relative loss. Staying flexible here will help you achieve the best marketing strategy in the long run.
Professional selection of influencers helps
No one is asking you to make the right match right away when entering this form of marketing. For this reason, ONELINE recommends working with a professional online agency to get started in marketing. They have experience in the digital world and can more easily assess which influencers really fit your product and style.
A positive side effect of the professional selection is that the measures via influencers can be supplemented by other forms of marketing. Supplemented in parallel by email marketing or reliable search engine optimisation (SEO) in social media, you operate a marketing that goes beyond the sum of its parts.
Conclusion on Influencer Marketing
Working with influencers is still unusual for many companies in Switzerland. Professional support is worthwhile in order to find suitable influencers with a suitable target group as an audience. Here, it can be worthwhile to consciously opt for real advertising instead of tests or independent opinions for the best possible publicity.
