Influencer marketing has been a popular phenomenon, and it is continuously evolving. The value of influencer marketing has reached $16.4 billion as of 2022, and therefore, it has become a highly lucrative market as more creators are entering the market with hopes of becoming paid influencers.
By connecting with various influencers, brands can engage with a wider target audience. Though it might sound easy, collaborating with influencer marketing requires proper planning. Most importantly, brands need to find an influencer that aligns with their ideology.
For instance, if a brand is in the cosmetics and makeup industry, then it needs to connect with a makeup expert. So, having the right influencer marketing strategy for your brand is vital.
In this article, we’ll discuss the top 11 ways to help brands leverage Instagram for influencer marketing.
1. Partnering with Expert Influencers for Technical Audiences
Brands and agencies targeting technical audiences should focus on connecting and partnering with influencers that are experts in their field. Technical subject matter experts can comment on industry trends and changing patterns in a better way.
Collaborate with the gurus who are connected with the industry’s groups or publications. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you need to have a defined influencer marketing approach. This is vital for both the brands and the influencers. Consider partnering with other influencer marketing platforms like scalefluence.com or TapInfluence if you want better outreach for your influencer marketing efforts.
2. Getting an In-House Influencer
A new type of influencer marketing approach is becoming quite popular that entails brands turning their employees into influencers. It also works as something that works for the brand and can showcase how people can use its products.
As a result, the brand won’t have to go to someone on the outside and pay them for their services. The company can have an in-house influencer on their payroll who is dedicated to them and is always available.
3. Harnessing the Power of TikTok Influencers
TikTok has now become the talk of the town with a large number of people using this platform. It allows brands to test their strategies with influencer marketing. However, one thing to note is that currently, the number of brands initiating TikTok campaigns is slightly low compared to other social media channels.
Therefore, it can allow brands in various sectors to be the first ones that establish themselves on this platform. Now is the best chance for any brand to benefit from this platform and make it a part of their Instagram influencer campaign.
4. Creating Purchase Intent Through Influencer Content
What started off as an awareness tactic has now become a lucrative industry. In the past, influencers used to only make people aware of a particular brand. But today, they focus on creating stories that drive awareness as well as create purchase intent. Not just that, many social media platforms including Instagram, can make influencer content more shoppable. Using these features and tools, consumers can easily go to the cart with just a click.
5. Using Invitation-Only Facebook Groups
A new type of influencer marketing entails private groups which require invites for anyone to join. These Facebook groups are made by marketers to give a sense of security to the group’s members; There is a joined interest in a topic that engages the members of the community.
Anyone who wants to join the group would need to request and get approval from the group marketers. After they get inside, influencers will discuss various topics, ask questions, and participate in different activities to keep the group active. The content being shared can be linked to the Instagram campaign that is already in the works, making the brand messaging a lot stronger.
6. Taking Over a Brand’s Instagram Account
Giving up complete control of the brand’s social media accounts can sometimes be a powerful collaboration. It can allow the brand to increase its credibility while expanding its horizons in a new market.
It can be something like getting a celebrity DJ to live stream their show on the brand’s channel. This type of influencer marketing is getting more and more impactful by every going day and is definitely a good approach for brands to adopt.
7. Leveraging Instagram Directly for Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing through Instagram is often underestimated, but it can result in a high-return investment for the brands. If they can pair with the right influencer that aligns with their brand’s ideology, then it can help them increase their sales exponentially.
The influencers of this social media platform usually enjoy a loyal community of followers. So, they’re more likely to try out the product if an influencer endorses it.
8. Linking Influencer Marketing Campaign to a Cause
Link your influencer marketing efforts to a particular cause that creates a significant impact. For instance, Microsoft launched a campaign that encouraged women to take up careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
The brand collaborated with National Geographic on International Women’s Day to show pictures of women scientists. This influencer marketing tactic helped generated thousands of likes for the brand.
9. Using Influencer Marketing as Paid Advertising Campaigns
There has been a significant increase in using influencer marketing as paid advertising campaigns. They use influencer marketing for retargeting audiences that engaged with them in the past month or two. As a result, brands can avoid ad fatigue and use influencer content to increase their brand credibility.
10. Developing Brand Ambassadors Programs
Another type of influencer marketing entails coming up with brand ambassador programs. These are much more impactful and authentic to audiences since they consider brand ambassadors as individuals who have an emotional connection with the brand.
The brand ambassadors love and value it to such an extent that they are willing to promote its products. Furthermore, brand ambassador programs give customers a sense of ownership in the brand, and they become more engaged with it.
11. Getting Podcast Hosts to Endorse Products
Asking podcast hosts to endorse products of your brand is an exceptional type of influencer marketing. The popularity of podcasts is continuously increasing, and most people listen to podcasts every then and now.
Therefore, many marketers and advertisers are now realizing the potential of the host’s (influencer’s) skills to help them reach a target audience. Since the hosts have the audience’s undivided attention, their endorsement can be vital. You can then run reels on Instagram to make the most out of your influencer marketing efforts.
Wrapping Up
Having a strong online presence in the hyper-competitive market is vital for any brand. Apart from knowing about how digital marketing works or the top SEO trends, for that matter, you also need to look for ways that can help you increase your reach. And influencer marketing on Instagram is one such way of doing so for your brand.
