In recent years, influencer marketing has become a core strategic way to expand the reach of your brand on social media. The process involves paying a celebrity, blogger or any public figure to review and promote a product or service. In 2022, the industry is set to grow to around $16.4 Billion, with over 18,000 agencies offering or specialising in influencer marketing services. Sounds promising, right?
Although there has been a rise in TikTok influencers, 93% of marketers agree that Instagram remains the top social media platform for influencer marketing. With numbers this high, you might expect it to be an easy process. I mean, how hard could it be?
If you know how to choose the right influencers, you can achieve growth in reach, engagement, sales and most importantly, a better brand-consumer relationship. On the other hand, if you make a rookie error by collaborating with an unsuitable influencer, this marketing strategy may turn out to be nothing short of a PR nightmare.
So, How Do I Choose the Right Influencers For My Brand?
Focus on the Influencer’s Niche
The top influencers and bloggers are usually known within a specific community or niche. As they share similar interests with their audience, these types of influencers tend to receive the best engagement on social media campaigns.
Choosing an influencer who aligns with your brand’s niche is crucial when it comes to collaborations. Look at their previous posts as well as their associations with other brands and public figures. If there is no brand alignment, the influencer will struggle to drive traffic to your account or website.
Calculate the Influencer’s Engagement Rate
Engagement rate indicates how interactive a creator’s audience is with their content. Before confirming a collaboration, it’s generally more important to look at interaction levels than it is followers.
If you choose a creator with 50k+ followers, who receive an average of 500 likes, they probably don’t have an authentic or loyal audience behind them. Working with an influencer who has fewer followers but higher engagement will always ensure a successful campaign.
Request Audience Insights from the Influencer
High engagement is beneficial, but it’s not the be-all and end-all. One of the most important steps in selecting the best Instagram influencers is to recognise that audience insights are equally as significant as followers and likes. Consider the age, gender, location and language of their audience.
For example, let’s say you are trying to grow your new female clothing brand. By taking the time to analyse an influencer’s audience, you may find that while they have 50k+ followers, only 40% are actually female. In this case, the campaign would reach a wider but less significant audience, who probably won’t be interested in your brand or products.
Ensure the Influencer’s Values Align with Your Brand Identity
Although numbers are important, you should also consider whether their values match your brand identity. For example, If you operate an eco-friendly clothing brand and regularly talk about sustainable living, you might want to avoid collaborating with someone who often promotes fast fashion brands.
Choosing an influencer with similar ethics isn’t just a safe way to protect your brand’s identity, but it also means that it will reach a like-minded audience, who are genuinely interested in your products.
Analyse the Influencer’s Previous Campaigns
Before confirming the collaboration, have a look at their previous posts to ensure the image quality, caption and tone of voice all meet your expectations. As you don’t want your brand to be portrayed in the wrong way, it’s important to always do your research first!
And there you have it, our top tips on how to choose the best Instagram influencers for your brand! Need some more advice? Why not get in touch!
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