Startup Guides > Using Social Media Influencers as a Marketing Strategy for Better ROI

Influencer marketing has become a primary choice for companies and brands that want to increase exposure and get connected with a larger audience of potential customers.

But, what comes into question is the way brands tackle their influencer campaigns. It's not uncommon for brands to adopt a non-focused, one-size-fits-all strategy to their influencer marketing; however, this brings varied, and often less-than-ideal results because there is no focus on key performance indicators.

You need a clear strategy to get the most out of your campaigns. Furthermore, focus is essential. If you execute a strategy that focuses on too many goals at once, the tactics will under-perform. Rarely will customers like or comment while also clicking to buy a product.


Each influencer marketing effort will produce different results, so you need to formulate clear strategies for each campaign and laser focus them on one objective each. And to create focused strategies, you need to first define your campaign goals since your goals will ultimately define your strategy.

Let's take a look at 3 key influencer marketing goals and which strategies work best for each...

Goal #1: Brand awareness

If you want to generate some buzz and increase brand awareness, avoid focusing strictly on sales. Instead, focus on strategies that will get your brand name mentioned and shared.

This also isn't the time to force heavy promotions on new influencers, as you may be reaching out to them for the first time, and they may not be comfortable with this type of aggressive strategy.

If your goal is brand awareness, here are some influencer marketing strategies that may work:

* Brand mentions - Influencers can introduce your brand casually and not force products
* Product reviews - Influencers can show images of your products and give their reviews
* Encourage sharing - Influencers can encourage sharing to their contacts and use brand-specific keywords.
* Contests - These contests will not be product-focused but more targeted to rewards for sharing. Use brand-specific keywords here as well.

Goal #2: Increase contacts/likes on social media

By implementing strategies to increase brand awareness, you will automatically increase contacts and likes and vice-versa. So these two strategies can be used interchangeably.

An influencer's contacts are like gold, and the more you can engage them, the more awareness and word-of-mouth recommendations you will generate.

To execute these campaigns successfully, first, focus on the social site you would like to target. Then, find and work with influencers who are a perfect match for your brand and who will result in the highest return on your investment.

Next, implement specific strategies that will get you to your goal such as:

* Influencer account takeovers - Let an influencer take over your account for a short period of time.
* Focused shoutouts - Mention your profile on the social site you are targeting.
* Invitations - If you run a local store, invite local influencers to see your place of business and have them broadcast their day via social media.
* Work with bloggers to create unique ways to use your products.

Goal #3: Generate leads/sales

Simply giving an influencer some product shoutouts will not be enough to increase your sales and drive ROI. Focus on sales-driven strategies if you want to maximize the profitability of your campaigns and generate excitement around your products and offerings.

Here are some influencer marketing strategies for increasing sales:

* Custom coupon codes - Create exclusive offers for an influencer's followers.
* Product-focused contests - Create exclusive contests for an influencer's followers.
* Special promotions and discounts - Launch seasonal or pre-launch promotions.
* Promotional videos - Enough said.

Finally, when creating your goals and strategies, share them with your influencers. Doing this will not only build trust in your relationship, but it will also allow the influencer to give you unique ideas for your campaigns. The more trust you build with your influencers, the more authentically they will champion your brand and become an ambassador for your cause.

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