You want people talking about your brand, preferably big-time influencers who can push quality leads in your direction. But, unfortunately, many marketing and business professionals don’t know where to start with influencer marketing.
Many marketing teams and companies make the mistake of jumping into a relationship with an influencer solely because they have a high follower count and the slightest connection to their industry. This lack of proper research, planning, and relationship-building shows itself in the results these teams and companies don’t get.
Luckily, if you know what to look for when hiring an influencer, you can avoid disappointing results and hire the best influencer for your business and its goals.
Before we tackle what to look for when selecting an influencer, here’s why influencer marketing is essential to your overall marketing success today.
Why Influencer Marketing Is Essential Today
Influencer marketing is currently under a microscope when evaluating its worthiness and impact on businesses worldwide. Yet, we can’t ignore that the power of word-of-mouth marketing is amplified thanks to influencers.
Recent research on influencer marketing reveals that “49% of consumers depend on influencer recommendations.” Influencers have already built trust-filled relationships with their followers, and you can piggyback off that trust.
An influencer can positively impact your marketing bottom line because people seek out opinions they trust when it’s time to make a purchase, invest in a service, or support a brand.
Want to hire an influencer? Read on for what to look for during the process.
What to Look For When Hiring an Influencer
It isn’t wise to choose an influencer blindly. Nor is it a good idea to wing it when it comes to the business relationship with an influencer. Instead, you must be mindful, strategic, and organized when working with an influencer.
Here are five things to look for when hiring an influencer:
Alignment with your business goals
First, take an in-depth look at your business goals. Define how influencer marketing can help you achieve specific goals and what it can do for your marketing efforts. Then, look for influencers who can help you achieve those goals.
You’ll also want to make sure the influencer you choose is a good fit for your company culture.
A fit for your company culture
An influencer who can help you achieve some key business and marketing objectives is beautiful. But, at the same time, the relationship probably won’t work if the influencer doesn’t fit into your company culture.
You want someone who will work well with your internal teams. You also want someone who values the same things your company does and appreciates your business’s mission.
So, be sure to talk about your company and what you represent in your conversation with potential influencers and pay attention to the responses you get.
Next, look out for what makes up a high-quality influencer when exploring your options.
A high-quality influencer
It isn’t just about a follower count or lots of subscribers. A high-quality influencer is passionate about their topic, interest, talent, or otherwise. They’re consistent, involved in their communities, have a good reputation, and contribute to positive movements in the world.
Make a shortlist of potential influencers with the qualities of a top-tier influencer and have the same kind of audience as your business.
When hiring an influencer, another thing to look for is whether they’re skilled in the type of campaigns you want to run.
Someone skilled in the type of campaigns you want to run
You should also pay close attention to an influencer’s skillset. Not only should their content be unique, but they should be skilled in the type of campaigns you want to run.
The different types of influencer campaigns include:
- Referral program
- Brand collaboration
- Social media takeover
- Giveaway or competition
- Brand ambassador program
- Product promotion through sponsored posts
- Free products with promotion at the discretion of the influencer
The influencer should also be your type. For example, do you want a nano, micro, or mega influencer? Are you searching for a celebrity or a niche blogger? Or would you rather work with a popular live streamer?
Attention to detail is also essential when hiring an influencer.
Attention to detail
You can always tell how experienced an influencer is by how much they pay attention to the details. Therefore, working with an influencer who values even the most minor details is advantageous for a business.
For instance, let’s say you’ve found a vlogger that you think would be perfect for an influencer marketing campaign. In that case, scrutinize the details in their vlogs and live streams, like how they stage the background. If it’s clean, adequately lit, appropriate for the mood, fitting for their audience, with a touch of personality, that’s a good sign.
Conclusion
Influencer marketing can be a secret weapon in your marketing arsenal when done right. Not only can you draw potential customers and quality leads to you, but you can also strengthen your brand with solid professional relationships. Knowing what to look for when hiring an influencer can make all the difference when it’s time to embark on your influencer marketing journey.