7 Types of Influencer Marketing Campaigns That Garner the Best Results
During an influencer marketing campaign, a brand will pay a person with a large social media following to promote their product or service. If you are intending to pursue an influencer marketing campaign, it is important to be aware of the legal implications of an agreement.
Most notably, influencers are legally required to disclose their relationship with a brand as part of their related social media posts per FTC endorsement guidelines. It is also important to understand that a relationship between brands and influencers will typically involve a contract that outlines agreements and expectations related to compensation, timeframes, and deliverables.
The platforms and methods employed for influencer marketing can vary widely. An influencer can be anyone from an A-list celebrity to a TikTok user with a few thousand followers. Even a smaller influencer can be beneficial for a marketing campaign if they have the right audience. They may employ methods such as product demonstrations, relevant skits, or ad breaks in between regularly scheduled content.
You must choose the method of advertisement carefully, as some will be more effective than others depending on your product, services, and your goals.
1. Product Promotion via Sponsored Posts
One of the most common types of influencer marketing campaigns is product promotion through sponsored posts. Sponsored posts may vary depending on the influencer. Some may simply illustrate a product in a social media photo, and others will film an entire video dedicated to a product.
For example, a travel blogger may advertise a personalised suitcase by showing how they use it during their travels and then link to the brand. The cost of a sponsored post can also vary depending on the size of the influencer’s audience and how much time and effort a sponsored post will take to create.
2. Referral Codes and Programs
A referral code is a unique code that brands may give influencers to track how much traffic comes from the said influencer. This code is typically presented as a discount or a type of promotion to incentivize audience members to click.
The influencer may be compensated with a set percentage of revenue generated through the referral program, typically about 5-10%.
3. Free Products With No Contractual Obligations
In some cases, companies will gift free products to influencers with the intention that influencers will enjoy them enough to share their experience with their followers or at least feature the product in the background of a post. If you decide to take the latter approach, it’s best to use products that appear regularly, such as laptops, tablets, or phone cases.
This strategy also works best for high-quality products since the promotion will be at the discretion of the influencer. This can be particularly useful for companies that are not yet well-known, as this gesture of good faith may help them build future relationships with influencers.
4. Hosted Giveaways and Competitions
In a giveaway, the influencer will offer to send free products to followers. Followers may be selected randomly or given to followers that engage with an influencer’s posts frequently. This may be a great option for influencers that want to engage with their audience in a competitive manner.
For example, an influencer could offer a free t-shirt to audience members who send them the best fanart, or they could offer free pet supplies to whoever can post the cutest picture of their pets. Because such events can be more exciting than a typical promotion, it may encourage greater engagement.
Giveaways not only promote and sell products, but they’re also a useful opportunity to build positive brand awareness for influencers and brands alike. Both parties may cultivate a fun, generous image through events like these.
If the giveaway is particularly enticing, it may draw additional attention through tags and shares. It may even bring in permanent new followers for both the influencer and the brand.
5. Influencer and Brand Collaborations
In many influencer marketing campaigns, some influencers simply display products that the company has already developed. However, in other cases, the influencer and the brand may work together on the creation and design of the product in the first place.
For example, an apparel company may offer to work with the influencer to develop merchandise. This can be a valuable strategy if the influencer has a loyal fanbase who would be especially interested in products related to the individual.
6. Social Media “Takeovers”
In a social media takeover, you give an influencer control of your company’s social media accounts for a limited period. While the point of this is to allow the influencer the freedom to reach out to their followers in a way they know will be appealing, it is best to create some contractual parameters.
An influencer engaging in a social media takeover may take steps such as posting Q&As or how-to sessions. These will be especially effective if the posts are themed in some way to draw attention to the target product or service. For example, an influencer working with a photography brand may host a how-to session about displaying photos in an appealing way.
7. Brand Ambassadors
A brand ambassador program enlists the help of influencers to portray your brand in a positive light and pursue a specific goal. This goal may be anything from increasing sales for a particular product to building general brand awareness.
In contrast to many other forms of affiliate marketing, brand ambassador programs are often a relatively long-lived partnership. Ideally, a business using this strategy will want to choose someone whose image already complements their goals.
For example, if the company is trying to strengthen their image as an eco-conscious organization, it will be best to enlist the help of influencers who already promote such values. Long-term association with these influencers can cement your desired image within the perspective of your target audience.