Blog: 7 tips for influencer marketing in times of #deinfluencing
Influencer marketing is still a powerful tactic to drive brand awareness. But audiences are more skeptical than ever of influencer collabs. On top of that, deinfluencers are on the rise – a type of influencer that discourages followers to buy certain products.
But no need to panic just yet, says Annelies, expert in influencer marketing at Charly PR and herself a successful influencer. Who better to turn to for 7 tips on how to make the most out of your influencer marketing today?
And if you need advice or support with your influencer marketing, Annelies and our team are ready to roll.
"Feel free to give your influencers a framework, but leave enough freedom to express themselves in their own style"
Annelies, expert in influencer marketing at Charly PR
1. Choose genuine influencers who stand behind your brand
Authentic influencers radiate sincerity, and their followers absorb it. Don't just look at parameters like reach and target audience; dive into their profiles and content as well. Also, research previous collaborations and the feedback they receive from their followers. This is how you determine whether they match your brand and message.
2. Build a long-term partnership with them...
This way, your influencers and your brand become a familiar and credible combination. A great example is our 'Hasbro Friends of the Brands': a pool of influencers who have a strong connection with the brand and whom we regularly work with for this client. Of course, one-off collaborations still have great value for specific projects.
3. ...and give them enough freedom
You don't get authenticity, honesty, and transparency by putting influencers in a straitjacket. Give them room to create campaign content that feels natural and fits their style. After all, that's what their target audience wants to see. This doesn't mean you can't give influencers a framework to work within, such as your brand's core messaging (see tip 7). Just leave enough leeway for personal choices in terms of style, humor, visual choices, etc.
"Micro-influencers are a lot closer to their audience, which drives authenticity and engagement rates."
4. Add micro-influencers...
Micro-influencers have less reach than macro-influencers but are often a lot closer to their audience. This creates more authenticity and, on average, delivers higher engagement rates—a great addition to the large reach of their bigger influencers.
5. ... and User Generated Content (UGC)
UGC is created by fans, customers, employees, micro-influencers, and people influenced by influencers. This type of content has become very popular in the past year because it is so ‘real’ and authentic and therefore more trustworthy.
6. Combine credibility with reach through advertising
What about the lower reach of micro-influencers and especially UGC creators? Don’t worry, credibility and advertising fit together perfectly: even a small budget can make your content reach a multitude of people.
7. Stick to credible messaging
So far, we’ve talked about the 'how', but the 'what' is also very important – not only for your entire marcom, but also specifically for your influencer marketing. Unreliable promises, not walking the talk, #greenwashing ...: do you want to build long-term relationships with your target audience, and avoid becoming deinfluencer bait? Then you and your influencers should stay away from those practices. the fresh perspective of an external partner on your messaging can do wonders here.
Want to reach your audiences with genuine influencer marketing?
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Thanks to Amelia Bartlett for the header picture