Why is there a need for brands to support influencers? Share via

Brands worldwide have unlocked the potential of influencer marketing and understood how this form of marketing creates a more personalized bond with the consumers. Hence, every year the marketing spends of the companies toward influencer marketing is getting bigger. Even though overall, there have been budget cuts all around due to the ongoing pandemic. But to run a successful influencer marketing campaign, there needs to be a strong relationship between the brands and the influencers. A great campaign is a result of how much the influencer is invested in the brand.  And how much effort the brand has taken to make the influencer comfortable and part of the whole process. This blog looks at the importance of investing in influencer relationships from the brand’s perspective and different ways to make it happen.

Let influencers understand the brand

To create content that appeals to the influencers’ followers, it has to be authentic and genuine. Authenticity is considered the most crucial factor for the continued success of influencer marketing campaigns. For example, suppose the influencer does not connect with the brand’s ideology and does not understand the product’s unique selling proposition. In that case, the authenticity of the content will be missing. Therefore, the brand’s job is to make sure the influencer knows the product inside out and is clear about the campaign’s objective. Brand marketers will have to invest time with the influencer and involve them in the creative process for this to happen.

Creative Freedom

According to various research reports, around 40 percent of influencers are not allowed creative freedom by the brands. Instead, the brands are rigid on how the content should look and ask influencers to adhere to the strict guidelines. This scenario, in turn, leads to mediocre content creation by the influencers who take it as any other campaign which needs to de delivered under specific guidelines. However, another influencer marketing research report showed that more than 70 percent of influencers are likely to work again with brands that allow them creative freedom and show trust in their skills. To maintain a healthy relationship with influencers, brands must be flexible in their approach to content. They should be ready to listen to the idea’s of the influencers because they are the one who knows their followers better than anyone.  The brands should be prepared to explore deeper collaboration with the influencers on their campaigns and not shoot the influencers’ ideas down.

Long Term Partnership

While selecting an influencer for the campaign, brand marketers should look for an influencer who can be associated with the brand in the long run and not just a one-off case.  Building trust amongst the brand and influencer is the key. When the brand builds trust with the influencer, it shows on the quality of the content, which has a deeper connection with the audience. Also, when an influencer promotes a product over a more extended period, their audience is more likely to become brand loyal. Another benefit of a long-term partnership is that the influencer and brand can help both leverage the popularity of each other to its full potential.

Create a rapport with influencers

One of the ways to get better results from your influencer marketing campaign is to create a personal bond with the influencers. Brands should show the influencers that they genuinely care about them and value their opinion. For example, brands can send personalized e-mails to the influencers they have worked with or are working with, sending regular updates about the new campaigns they plan to execute. Also, brands can periodically ask for feedback from the influencers about their products and services and how they have liked working with them. These efforts go a long way in strengthening the relationship between the brand and the influencers, and the results are encouraging.

Sufficient time for content creation

Various researches have found that influencers like to work with brands that provide them sufficient time to create content that can have a meaningful impact on their audience. However, putting influencers under unreasonable time pressure can create unnecessary friction between both parties, negatively impacting the outcome. Instead, brands and influencers can sit together and agree to a reasonable time frame to develop impactful content rather than rushing on the timeline. In the end, the success of any influencer marketing campaign depends on how meticulous the content is and how well the audience received it.

Brands will have to form strategic relationships with the social media influencers as influencer marketing keeps on gaining momentum in the marketing and advertising landscape.  Marketers who consider these factors while dealing with the influencers will find it easier to manage them and create better campaigns.