How would you compare Influencer Marketing with digital advertising?
Influencer marketing is a great step forward, particularly for new and small brands as it can really fast track the process of building trust. Most influencers have a loyal following who are interested in their thoughts and more importantly, product recommendations. So, it can be a really easy way to get your product seen by a large group and increase purchases (if you pick the right influencer, that is).
Which social platforms do you think will be the most used by influencer marketers in the next 5 years?
Instagram/YouTube/TikTok
How do you currently find relevant and high-quality influencers for your marketing campaigns?
Web search
How should brands use Instagram influencers to grow their business? What is your personal experience with Instagram influencing?
My previous experiences with Instagram influencers have been really positive! I’ve heard some other marketers in the industry say otherwise but my onboarding process is quite thorough, so I’ve been lucky enough to only ever work with influencers who have really skyrocketed engagement, followers and sales for my clients.
What are some common tools and strategies to help grow your presence on Instagram? Are you currently using any tools?
There are lots of social tools you can use to help with Instagram, but it really depends on the business in terms of which is best. The only one-size-fits-all advice I can really give here is to have a detailed social strategy so you can be sure that all of your posts are helping you to achieve your business goals. If you find social media a little overwhelming, then it might be worth investing in a scheduling tool so you can plan ahead, my favourites are Sprout Social and Later.
Which content categories (i.e. verticals) are likely to become the most popular on Instagram for influencers?
My favourite niches of Instagram influencers to work with would probably be:
– Organic/Vegan Recipes and Lifestyle
– Mums in the Homeware or Lifestyle space
– Ethical Fashion bloggers / influencers
I’ve found the followers of these types of influencers to be really interested in new brands within the niche so they’re great for discoverability.
What advice would you give to a new business that wants to gain and grow its paid sponsorships?
Always use a contract when working with an influencer! It’s a step I see a lot of my clients have skipped prior to working with me, and it has always cost them money and/or resulted in collaborations that haven’t been profitable.
How do you think influencer marketing will grow among small businesses in the near future?
I think influencer marketing will become an integral part of any small businesses social strategy with the rise of so many new businesses throughout the pandemic. Competition has nearly doubled in a lot of sectors so being viewed by new audiences before other brands could give small businesses a big competitive advantage.
How do you currently collaborate with and pay Instagram influencers? Name any tools and strategies that you use.
I have an influencer outreach programme which I offer my clients that covers everything from finding the right influencers within the business niche, to checking their suitability, signing contracts, payment and analytics of the collaboration. I’ve used a few influencer platforms before, in the early stages of my career, but now that I’ve been in the industry a few years, I’m lucky enough to have a bank of influencers who I continue to work with.
