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Influencer Marketing 101 (Part I)

I did a poll on my Instagram last month about what followers were most interested in learning about. Influencer Marketing was #1 by a landslide. I wasn’t surprised, either. “What is influencer marketing?” is one of the most common questions I get from new clients.

I love working with influencers for client campaigns so much. Not only do I have the privilege of working with some of the nicest and creative individuals on the internet, but the return of these partnerships for my clients is so worth it.

So, here it is. A whole series of blog posts to give you the ins-and-outs of influencer marketing. Consider adding it to your to-do list of things to benefit your business during COVID and before the holidays. (And stay tuned in the coming weeks for Part II and III!)

Part I: Influencer Marketing for Business

I started using influencer marketing as a tactic in client campaigns about five years ago.

The social media landscape then – and, still, now – was making it difficult for brands’ content to be seen on Facebook and Instagram. The changing algorithms on both platforms decreased reach of my clients’ posts, and the decreasing consumer trust in social media advertising wasn’t delivering the cost effectiveness and results it once was.

Enter: Influencer marketing. It quickly became one of my favorite forms of social media marketing.

In working with influencers to talk about my clients’ events or products on their own social media platforms, I am able to introduce messaging to target audiences in a creative, authentic way. The message comes from a person or public figure they already follow, so audiences are far more receptive to it than they would be to any advertisement or post in their newsfeed.

So, what exactly is influencer marketing?

Influencer marketing is a powerful public relations tool. Brands work with influencers to endorse their event, company or product on their social media platforms or blogs. This partnership can be organic (unpaid), paid, or trade.

Audiences follow influencers’ blogs, YouTube, and Instagram accounts because they are interested in what that person is posting and have similar interests or lifestyles. Working with an influencer to talk about your brand to their audience lends third-party credibility to your brand. This can generate awareness, engagement, and sales.

Even if your partnership entails sponsored or paid content, there is an element of trust there that the influencer won’t promote content that they don’t actually enjoy. I think this is even more true for industries like craft beer and hospitality. An influencer doesn’t want to post about a beer that isn’t good or promote brands they don’t align with. This can ruin their credibility with their followers.

Back up. What’s an “influencer”?

It’s pretty much like it sounds. An influencer is anyone who has a social following based around a certain subject area, or is a thought leader in their industry. Their audiences look to them for education, inspiration, recommendations, and/or entertainment. Their platforms can vary, too. Typically we think of “Instagram influencers,” but it can be anyone who has an engaged following on any platform – a blog, YouTube, Medium, Instagram, TikTok. You name it.

There are different types of influencers. There are nano-influencers, who by definition have 10,000 or less followers. Micro-influencers have 10-100K followers. Mega- and macro- influencers have hundreds of thousands or millions of followers.

I typically work with nano- and micro-influencers for client projects. These influencers tend to have higher engagement rates because their audiences are small and typically niche. This allows them to actually have relationships with their followers. And it means more brand trust and engagement for you!

While the size of their following is a great initial criterion, it’s not just about the numbers. When working with influencers, it’s important to be mindful of more than just audience size the makeup of their demographic – gender, age, geographic location, interests, etc. We’ll get into this in Part II.

Some Examples of Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing, in the way of social media promotion and blog mentions, has worked particularly well for driving attendance at my beer festival, Art of Beer Invitational, over the past several years. I also used it to awareness about 2019 Sacramento Beer Week and its kickoff event, the Sac Mac & Brew Review. I can attribute at least a quarter of our ticket sales (but it’s most likely more) for each of these events, solely to the influencers we worked with. Believe me when I say it’s worth it.

I set up special pairings of the beer and mac n’ cheese for Sacramento influencers ahead of the main event.

Earlier this year at the start of COVID, when breweries started to do online sales, I coordinated drop-offs and shipments of my client’s beer to select influencers throughout California. In turn they saw boosted sales, heightened social media engagement, and increased brand awareness in their target markets.

These types of partnerships are typically low-cost and can be mutually beneficial to both parties. The best part? They create relationships between influencers and the brands that can live beyond the initial projects.

Read Next: Part 2 – Finding the Right Influencer

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Incorporating Holidays Into Your Content

Not gonna lie. Coming up with consistent, good content is hard. 

At some point, you might feel like you’ve completely run out of things to write. Or feel like you’re repeating yourself. One of my biggest social media tips is to be consistent, but when you have writer’s block, it can discourage you from posting at all. 

One of my favorite ways to mix things up and cure writer’s block is to highlight a fun, offbeat holiday. And let me tell you, there’s a holiday for everything. (Even mechanical pencils. Their big day is July 5th.) 

Keep Things On Brand 

I keep a running list of non-traditional holidays and regularly refer back to them to see if any are relevant to my clients’ brands and offerings. With enough time and planning, you can take fun photos, create a video, write a blog post or even conduct a press effort for the holiday.

No matter how you plan to create content around it, make sure that the holiday aligns with your brand. It should reinforce your company’s offerings and values, rather than leave your followers scratching their heads. (Example: Why is that bicycle shop posting about National Pineapple Day?) 

Marketing around these holidays should be fun, but it shouldn’t have to be a huge stretch for you to come up with good content.

For example, If you’re in the coffee business, run a discounted coffee promotion or offer a free cupping class on National Coffee Day. Or if company culture is integral to your company’s values, perhaps highlight your team’s participation in Bring Your Dog To Work Day (June 26) or organize a volunteer project for your team on Public Service Day (June 23). 

These holidays can drive so much more than social media posts. They can build team and customer relationships, too. 

Think Beyond A Social Media Post 

Whether you’re a brick-and-mortar or an online business, I encourage you to think outside the box and come up with an in-house promotion for the holiday. Done right, a good promotion will create brand awareness and drive new business. 

For example, I worked with a restaurant client to create fanfare around National Rum Day. We planned well in advance and created a limited menu of rum drinks. We photographed the drinks for use on social media and their website in the weeks leading up to the holiday, and we filmed a short video about how to make one of the drinks at home. In the restaurant, we created in-house signage to bring more attention to the promotion. It was not only super fun for their staff to mix things up, but it gave restaurant regulars new drinks to try and attracted new customers, too. 

Best Practices for Incorporating Holidays 

  1. Feature holidays infrequently. As much as I love them, pick one (maybe two, if it makes absolute sense) a month that’s on-brand for you. 
  2. Double check the date. Some of these holidays can vary by country, so if you find a holiday on Google, fact-check the date across multiple sites. 
  3. Use the hashtag. Hashtags for holidays have potential to go viral, so always be sure to incorporate a hashtag into your social media posts (#National[Blank]Day). Encourage your team and customers to do the same. 

Offbeat June Holidays 

We’ve all got Father’s Day on our calendars (just in case…it’s June 21st) but there are so many fun opportunities to create content around days in June. 

Compiling holidays each month requires some effort, so to save you time, here are some fun holidays in June. You could also do a month-long promotion around Pride Month, or create specials around Doughnut Week (June 1-June 5) or Men’s Health Week (June 10-June 16). 

Holidays in June 

6/4 – National Cheese Day 

6/5 – Doughnut Day 

6/7 – Cancer Survivors Day 

6/8 – Best Friends Day 

6/9 – World Gin Day 

6/13 – National Rosé Day 

6/14 – Flag Day AND Cupcake Day 

6/17 – Global Garbage Man Day 

6/18 – International Sushi Day AND International Picnic Day 

6/20 – First Day of Summer 

6/21 – World Music Day AND International Yoga Day  

6/23 – United Nations’ Public Service Day 

6/24 – Upcycling Day 

6/25 – Global Beatles Day 

6/26 – Bring Your Dog to Work Day 

6/27 – Pineapple Day AND Sunglasses Day 

6/30 – Social Media Day 

Happy content creating! What holidays will your business be recognizing? Let me know below!

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5 Podcasts To Up Your Marketing Game

A silver lining of being forced to slow down lately is that I’ve had the chance to catch up on my favorite podcasts. The world of social media and content creation is always evolving, so I’m constantly researching and finding new industry thought leaders to follow. 

Whether you’re a small business owner or a creative marketer, here’s a roundup of binge-worthy podcasts I regularly listen to for marketing advice and tips on successfully running (and growing!) a business. 

  • Social Media Marketing Podcast – This podcast is rich with content, tools and tips for using social media in your business. The host Michael Stelzner asks great questions from leading experts about everything from creating organic content to digital advertising strategy. Want even more great social media content? Visit his Social Media Examiner website for more insights and the latest research. The site’s annual social media study is also can’t-miss. (The 2020 Study just came out on May 11th–recap on the blog coming soon!)  
  • Online Marketing Made Easy with Amy Porterfield –  I always have a notebook and pen ready when I listen to this podcast. Amy Porterfield is the queen of creating and marketing online courses, but her podcast offers value far beyond that. I love her tips for improving business processes and growing an online presence. If you’re still working to move your business online, check out recent Episode #310: Taking Your Brick & Mortar Business Online.
  • Goal Digger – Jenna Kutcher is one of my all-time favorite people to follow for sound marketing and business advice. Her episodes come out on Monday and Wednesday each week and they’re such an important part in my morning routine! (Well, that and coffee.) I love her interviews with fellow female entrepreneurs, like this one with Barbara Corcoran, and the marketing tips she offers in each episode. I’m always applying new learnings from her podcast and online resources to my client work and what I do for my own businesses. 
  • The Copywriter Club – This is one of the more recent podcasts I started listening to, but I’m already in love! So much of what I do consists of writing blogs, websites, printed materials and social media for clients–this podcast has so many great tips and ideas! If you’re looking for tips on storytelling, refining key messages and freelancing, this podcast’s for you, too. I just wrapped up designing and writing a client’s website, and Episode #183 had great advice about writing with SEO in mind! 
  • Being Boss – This podcast is also a new find but quickly becoming a favorite! The tips from hosts and businesswomen Emily Thompson and Kathleen Shannon are so helpful and range from productivity hacks and financial strategies, to starting and marketing a business. Their recent Q&A episodes were one of the first episodes I listened to and offer such great tactical advice for all kinds of businesses and entrepreneurs. A must-listen!

Do you have a favorite podcast or listen to any of the ones on this list? Drop it in the comments below! 

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Strengthening Your Brand During a Crisis

I had the privilege of presenting (virtually, of course!) to Pink Boots Society‘s Sacramento Chapter about strengthening their breweries’ brands during a crisis. I wanted to share some of the key takeaways that any small business can start implementing today, even if they’re not currently operating.

1. Consumer expectations are changing. They’re looking for transparency, information, and entertainment. You don’t have to offer all three, but think about what content you can offer: Can you make videos or blog posts that offer education and showcase your expertise? Can you offer a helpful resource guide or checklist? Or create fun Q&A videos with your employees that allow consumers to get to know your team better? Don’t be afraid to think outside the box.

2. Use email, and use it responsibly. Especially if you’re not running social media ads, your social media posts may not even be seen by your followers. But you can guarantee your message will reach their inboxes. Be strategic when you send emails, and ensure each one offers value to the recipients.

3. Don’t stop marketing. You may have to pivot your messaging, current campaigns, or even the way you offer your products or services, but now is not the time to stop promoting your business. It’s important to not lose momentum during this time and remain top of mind to current and potential customers.

Thinking of all my small business friends and entrepreneurs during this time. Let me know if you want me to send you my presentation deck or need to brainstorm ways to keep your brand strong during COVID-19. Reach me at lindsey@nichecomms.com.