The Advantages of Including Influencer Marketing into Your Advertising Campaigns

Tried, tested and true! Brand collaboration and influencer marketing are among the most effective ways to capture the consumers' attention.

More accessible than celebrities, influencers are people like you and me, who have built their audience through the content they create on the web and the engagement they cultivate within their community. Influencer marketing is about identifying the individuals who create conversations that impact your brand, products or services, and then developing a relationship with them in order to establish collaborative agreements. First and foremost, it is extremely important to understand a concept of influencer marketing that will put into perspective how you integrate them into your campaigns: an influencer is a brand in and of itself.

In fact, current studies refer more and more to this notion. Much like celebrities such as Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Beyoncé and Georges Saint-Pierre for example, influencers are now considered as brands in their own right. They display key personal values that are thoroughly thought through and coupled with a carefully considered aesthetic, all with a very specific objective to promote themselves. A successful influencer will have succeeded in creating an engaged community with which they connect daily with.

For a brand that wants to collaborate with an influencer, it is imperative to do a proper analysis of the influencers you are considering for your marketing campaign. There are several online tools to help you in your research, such as platforms that display the statistics of each (target audience, interests, demographics, etc.).

If you are thinking of doing a collaboration between your brand and an influencer brand, you would be on track with one of the latest marketing trends.

The Benefits of Collaborating with Influencers

Brand collaboration (considering the influencer as the brand here) allows:

An increase in visibility. Brand collaboration makes it possible to reach, in addition to one's own audience, a completely new one: that of the influencer or the other brand. However, be conscious that while a large number of subscribers may be impressive, it does not guarantee a successful campaign. A word of advice: if you don't have access to online tools, always ask the other party to send you their statistics. It could very well be that more than 50% of their audience is in a geographical region that is beyond your reach, for example.
The creation of original content. This is probably one of the most valuable benefits. Collaborating with influencers or another brand gives you access to unique content, customized for you. Moreover, this content is generally more engaging and personalized. Be sure to indicate in the contract the type of content and distribution platforms that were agreed upon to showcase your brand (Instagram stories, testimonials, photography, TikTok videos, etc.). Always provide the other party with as much information regarding the company as possible so that they can create rich and relevant content.
Access to the statistics of another brand. However, it is illegal to share this data without the user's consent.

A thoroughly drafted contract, when working with an influencer, is extremely important. Don't leave room for interpretation!

How to Work with Brands on Social Networks Such as Instagram or TikTok

Determine the company’s strategy and objectives (ex: increase the number of subscribers to your Instagram page, increase sales of a particular item, etc.).
Find the brand or influencer that represents your image, your values, etc. Ideally, it is recommended that the other party already knows your products or better yet, uses them.
Define how this collaboration will add value to your brand.
Find the right “channel” to reach the brand (ex: some brand influencers do not look at their private messages and have a direct email address for partnerships). Make sure you have a unique approach that is personalized to the targeted brand. Contact only one brand, or influencer, at a time and above all, create content that is specific to it.
Negotiate and sign a contract.
Plan content using a promotional calendar.

3 Successful Examples of Cross-Branding

Gymshark

Since its inception, Gymshark, a British company specializing in workout apparel, has made “fitness” influencers a priority in its marketing strategy. No wonder it was one of the first brands to ride the wave of influencer marketing on the new TikTok social platform. By targeting 6 influencers on the platform to launch its "66 Days | Change Your Life" challenge, Gymshark has benefited from tremendous exposure which has therefore translated into a massive increase in sales.

Playstation

The global video game market is experiencing tremendous growth that will, no doubt, continue in 2021. PlayStation, eager to promote its new virtual reality headsets, recently targeted the Canadian market by focusing on Instagram and YouTube. By collaborating with 5 “gamer” influencers, PlayStation successfully brought the brand and its product to millions of potential customers on both platforms.

Bumble

Choosing the right influencer for an omni-channel influencer marketing campaign depends on a host of factors that can contribute to its success or failure. This is not the case of the partnership between the Bumble app and Serena Williams for 2019’s Super Bowl, which turned out to be a perfect match that highlighted the values and authenticity of the brand.

Brand collaboration, especially through influencer marketing, is worth considering for your next marketing strategy. Its benefits are undeniable, and the results are convincing. If you manage to keep your business objective in mind while remaining true to your values throughout the process, the influencer will certainly be your best ally in promoting your brand to a broad audience. In addition, as you collaborate, you will not only grow your audience, you will also develop your network and the engagement of your community with new and original content. Don't miss out on this excellent opportunity!