How to Find the Perfect Influencer
Instagram has changed immensely over the past couple of years. You used to be able to generate engagement through special groups, stack hashtags and quickly rank on popular ones. When done successfully, this would put the savvy Instagram user on the explore page. This practice itself has built many influencers a strong following and they’re ready to partner with you.
Instagram has been shown to have the highest engagement rates when compared with other social media platforms. One of the greatest benefits of Instagram is the means by which influencers are constantly partnering with brands and taking them to new heights.
If you follow these tips your chances of running a successful campaign greatly increases. If you are planning to drive awareness, engagement and sales via Instagram here are some key takeaways from my ventures. Know these tips before you reach out to anyone on Instagram.
- Personalization is a must for a first-time introduction. Know their name, know their industry.
- Your initial contact must prove that you’ve researched them.
- Keep your message concise. Don’t write a novel. Keep it 5–7 sentences and make it totally traceable with the eyes. Make key points stand out.
- Mention anything notable that drew you to the influencer.
It’s important as well when searching for possible partners to save prospects for the future even if you know now is not a good time to connect. They might be a fit for later and it will save you time in the future. Just as parameters for partnering change so do your goals.
When comparing the ideal partnership, ask yourself…
Will partnering enrich and support goals to expand my brand’s awareness? Will it lead others to engage and buy from me?
Do we share the same values?
Is their tone similar to mine? Does it sound professional, humorous or completely casual?
Do we have completely opposite audiences or do we share the same common folk?
Are they working with my competitors?
Do our niches align?
Do I like their photography? If I do, does it match my brand’s aesthetic?
Are they sponsoring content too often?
Is all of their published content consistent and high quality?
I noticed they have a large audience, does the engagement rate match their numbers? Or is their large following a complete facade and all they really have is a horde of purchased bots?
Are comments reflective of true engagement or is the influencer using engagement groups? These are easily noticed — just look for the same group of people constantly commenting on an influencer’s post. They’ve all teamed up do this for each other.
Choose your ideal Partner
Like any avenue, Instagram works all the same when you take a thoughtful approach to partnering with influencers. When you consider all of the above, you ensure your goals and needs match up with their market, philosophy and audience.
There are amazing tools and ways to find your ideal influencer. Here is a great selection to consider:
Influence by Newswire, a resource for finding influencers.
Awario — monitor brands/influencers
Klear — get front in center with the perfect influencer
Grin’s Influencers marketing software
Influencer Fee — Know how much pay
Trackonomics — Track sales from an influencer campaign.
These tools will not only help you find the right influencer but will help you determine if their worth is visible.
Pay Your Influencers
Good agreements take work and when executed well, both parties have stepped up to the plate and have done their share of work beautifully. Payment agreements are completely subjective and take on many forms depending on the size of following and estimated time of work. You’d be surprised that many influencers are often open to many types of payment agreements. Many take a gifted product as a form of payment in exchange for a post. However, only influencers with smaller followings will do this kind of exchange. Others will consider an affiliate structure and will take a commission. Lastly, an appropriate flat fee works well in exchange for a post.
Most often, the issue with communication is the illusion that it has actually taken place. Make sure all parties involved know what to expect and when to expect it. A schedule, list of expectations, and agreed upon payment needs to be in writing. Stay clear of verbal agreements and do not send payments until all parties have signed off. Make this process easy by using a service like DocuSign to digitally share and sign your agreement.
Collaborate Effectively
Give your influencer parameters that don’t allow for any brand deviation but don’t micromanage. Allow them time to familiarize themselves with your product so they can promote it in a genuine manner. Remember that your chosen influencer knows how to interact with their followers best.
Usage Rights
Influencers often like to reuse content so it’s important to make sure they know whether or not they have the license to do so. Make sure ownership retention is written into the contract so both parties agree to and understand usage rights.
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