We get it. You see influencers everywhere. The world’s biggest brands have been developing their influencer strategy for years. In fact, we bet that you can name a few influencers off the top of your head as you’re reading this. However, prepare to redefine what you thought you knew about influencers.
Not every influencer has to be a celebrity or have millions of followers to make an impact. For 2023, outlets like Hubspot are predicting the rise of the micro-influencer. Consumers are looking for authenticity and value-based content. Brands and small businesses will have the most success when working with micro-influencers that have a loyal audience.
Instead of chasing high follower counts, we recommend you stick to relevant content. In the end, how your social media represents your values makes the biggest difference. An influencer or celebrity name can only get you so far. Focus on what drives value for your brand instead of the famous handle.
So you might ask, what steps can we take to see if influencer marketing might work for our business? Here are some tips to spark some ideas!
Use current ad budget to run a promotion in exchange for posts and visibility
Check out Instagram pages like @thefreeeatery and @nyc_forfree create traffic for your upcoming freebie promotions
Leverage sites like Influenster and The Hub to connect you with content creators
Connect with an agency to handle coordination with influencers and content creators
Search on socials to find small content creators who can provide higher engagement
Set your sights on influencers who create authentic, engaging content for your brand
Now that we have educated you, we encourage you to go out and try some of these steps for yourself! If you are ever in doubt, it pays off to be authentic. And as always, we are here if you need anything at all.