Today, the term “influencers” has become a buzzword synonymous with celebrity endorsers.

While they are not exactly celebrities themselves, these individuals might as well be considering how much power they have in swaying public opinion and even a consumer’s buying decision. In fact, studies have shown that approximately thirty percent of consumers are likely to buy a product recommended by a non-celebrity blogger. That said, availing of influencer marketing services would be an enterprising move that would stand to benefit your business.

While media advertisements worked before, most people are now perpetually connected to the internet. This means that majority of your target market is sifting through their feed on Facebook and seeing these internet influencers. Considering how your consumers are exposed to these personalities on a daily basis, their buying decisions would then be inevitably influenced by these individuals. After all, your consumers turn to these people to learn how a product performs and decide whether it is something worth pouring money into. Engaging in the services of an influencer can help you leverage the exposure of your company’s product. As a result, you can see a significant increase in revenue as well as a spike in consumers who rely on these influencer reviews to make their purchasing decisions.

If you have been playing with the idea of employing the services of an influencer, below are pieces of advice that may change your mind:

BENEFITS OF INFLUENCER MARKETING SERVICES

1.) FOCUS ON ENGAGEMENT RATHER THAN FOLLOWER COUNT

A common oversight most business owners make is hiring influencers solely for their follower count. This novice mistake must be avoided at all costs, as some influencers have spammy followers. Instead, learn how to research and identify influencers that do not only get in front of your target audience but one who has excellent engagement metrics. While it may not seem like it, influencers with fewer followers that get more likes, shares, and comments will serve your business better than someone who has a high follower count but little to no engagement.

2.) TREAT INFLUENCERS AS PART OF YOUR BUDGET

Understandably, businesses that are just starting to break ground would want to avoid exorbitant costs when it comes to influencer marketing. A prevalent misconception among business owners is that influencer marketing can be done at a low cost or in trade for a product or service. While it is possible to avail of influencer marketing services at a low cost, you might not get the results that you want. Influencer marketing has significantly grown and, resultantly, its associated rates. That said, treat influencers as part of your ad budget. After all, it is best to have a dedicated budget set aside for this kind of marketing.

3.) BE WARY OF THE TRUTH IN ADVERTISING ACTS

Lately, influencers have been getting a lot of flak for deceptive practices. As a business owner, it is your responsibility then to monitor the integrity and honesty of the messages created by them. After all, these personalities represent your brand so much so that anything they might say and do will be associated with you. So, allow them plenty of opportunities to interact with your products and/or services and try not to micromanage them. Give them the freedom to represent you with an authentic voice while simultaneously ensuring that they are not utilizing any shady practices.

4.) REMEMBER THAT THEY ARE A COMMODITY

Considering that influencer marketing can be a lucrative venture, it is inevitable for some individuals to exploit it by misrepresenting themselves to be legitimate influencers. To do this, they employ vanity metrics like the number of followers or even high engagement. Keep in mind that, at times, these may be misleading. To avoid transactions with influencers who are just looking to make a quick buck, always demand to know their audience demographics and include tracking links. Today, there is an oversupply of influencers, and each of them has hundreds of twins. If the influencer you are looking to hire is not cooperating, you might as well look for another one who will.

5.) THINK LONG-TERM

Once you have hired the services of an influencer, do not immediately expect to see a spike in sales results just in the first month alone. This mindset is wrong, and if you want results, you need to think long-term. Brands and businesses engaged with influencers should view them as compounding benefits. Do not make the mistake of seeing them as sales people who will immediately produce short-term results. To have an idea of where you are at, make sure that you have tracking in place to measure downstream effects in social reach and organic search.

6.) DO YOUR HOMEWORK

When done properly, influencer marketing can be very effective and will be a beneficial addition to a campaign. With that in mind, screen your list of prospective influencers and make sure that they do not only align with your brand but also that they have followers who are also part of your target market. In this way, you will be sure that your campaign will benefit from their marketing.

7.) BE PATIENT

Results do not come overnight. Brands who have engaged in the services of an influencer should know that it may take a while to expand their brand reach. However, all of this waiting is worth it once it kicks in, you will see a significant increase in brand awareness. If your business is in a competitive marketplace, the first thing you need to do is attract the right audience so that they can learn more about your brand and the products and services that you have.

8.) CONSIDER MICRO-INFLUENCERS

Micro-influencers typically do not require large payments for sponsorship, and they often deliver better results. Micro-influencers may just be the best way for you to engage with your audience. In most cases, these are the influencers who have a strong and engaged following. As a result, they are capable of influencing the right consumers. If they are aligned with your business, the results may be even better than larger influencers, and the returns are better. That said, you can build a solid partnership with them.

9.) CLARIFY EXPECTATIONS

Before having your influencer sign on the dotted lines of a contract, be sure that both parties have clear expectations of what is required from the partnership. Undoubtedly, influencer marketing is a powerful tool in today’s digital marketing landscape. Unfortunately, it can also be quite risky if both parties do not agree with the expectations set. Create clear contracts and specifically outline your communication expectations, multimedia needs, promotion details, and ownership.

10.) DEMAND REAL ROI

Hiring influencers may build brand awareness, but sometimes, this just does not cut it. As a business owner, you are well within your rights to demand a real return of investment. That said, run the numbers against quality digital media buy and make a comparison of ROI. Today, there are plenty of influencers who lack the credibility you are looking for. So, look for the ones that can deliver real ROI.