Top Tips on Using Influencer Marketing and Video to Build Your Brand

Building the credibility of your brand requires a distinct plan and the opportunity to help others get to know you by providing them with videos, images, and other forms of content that showcase your voice to the audience. Influencer marketing has been around for a long time and really isn’t anything new, but the ability for an influencer to broadcast a video promotion of your brand is something that has, within the past decade, become much easier to achieve. Here are the top tips on using influencer marketing and video to build your brand

We’ve outlined these top tips on using influencer marketing and video to build your brand to assist you in developing an influencer marketing strategy that works for your business. Check out the tips below and let us know what steps you’re planning to take to bring your brand to the next level.

What is Influencer Marketing Anyway?

Influencer marketing is similar to celebrity endorsements that used to be common on radio or television. Social influencers have a strong following and tend to be well known. Therefore, if you are able to get a social influencer to promote your brand on their channel or to their followers, the likelihood of developing a stronger customer base for your brand and improving brand awareness is HUGE.

Social networks like Facebook and Linkedin attract billions of users. Alongside them, there are social influencers that have built millions of followers that look to them for comedy, trust, instinct, or influence of all sorts. As such, brands don’t need a flashy commercial with a well-known athlete to influence prospective or existing customers anymore. Instead, many are turning to social influencers to promote their products or services and encourage both existing and prospective customers to take action.

Social Influencing

Unlike commercials, social influencing is more of an art form. Influencer marketing involves the social influencer actually promoting a product or industry because they too trust in the brand. A genuine endorsement of the brand helps the audience to feel at ease with their decision to hop on board and take action investing in the product or service. In fact, studies show that brands that are backed by a social influencer are 50% more likely to convert than those that are not.

How Does Video Come Into Influencer Marketing?

Videos content accounts for 80% or more of the world’s internet traffic. Thus, incorporating videos into your marketing mix has the potential to generate significantly more traffic and exposure to your brand. Pair video with a trusted influencer that is already reaching your target market and you have found an extremely valuable resource that you most certainly should use to your advantage.

Incorporating influencer marketing into your overall mix requires a firm understanding of your audience and the influencer or influencers that you intend to work with. These influencers are trusting you with their audience, thus they will want to be absolutely sure that they can trust that your brand will deliver on the promises that they make to their tribe.

To gain maximum exposure and trust in your brand, ask the influencer to record a video of him or her talking candidly about your brand. Prepare a list of the top concepts that you would like the influencer to address in the video, but make sure there is plenty of open ended opportunity for the influencer to put his or her own details into words for their followers.

Tips for Finding Social Influencers for Your Brand

Before you start reaching out to potential influencers, do some research and some planning to ensure you’re taking the right approach. Follow these tips:

• Consider whether the influencer of your choice has the time or desire to participate. Some influencers may be downright impossible to get on your side while others may be not much benefit in having on your side. Consider an influencer that you know will be enthusiastic about your brand and that is willing and available to promote your content for you. This may take some time, but you’ll find the right person for the project–just don’t give up!
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• Choose an influencer with an audience that is relevant to your target market. It does no good to have an influencer that has an audience of men promote feminine products. Do your homework to determine the influencers that have a social following which relates with your target audience to get the most out of your experience together.
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• Consider influencers that are already familiar with you or your competitors. If you notice a particular influencer that is already casually talking about your competitors, consider reaching out to them for an exclusive promotion. It’s likely that if their audience has interest in your competition they will have audience in your brand too!
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• Consider a charismatic influencer. Not all influencers are charismatic when they speak to their audience. In fact, some are very cut and dry business. It’s not likely that these types will offer the greatest return for your influencer strategy and probably better for you to consider an influencer that is a bit more relaxed.

Tips for Getting the Influencer On Board

Once you’ve got a few potential influencers in mind to promote your brand, it’s time to start taking action. There aren’t any specific tips that will guarantee an influencer says “Yes” to the idea of promoting your brand through video but there are some potential things that could help such as:

• Providing the influencer with an excellent idea that will captivate their audience–this is like doing their work for them and makes it hard for them to say no!
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• Offering a genuine invitation to the influencer to check your products or services out and share. The more genuine you can be, the better.
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• Taking the reins so that they do not have to work hard to help you. If you do as much of the leg work as possible so that your chosen influencer can promote your brand with ease, the chance of them saying “sure, why not” is much greater than if they view the idea as something more to add to their already overflowing plate. Plan, strategize, and be prepared to execute much of this project for the influencer.

Here’s what you should say in your request:

• Be original with your subject line–catchy but genuine is ideal.
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• Be direct in your request–you want them to be a social influencer for your brand, tell them, and tell them what’s in it for them (ie. influencers LOVE free products!)
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• If you’re already working with other influencers, tell the potential new influencer–social proof will take you a long way!
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• Take the work out of it. As stated above, the less work on an influencer’s already busy plate, the better.
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• Use humor if possible. While this won’t work for all subjects, a funny GIF can lighten the mood.
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• Do not copy and paste messages–take the time to approach each influencer with a unique plan. They will quickly realize those who took the time and those who didn’t care enough about them to do so. Just don’t!

Incorporating a social influencer video into the mix of marketing techniques you’re already working on for your brand is almost certain to be a win. You’ll enjoy greater exposure to an audience that is already interested in what you have to offer. For help incorporating influencer videos into your marketing program, call Beverly Boy Productions to discuss our services and your project in greater detail. We’ll help you incorporate these top tips on using influencer marketing and video to build your brand even bigger!