The emergence and evolution of social media and streaming platforms in recent years has presented both a challenge and opportunity for modern marketers on how to successfully leverage influencers and key opinion leaders to increase brand awareness and drive sales.
Affiliate and partner marketers are familiar with the influencer model — compensate a ‘partner’ in return for promoting your brand and offers. However, with thousands of influencers across so many different channels, engaging all different types of niches and audiences, there are some considerations for brands to want to maximize their influencer campaigns within different platforms.
Read on to discover some best practices and considerations for brands wanting to work across some of the most popular platforms.
Instagram
The Opportunity:
- 1.4 billion + monthly active users
- 510M Female users vs 490M Male
- The average time spent in the Instagram app grows each year. The latest statistics show the average users spends just under 16 hours per month engaging with the app.
Instagram Influencer Best Practices & Considerations
- Trust your influencer partner to create the content (they are the creator after all!) but be prepared to support them with creative assets if needed.
- Diversify the influencers you work with. Use a mix of Nano, Micro, Macro, and Mega influencers in order to meet your goals and tap into different audiences.
- Consider inviting your influencer partners to offline activities like events, product launches for extra exposure.
- Influencers with 10,000+ followers can place external links on Instagram stories. By issuing your influencer partner unique affiliate links present an opportunity to work with them on a CPA model.
Facebook
The Opportunity:
- 2.9b monthly users globally as of 2024.
- 61.3% of users are under 35.
- 12.9% of Facebook’s users are over 55 years old
- 56% male users and 44% female users.
Facebook Influencer Best Practices & Considerations
- Discover influencers that align with your brand through Facebook’s Brand Collabs Manager. Influencers can be found and filtered in the search bar.
- Video content is extremely popular on this platform. An influencer partner can promote your product or service inside one of their Facebook Live broadcasts, via a brief name-drop or sharing a voucher code.
TikTok
The Opportunity:
- 1.5 billion monthly active users globally (It is one of the fastest growing channels.)
- 45% of TikTok users are between ages 10-29
- Users spend an average of 1,740 minutes on the app each month.
Best Practices & Considerations
- Define your goals and the types of influencers you want to work with.
- Source influencer partners via the TikTok Creator Marketplace.
- If driving sales is your goal, consider working with less prominent niche influencers rather than mega-TikTok stars.
- Check the audience and engagement rates of your potential influencer partner before deciding on who to work with.
Twitch
The Opportunity:
- 82% Male users vs 55% Female users.
- There are 2.4 million viewers watching streams at any given time
- 71% of Twitch’s users are millennials and 21 years is the average age.
Twitch Influencer Best Practices & Considerations
- Keep in mind this is live content, as opposed to static video or images so some of the best ways to work with Twitch influencers for maximum exposure is through shout outs, product unboxings and giveaways.
- Users are extremely engaged with this platform so consider creative ways influencers can promote your brand in an authentic and non-intrusive way.
- Be relevant and resonate. Remember, not every brand or product will resonate with the Twitch audience. Before sourcing influencers, really consider what product or offer you are proposing them to promote.
Snapchat
The Opportunity:
- 49.2% Male users vs 50.8% Female users.
- There are 750 million monthly active users.
- 75% of Twitch’s users are millennials and 21 years is the average age.
Snapchat Influencer Best Practices & Considerations
- Partner with influencers to create exclusive live stories or streaks that give behind the scenes, early access or limited time offers. Since they disappear after 24 hours they create a sense of urgency and FOMO, so viewers will tune in and engage with the content.
- Use Snapchat Lenses and Filters for Interactive Branding: Work with influencers to create custom Snapchat Lenses or Filters that showcase your brand in a fun way. This could be your logo, product features or special effects. This is a playful way to use Snapchat and makes for a more memorable brand experience.
- Have a Snapchat influencer take over your account for a live event. They control the account for a set period and can show your brand from their perspective, talk to their audience and introduce your brand to them in a real way.
The Three Main Benefits of Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing offers three primary advantages for brands.
Increased Brand Awareness
Influencers have their audiences who trust their recommendations. By partnering with an influencer, a brand can instantly expand its reach and get in front of new potential customers.
How Influencers Build Awareness
Platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok have become breeding grounds for influencers who know how to leverage their reach effectively.
These social platforms allow influencers to create engaging content that easily captures the attention of their followers.
When an influencer promotes your brand’s product or service, their endorsement can reach thousands of qualified buyers, far beyond what most traditional marketing efforts can.
Targeted Audience Engagement
Unlike a broader-reaching TV commercial, billboard, or ad, influencer marketing allows brands to reach a very specific, highly-targeted audience.
Influencers often target specific niches, so their followers are likely interested in your products or services.
The Power of Working With an Influencer in Your Niche
Working with an influencer in the same niche as your business can be a total game changer. By partnering with influencers who specialize in your industry, your message will be shared with a highly qualified and engaged audience.
While Niche-specific Influencers tend to have a smaller audience, their followers tend to be more engaged and more likely to convert because they are already interested in the products and services you sell.
Authenticity Beyond Ads
Influencer marketing also stands out for its authenticity.
Audiences trust influencers’ recommendations more than they trust traditional ads. Additionally, influencers can share honest feedback and showcase real-life applications of products.
This authenticity can lead to more meaningful engagement, as followers feel like they’re receiving advice from a trusted friend rather than a brand pushing a product.
One of the best things about influencer marketing is it’s affordable.
Compared to traditional advertising methods, influencer marketing gives a better return on investment (ROI).
Budget-Friendly Campaigns
Influencer marketing also gives marketers an affordable way to get exposure without breaking the bank. Instead of spending millions on commercials or billboards, you can partner with influencers who love working with brands they love. You can reach a more targeted audience for less than a billboard campaign. In fact, many micro-influencers charge low fees, so influencer marketing is accessible to businesses with small budgets.
Long-Term Partnerships & Fans
Moreover, influencer partnerships often cultivate long-term relationships, resulting in sustained exposure over time. When you identify the right influencer, they can become a dedicated advocate for your brand. Consistently sharing content about your products amplifies your marketing efforts and enhances your overall ROI.
Partnerize’s prospecting tool allows brands to easily discover and recruit thousands of influencers across various social channels — regardless of whether they are partners in our platform. To discover how you can get the most out of influencers and all your partnerships reach out at contact@partnerize.com
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