This is an article “How Influencers Help Your E-commerce” by Marc Primo
Now that 77% of all U.S. companies are now marketing online, it pays to know which strategies and channels you can maximize to get some good ROI. One of the most feasible ones (if you have the budget for it) is influencer marketing, which may earn you $18 for every dollar you spend. And this type of digital marketing works best in your e-commerce campaigns now that more people are purchasing goods online more than ever.
First, what is influencer marketing and how different is it from hiring celebrities to be your brand ambassadors? To put it simply, influencer marketing is a combination of hiring personalities (more commonly known now as influencers), with a significant following on social media then creating online marketing strategies that will tap their followers and convert them as your brand’s.
The definition is simple enough but the nitty gritty in how to make it work is an entirely different ball game. To know how this type of marketing can help you boost sales for your e-commerce campaigns, here are a few bright ideas that might just ‘influence’ you.
Meet your market
Before you determine which influencer you should collaborate with for your campaigns, it’s first important to know who your target audience is. Establishing a connection with the right demographics will help you decide on who is the best brand ambassador out there that can help you with your promotions.
Find out who your target markets follow on social media. Study how they behave online and which issues they are most vocal about then list down characteristics that can mold your influencer type. Should they be socially active? Should they be single, mysterious, and prominent in a specific field?
Contrary to the past, not all brand ambassadors should be celebrities today. Some online personalities like chef Dennis Prescott, digital nomad Jay Alvarrez, or beauty and fashion expert Alexa Chung are burning the heart button on Instagram simply by sharing their passions with their followers. Once you know who your target audience is, follow the lead and pick out which influencer is the right one for your brand.
Choose the right social media platform
Aside from knowing who your audience is, finding out which social media platform they are most active in is equally important. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter all have different demographics for users in that those who aim to connect with friends and family go to Facebook, those who are more into images go to Instagram, and those who want to follow personalities and their tweets go for Twitter.
Knowing which platform your target market spends most of their time on will help you improve your influencer marketing campaigns as well as your figures. According to the 2019 Influencer Marketing Global Survey, 65% of customers follow influencers online via video ads on Facebook and YouTube, while 61% are influenced by static images. This means that effectively connecting with the right audience entails some research on what particular buyer personas prefer which social media platform or what kind of ad material are more useful for their content consumption.
Collaborate with your influencer
Most important of all, working with your influencer and making sure that he or she knows your brand inside and out will make it easier to strategize your e-commerce campaigns. These days, you can’t really tell them what or how to do things on social media as much as in the old days so it would be best to listen to them if they try to pitch in a few ideas of their own for your brand’s sake.
Get them to share your inputs about your online contests and engagement campaigns, video ads, or testimonial posts. Keeping them in the loop with how you intend to connect will also help them get to know your brand better. With this, they can then match the promise and reputation that you’re willing to offer your audience.
There’s no denying how influencers can boost sales for your e-commerce campaigns and further build your brand to a wider reach. As long as you follow the steps above and keep yourself updated on the latest trends, you’ll be on track in getting improved results for your online traffic and better numbers on both your conversion rates and e-commerce sales.