Influencer Campaign: By 2021, it’s clear to see the incredible results that brands are achieving from working with influencers. A method that has been around for a while, but rapidly gained mass exposure in the last few years – it’s one not to miss out on! You may be wondering if influencer marketing is right for you and your business, but I can tell you that no matter your business size or type, there’s definitely an opportunity for you.
With one billion monthly active users, Instagram really is the place to get your brand noticed on social media. In terms of influencer marketing, it’s evident why this platform is so popular, with a whole variety of content and media types to make use of. So, let’s take a look at these and begin to understand those that could be great for your business needs.
Media types
Instagram influencers tend to work with a whole variety of content, and I would recommend that your brand does so too. Although some media channels may bring more results than others, it’s important that you do not limit yourself too much.
You have probably seen these different types of media on Instagram before, but some you may not be particularly familiar with. Or perhaps, are unsure of how to incorporate them into an influencer campaign.
Posts
Posts are Instagram’s original media format, and what you are likely to view the most. These show on your home feed and can be in the form of photos or videos. Additionally, posts can now be of ‘carousel’ format, with more than one photo that you can swipe between.
Posts are generally more expensive as they require a little extra time and effort from the influencer. However, they tend to create more impressions, so it can be worth every penny!
Posts are best for high-quality content that is visually appealing and will definitely catch your attention.
Stories
Next up, we have stories. They are quite different from posts, but similarly popular amongst influencers. Stories show up at the top of your home feed and are only available for 24 hours before they disappear. This form of content is deemed slightly more natural than others.
This content still requires decent work from the influencer but can be less time-consuming to produce. You should still aim for attractive content to make sure that your product stands out from the crowd!
With the added swipe up feature available on stories, viewers can be directed straight to your website, therefore increasing your traffic.
IGTV
IGTV is Instagram’s video area of the platform. Although videos can be uploaded as posts and stories, IGTV allows for much longer content. Think of the video content that you view on YouTube, for example.
This area is used by influencers for content that requires a full and possibly lengthy description of a product. This is great for more complex products or those that could benefit from demonstrations and tutorials.
Live
Instagram Live is one of the more recent additions to the platform and an extremely popular one too! As you would expect, this is the feature of Instagram, social media content creator that allows users to go live, broadcasting to their audience in real-time.
Of course, this truly opens up the opportunity for authenticity, a critical element of influencer marketing! Instagram users can go live for many purposes, for example, to provide live entertainment, with Instagram aiming to increase creativity on the app. However, influencers will do Live unboxings and Q&As, but more on that in a moment.
Reels
If you haven’t come across Reels yet, then it’s almost identical to TikTok. And, if you are unfamiliar with TikTok, then let me explain. Reels allows users to upload short videos which are highly creative due to the addition of filters, effects, music, and more.
Reels are being used by influencers from a whole variety of categories, with the opportunity to incorporate any desired creative content! You’ll find anything from singing and dancing to cooking tutorials and DIY projects.
This type of content has proved to be highly engaging, so brands can thrive through influencer marketing here.
Content ideas
At this stage, you’re probably beginning to wonder how best to incorporate content ideas to market through these media channels. With some newer than others and some more popular than others, let’s go over just a few for now.
Giveaways
Giveaways are without a doubt one of the most popular techniques used by brands, from small to big. At the end of the day, who doesn’t love free stuff, right? Well, this technique is highly engaging and will be sure to get you noticed on Instagram.
Usually, giveaways are published as posts. You can ask influencers to post a photo or video on their feed with instructions in their caption on how to enter the competition. For example, requirements to like and share the post, or to tag your bestie.
Engagement for both your brand and for the influencer will be boosted, and even if this drops after the competition, you have still managed to expose your business to a wide audience that now knows your name.
Tutorials
Tutorials is sort of an umbrella term, covering a few different types of content. These can be as simple as a carousel of photos showing three steps on how to use a makeup product or can be a full-length video giving a detailed cooking class.
Therefore, depending on your product, a tutorial could take place as a post, a video on IGTV or Reels, or even a Live class for people to follow along with.
Consider how complex your product is, and which channel would be most engaging for a tutorial.
Q&As
As mentioned before, Q&As have previously been most popular for YouTube influencers. And don’t get me wrong, they’re definitely not going anywhere. However, you can now also find a whole abundance of them on Instagram too!
Sure, Q&As can be pre-recorded and popped onto IGTV. But, what’s even better for influencer campaigns, is Live Q&As. Influencers can jump onto Live and their viewers can ask questions directly in the comments to answer there and then.
Since influencers won’t have time to prepare answers in advance, it’s essential to make sure that those you are working with really love your products!
Instagram has just last month added the feature of Instagram Live Rooms, with which you could consider working with a panel of influencers for your campaign.
Conclusion
Influencer marketing really is for any brand, no matter your size or budget. But, what’s crucial in ensuring a great campaign is careful planning from start to finish. As well as considering which media type and content that you’ll work with, it’s important that you find influencers who will be a perfect match for your brand. Head over to Heepsy for more information on getting started with your next campaign!