Have you ever considered partnering with an influencer to help promote your business? If not, you should!
Filipinos spend an average of four hours every day on social media. People’s attention spans get shorter. Now more than ever, partnering with these online celebrities has become more valuable.
There are a few things to keep in mind if you’re interested in adding influencer marketing to your overall marketing strategy, including hiring influencers.
This article will discuss what you need to consider before partnering with influencers to help promote your business online. So, if you’re ready to learn more about hiring influencers, read on!
What Is Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is centered on collaborating with people who have a sizable following on social media or other online channels. These social media celebrities can aid in promoting your goods or services to their audience, which could result in additional clients for your company.
For that reason, small to big businesses see influencer marketing as an effective way to attract new customers and grow their brands.
Why Hire Influencers for Your Online Business
There are a lot of reasons why you should consider hiring influencers. But here are the top three:
- Tap into a new source of potential customers. Influencers already have an audience that trusts them. By hiring them to promote your product or service, you can reach a whole new group of people who might be interested in what you offer.
- Build up your brand awareness and reach. When people see that you’re working with well-known and respected influencers, they’ll start to take notice of your brand and become more familiar with it.
- Generate leads and sales. Promoting your product or service through influencers can reach many people quickly, potentially increasing sales and conversions.
Ready to expand your business with influencer marketing? Then hiring the right influencers is a vital part of what you need to do to achieve success.
How to Hire Influencers for Your Business
To help you find the right influencer, here’s a list of things you need to consider when hiring influencers for your online business.
Know Your Target Audience
Before you let the word out that you are looking to hire influencers, you first need to be clear about who your target audience is.
Identifying your target audience will make it easier for you to research and find influencers with a following that matches your target market.
More importantly, you’ll be able to craft messages that resonate with your target audience and hire influencers who can help you deliver those messages.
Bottom line: Keep your target audience in mind when choosing an influencer so that you can ensure that their content is relevant to your brand.
Turn Your Business Goals Into Influencer Specifications
Think about what you want to achieve with your influencer marketing campaign.
Do you want to increase brand awareness? Drive traffic to your website? Increase sales? Once you know your goals, you can narrow your search for the right influencer.
If your goal is to increase brand awareness, you’ll want to look for influencers with a large following engaged with their content.
On the other hand, you’ll want to look for influencers with a smaller but highly engaged following interested in your product or service if you want to generate more sales.
Reach Out and Have an Open-Ended Conversation to Understand What They Want
You’ll quickly find that influencers want more than just a payout for their services. So, it’s essential to reach out and have an open-ended conversation to understand what they want.
There are a few reasons why this is important.
- Influencers are often more interested in working with brands they feel aligned with. If you can articulate your brand’s values and why you think the influencer would be a good fit, you’re more likely to get their attention.
- They want to feel valued and appreciated. If you take the time to get to know them and their interests, they’re more likely to feel you value them as partners.
- Influencers have a lot of options when it comes to who they work with. If you can show them that you’re committed to working with them and invested in their success, they’re more likely to choose to work with you.
By taking the time to understand what influencers want, you can create relationships built on trust and respect, ultimately leading to better results for your business.
Do a Deeper Analysis of Those You Have Shortlisted
Before hiring an influencer, you need to do your homework. Here are some things to consider:
- Influence. You want to hire someone with a large and engaged following. But you also need to consider the quality of their followers. Make sure they’re not just buying fake followers or engagement.
- Content. Take a close look at the content they produce. What are their tone and style? Is it relevant to your brand? Is it high quality? Does it align with your values?
- Audience. Who are their followers? Are they the kind of people who would be interested in your products or services?
- Platform. Where do they have the most influence? Is it on Instagram, YouTube, or another platform? Make sure their platform aligns with yours.
- Cost. Influencers can be expensive, so you need to ensure their price is worth it. Consider their influence, engagement, and reach when deciding how much to pay them.
- Reputation. Keep in mind that they will be one of the faces of your brand. If they have a questionable reputation, it can tarnish your name and reputation.
By doing your research, you can be confident you’re hiring someone who can effectively promote your brand and help achieve your marketing goals.
Create an Approximate Budget to Hire Influencers
An influencer marketing budget will help you stay within your overall marketing budget. It will also give you a better idea of who is affordable and who isn’t, and you’ll know how much to negotiate with influencers to get the best possible rate.
There are different factors to take into consideration when creating your budget:
- Number of influencers you want to hire.
- Reach on their social media platforms.
- Engagement rate of their followers.
- Scope of work you’re hiring them for.
Considering these factors, you can create a realistic and achievable budget.
Prioritize Influencers With High Engagement
When hiring influencers, it’s important to prioritize those with high engagement. Here’s why:
- Shows a proven track record of connecting with their audience. This means they are more likely to be successful in promoting your brand.
- Can generate quality leads. Their audience is already engaged with their content, so they’re more likely to be interested in what you have to offer.
- Able to create lasting relationships with their followers. These relationships are valuable because they can lead to word-of-mouth marketing for your brand.
- More likely to be respected by their peers. This respect can translate into additional opportunities for your brand, such as media coverage or partnership opportunities.
- Tend to be more influential overall. This influence can help you reach new audiences and grow your brand presence.
By prioritizing influencers with a high engagement rate, you’ll be able to achieve your marketing goals.
Look for Ambassadors With Long-Term Potential
While one-off campaigns can be successful, they don’t create the same level of brand awareness and loyalty as a long-term ambassador.
Partner with an ambassador who is invested in your brand and has a following that trusts their opinion. They can help you to connect with your target audience, build trust, and drive sales. They’re also a great asset when you need positive PR during times of crisis.
Bottom line: Hiring long-term ambassadors is simply good business sense. After all, you want someone who will be a positive force for your brand over the long haul, not just a one-hit-wonder.
Negotiate
It can be challenging to hold influencers accountable for their work without a clear agreement.
Negotiate the terms of your agreement, including how often they post, what content they share, and how much you will pay them.
Negotiating upfront ensures that everyone is on the same page and you get the expected results. Additionally, negotiating can help to build trust between you and the influencer.
Showing you’re willing to work together to reach an agreement will set the tone for a positive relationship.
Draft Influencer Contract and Make It Clear
Hiring an influencer is a big commitment, so make sure everything is spelled out clearly before getting started. This will help ensure that both parties are on the same page regarding expectations and deliverables.
Include details such as compensation, content requirements, and any legal obligations on the part of both parties.
For example, suppose an influencer posts something negative about your product. In that case, you can include a clause that allows you to terminate the agreement.
By drafting a clear and easy-to-understand contract, both parties can avoid potential problems, misunderstandings, and disappointments down the road. More importantly, it can help safeguard your brand and ensure a successful partnership.
Hiring Influencers FAQs
How much does it cost to hire an influencer?
The cost can go as high as PHP 150,000 per post for those with millions of followers, while some work for exchange deals or honoraria.
What factors affect the cost of hiring an influencer?
Scope of work, an influencer’s number of reach and followers, engagement rate, and other non-work-related factors such as advocacies and values alignment.
Final Thoughts
Now that you understand the importance of hiring influencers for your small business and what to look for when vetting potential candidates, it’s time to get started.
Do your research, ask the right questions, and set clear expectations upfront, so everyone involved knows what to expect.
Do you have any other tips for hiring influencers? We’d love to hear them in the comments below!
Further reading:
- 6 Free Digital Marketing Strategies for Food and Beverage Businesses
- 5 Steps to Picture-Perfect Food Photos for Your Food Business
- Top 8 Ways to Improve Email Deliverability From Your Email Marketing System
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