Influencer Marketing on Instagram with Vanessa Grant

Influencer marketing. Some love it, some hate it, but regardless you’re sure to come across it as a marketer. In this episode, we’re staying with up Vanessa Grant, principal of Grant Media and president of Mommyfluencer, to talk about how we can track results with influencers. 

Why is influencer marketing popular?

We all know that Instagram has become really popular especially amongst younger demographics. Unfortunately for marketers, they are trying to block ads - potentially affecting how many people actually see your content. So how can a brand connect with their younger audience? They use influencer marketing, a strategy that helps partner brands with thought leaders within specific target audiences. 

Many brands hear about influencer marketing but many don’t quite know how it works or how to leverage it. The first thing Vanessa does is educate the brands about expectations and how much it will cost them. Then comes the campaign to contact and choose the right influencer to work with. Vanessa creates draft contracts and creative briefs for both parties. Finally, she tracks the results and reports back to the brand.

What does the influencer do?

Each brand, aside from fulfilling their bottom line, aims to increase exposure and awareness. They can do this by partnering with influencers who create engaging social media content with their followers about the value of the brand. In this process, brands are able to filter which influencers match their brand and which do not. Vanessa urges us to create long-lasting relationships with those that do match the brand to prove to their audience the authenticity of the brand and the influencer promoting it. Your influencer should be a part of the team, not just a one-time promoter.

The influencer should also love the brand they’re partnering with! Their loyal followers will definitely be able to tell if something doesn’t match the other posts or the influencer’s brand overall. Choosing influencers who already use and like the brand’s products will garner more results because followers already know that the influencer truly does believe in the brand and its products. When your influencer is already a fan of the brand, it will be much easier to convert their followers into fans as well.

Metrics influencer? Micro influencer? Nano influencer?

There are three types of influencers: metrics, micro and nano. Metrics influencers are those with over 50,000 followers such as Kim Kardashian. Micro influencers are those with less than 50,000 followers and the nano influencer has 2,000 followers or less. While it may be tempting to aim high for the metric influencer, Vanessa warns us they that typically have lower engagement rates. If you’re looking to increase engagement within your campaign, opt for nano or micro influencers who typically have closer relationships with their audiences. 

Nano influencers are also great if they identify themselves as photographers or content creators. The extra production value can go a long way when their audience is presented with a beautiful photo or video instead of a simple picture they quickly took on their phone. You can then, with their permission, repost their content on your feed and website.

Another consideration for your influencers is to look for those who have a Facebook group. The Facebook algorithm now prioritizes content from personal friends and groups over content from brands.

How to better track your ROI

If you’re thinking of creating an Instagram campaign with influencers, be sure to look beyond vanity metrics and focus on the quality of comments or engagement. This is especially important since Instagram has taken away the “likes” count on each post (unless you’re the one who posted it of course). 

Another tip is to set up a system to show a better Return On Investment (ROI). You can set up a page or a duplicate of your homepage that your influencer can link in their stories or on their Instagram bio. You can also set up an affiliate system where your influencers can receive a commission to track who is actually helping you generate sales.

About Vanessa

Vanessa Grant is a classically-trained journalist turned content writer, editor and strategist. She also runs a mom-focused boutique influencer marketing agency called Mommyfluencer.

More from Vanessa:

Website

Instagram: @mommyfluencer, @vanessagrantmedia

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