In today's crowded digital environment, it is becoming challenging for e-commerce businesses to stand out. Traditional advertising methods don't seem to cut it anymore as consumers instead, listen to the trusted voices from the online communities.
This is where influencer marketing plays a crucial role, It is a strategy that can bolster your e-commerce business’s growth. But, what exactly is influencer marketing strategy? Let's delve into this blog to find the right answer.
Influencer marketing can be referred to as the modern-day strategy for word-of-mouth recommendations. It involves collaboration with influencers on social media platforms to promote your brand to their loyal followers. These influencers are known for their expertise in a particular niche and their ability to connect with followers personally.
Almost everyone these days is present on social media and spends at least 10 to 15 minutes a day on a social media platform. Therefore, influencers play a major role in building your brand or business's online presence. An optimised influencer marketing campaign can be hugely beneficial for your e-commerce business.
The below points highlight the importance of e-commerce influencer marketing:
Planning a robust influencer marketing strategy for e-commerce is crucial for you to achieve a successful outcome. You can follow the below tips to develop a proper strategy:
The foundation of any successful marketing campaign lies in its transparency. So, you must find answers to the following questions to build a successful marketing campaign:
What is your aim to accomplish through this campaign? Is it to enhance brand visibility, promote new product launches or increase total sales?
What is your target customer? Identify their interests and online behaviours to get the best outcome.
You must find the influencers that genuinely resonate with your brand. Below are key qualities that you should check before opting for an influencer:
Relevance: An influencer’s niche should align with your product. For example, if you are running an online clothing brand, you should choose a fashion influencer. Don’t just think about their follower count.
Reach: Reach is critical for you to develop your brand’s online presence. Micro-influencers can surprisingly be an effective solution because of the social media algorithm.
Authenticity: You must choose influencers who are passionate about their work and have established a strong bond with their followers.
Values: Always choose an influencer that matches your brand’s values and image.
Also read: 10 Indian Companies Use Influencer Marketing to Grow their Brand!
Influencer marketing strategy offers your business versatility, check below for a better understanding:
Gifts: You can provide influencers with complementary products. So they can post photos or videos on unboxing, reviews, or how to use.
Promo Codes: Enhance your sales directly by offering influencer-specific promo codes that their followers can use.
Affiliate Marketing: This is a performance-based approach which allows influencers to earn for every sale they generate via their unique link.
Giveaways: Collaborating with influencers and offering giveaways can boost your brand’s visibility.
Tracking or checking the insights is important to determine the effectiveness of your campaign. Some of the key metrics that can help you in evaluating the outcome are as follows:
Reach and Impressions: How many people were reached via your marketing campaign?
Engagement: The amount of likes, comments, shares, and saves helps you understand the audience's reaction.
Website Traffic: Use UTM codes to track the total number of clicks on your E-commerce store via the influencer marketing strategy activity.
Sales Conversions: Analyse the direct impact of the marketing campaign on your business’s revenue.
Also Read: Top Male Fashion Influencers in Kerala in 2024.
Apart from the already discussed points, these expert-approved tips can also help you achieve success:
Prioritise Relationships: Build a connection with the influencers and not just treat them as promotional tools.
Quality over Quantity: Don’t focus on getting random influencers to promote your business. Collaborate with the influencers that resonate with your brand's image to get the best outcome.
Provide Creative Freedom: Don’t instruct influencers to follow your way of promoting the products. Instead, let them showcase their creativity and style to promote your products or services.
Influencer marketing strategy offers e-commerce businesses a chance to build trust, expand reach, and boost conversions. By understanding your target audience, collaborating with the top influencers, and tracking results, you can build a winning strategy to promote your business. Also, remember to choose the right influencer for marketing to build your brand's online presence.
How do I find relevant influencers?
You can use tools such as influencer marketplaces, search social media hashtags, or explore influencer recommendations from competitor campaigns.
What's the difference between micro- and macro-influencers?
Micro-influencers have a smaller but highly engaged following whereas macro-influencers have massive a following but might have a lower engagement rate.
Is influencer marketing expensive?
The cost of a marketing campaign depends on different factors like the size of an influencer and the aim of the campaign. However, micro-influencers are a budget-friendly and efficient alternative to this.
How long will it take to see results?
Influencer marketing strategy has the potential to produce immediate results. However, you should always plan for the long term, as it takes time to build trust and awareness.
Also read: Are financial influencers worth it?