Article

Influencers: Expectations vs. Reality

Published on

May 24, 2022

Category

Brands & Agencies

AUTHOR

Julian Slosse

Expectation - Influencers Equal Direct Conversions

Reality - Influencers Raise Brand Awareness in the Real World

There's no doubt that influencers have a major impact on the world of marketing. With their large followings and engaged audiences, they have the ability to reach a wide range of people with their message.

However, many businesses make the mistake of thinking that influencers are only good for driving direct conversions. While it's true that influencers can certainly help to boost sales, their real value lies in raising brand awareness and creating a buzz around your product or service.

In today's crowded marketplace, simply getting people to take notice of your business is half the battle. And that's where influencers can really make a difference. By working with influencers who align with your brand values, you can tap into their audience and get your business in front of a whole new group of potential customers.

Expectation - I should have as many influencers as possible

Reality -  Quality is more important than quantity

When it comes to influencer marketing, quality is more important than quantity. It's better to work with a smaller number of influencers who have a large, engaged following than it is to work with a larger number of influencers with smaller followings.

For example, let's say you're a small business that sells skincare products. Concentrating all your time on gaining 50 new influencers will be unproductive. You'll quickly find yourself overwhelmed trying to keep up with all of them, and you won't be able to build a real relationship. Focusing on a handful of quality influencers that not only have a loyal following but great engagement.

Expectation - The bigger the following the better the influencer

Reality - All that glitters isn't gold!

Just because someone has a large following does not necessarily mean that they are an effective influencer. In fact, studies have shown that the size of an influencer's following is not necessarily correlated with their ability to drive engagement or conversions. Instead, the most successful influencers are those who have cultivated a niche audience and carefully selected sponsorships that align with the values and the interest their followers.

These days it is incredibly easy to buy followers! So, when you're looking for influencers to work with, don't just go for the ones with the biggest followings instead, take a close look at their engagement levels. Are their posts getting lots of likes, comments, and shares? Do they have a high level of interaction with their followers? These are the influencers who will be most effective in promoting your business.

It is tempting to get caught up in vanity metrics but this will skyrocket your campaign cost and give you very little return on investment.

Expectation: I can find influencers myself

Reality: It's not as easy and can take a lot of time

Anyone who has ever tried to find an influencer to promote their product or service knows that it is not as easy as it seems. The first step is to identify your target audience and then find influencers who have a large following within that demographic. However, simply finding an influencer does not guarantee that they will be interested in promoting your product.

In many cases, influencers are bombarded with requests from companies and may only agree to partner with those that they are genuinely interested in. As a result, finding the right influencer can take a significant amount of time and effort. However, the rewards of a successful partnership can be well worth the investment.

That's why our platform Influencer DNA is so powerful we save you countless hours by doing the research for you and provide you with a list of qualified influencers that will be interested in your products or services.

Expectations: Influencers are expected to be instant experts on your brand.

Reality: Influencers Need Enough Time to Connect with Your Brand

The world of social media moves quickly. From the latest memes to trends in fashion, it can sometimes feel like everything is changing in the blink of an eye. This sense of urgency can also be seen in the way that brands work with influencers. There is an expectation that influencers will be able to quickly connect with a brand and become experts on their products or services.

However, this is not always the reality. Influencers need time to familiarize themselves with a brand before they can start promoting it. They need to understand the brand's mission and values, as well as the products or services that they offer. Only then can they start to develop genuine connections with the brand and create content that resonates with their audience. 

There is two ways to manage expectations when working with influencers. The first is to provide a full brand deck that provides an overview of the brand, as well as any specific products or services that you would like them to promote. The second is to jump on a call with your influencers once they are onboard and tell them the background on the business. Why did you start the business? make is your mission? and why is the future exciting? All these questions should be explained to build rapport!

Expectation:  Influencers will post about your brand as soon as they receive the product.

Reality: Influencers Need Time to Use the Product

When working  with influencers, it's important to remember that they are not just promoting your product or service - they are also using it. In order for them to create content that is genuine and relatable, they need time to use the product and form their own opinion.

This doesn't mean that you should send out products months in advance. But by allowing  a week or two for the influencer to use the product before asking for content, you can be sure that they will have a positive experience and be able to create quality content.

This will result in more engaged followers and better conversions for your business.

Conclusion

So, what can you expect when working with influencers? At Influencer DNA we make sure you avoid the pitfalls and get the most out of your partnership. Our team will match you with the right influencers for your campaign, help negotiate contracts, provide creative direction, and ensure that your brand voice is front and center.

Contact us today to learn more about how we can help increase ROI on your next influencer marketing campaign.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julian Slosse