In the age of social media, influencer marketing has become one of the most recent and powerful tools used by brands to reach new audiences, build credibility and develop customer loyalty. In many ways, it’s like new-era PR.
The idea is that through connecting with content creators who already have a wide target audience of followers, businesses have a way of sharing their messages more authentically.
So far, this marketing niche is one that seems set to stay, but where does one start, and how do you go about creating an influencer marketing strategy?
If you want to know how to start an influencer marketing programme, then this guide will give you essential keys. From choosing a platform, to building your own brand and more, learn about the tools you need to become an influencer. Not only find out about what tools are best for finding influencers in South Africa as this could help you with your strategy.
Why Influencer Marketing Works
First, let’s look at why influencer marketing has become a cornerstone of modern advertising. When done well, it can achieve more than traditional advertising because it allows brands to communicate in a way that feels real and relatable.
Followers of content creators value their perspectives, so when these influencers endorse a product or service, it feels like advice from a trusted friend. For businesses, this creates a golden opportunity to communicate a brand’s unique selling points to an audience who is willing to listen.
How to Start an Influencer Marketing Program
Successful influencer marketing, just like any other function of marketing requires a deep understanding of a brand’s identity, target market, key messages and of courses, objectives.
So, before diving into any campaign or overall topic, you’ll need to mind map or list a few important things.
First, your objectives – are you aiming to increase brand awareness, drive website traffic or boost sales?
The answer is all of it! This means, you’ll need to take a deep look into the behaviour of your target audience.
Who do they follow and where do they hang out most, online?
Once you have those answers, you’ll be better informed to choose the right platform. Remember that just because Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and X exist, it doesn’t mean you have to be on all of them.
Next, you’ll need to focus on your influencer profile – that means your tone, style and content all need to be in alignment with the brands and the audience you are trying to attract. Be intentional as you think about these thought-provoking exercises.
What is the Best Tool for Finding Influencers
If you are searching influencer marketing where to start, one of the most important things to consider is how people will find you!
It is helpful for you to know what tools brands will use to find you. Below are some popular choices for South African businesses who are looking for local or international content creators.
Brands use this tool because of its advanced metrics and AI powered insights. This tool will clearly show your niche, audience and following (reach).
If you choose Instagram as your ideal platform, this is how brands will find you. It’s massive database of over 100 million profiles will even highlight fake followers because brands only want to collaborate with genuine influencers.
If you’re on TikTok, YouTube, and Twitch this tool is brands who want authentic influencers who specialise in video based content.
This tool which can pick up over 60 million influencers from Instagram, Twitter, and various blogging sites is brilliant at filtering the demographics of influencers.
Boasting a whopping 60,000 categories to filter, Klear is one of the most comprehensive tools for finding influencers by location, hashtags, audience and more.
As you build your profile, bear these categories in mind as well as how you will appear to the clients you are hoping to attract.
Creating an Influencer Marketing Strategy That Works
Like most things, planning is key.
If you’re searching ‘influencer marketing how to start’ – there are a few key components to include in your approach.
- First, determine your budget for spending.
- Next, be deliberate in planning your content strategy and remember that you will need to be flexible too.
- Don't underestimate the importance of managing your client relationships. From the get-go, always be sure to outline your agreements in terms of messaging, posting frequency, format, and tone so that the same expectations are shared.
- Be prepared to analyse your reach, engagement, and conversations as this will be part of your feedback process.
Remember that being an influencer means being collaborative, so be open to suggestions from your clients on how to make their campaigns even more authentic and effective.
Influencer Marketing Tools: Simplifying the Process
If you’re wondering about how to start an influencer marketing program without a formal marketing background, remember that there are many influencer marketing tools that can be extremely useful.
They allow you to automate and manage campaigns, track metrics, and engage with influencers more efficiently. Tools are a brilliant way to help bridge the gap for small to mid-sized businesses that don’t have a full-scale marketing team.
How Brands Will Evaluate You as an Influencer
As mentioned, brands have plenty of research tools and besides that, they will use their intuition, look at your followers and review your rate of engagement. Remember, a creator with fewer followers but higher engagement might yield better results than a larger account with low interaction.
The bottom line is everything you say, do and the way you present yourself, and your content will be up for evaluation.
Make sure you're clued up on all the pros and cons of content creation and influencer marketing.
Building Long-Term Relationships with Influencers
Successful influencer marketing goes beyond once-off campaigns. Your aim should be to build long-term partnerships with brands and who connect with your audience and content.
While you need to be collaborative and flexible, remain true to yourself and your nice, remember they chose you for your authenticity.
Nurturing your business relationships will also mean being transparent about your goals and costs.
Remember your worth and be upfront about your requirements. Lastly, key to any successful business partnership is communication, stay in touch and give regular feedback before they have to hunt you down for it.
Final Tips for New Influencers
If you’re new to influencer marketing, or still creating an influencer marketing strategy, consider starting small.
Engage with smaller brands that will help you to grow in experience and confidence. For extra support and guidance, consider a platform like Superprof that boasts a wide range of experts who could tutor you on the nuances of influencer marketing.
Once you gain some traction, remember that you’ll need to stay ahead in an extremely competitive and ever-changing landscape. Stay informed regarding new tools or functionality of existing tools and keep an eye on what the competitors in your niche are doing.
Content Creators - You’re Pioneering a New Era of Marketing
While the initial journey into influencer marketing might seem daunting at first, with the right tools, and enough passion and dedication, you’ll be on your way as a pioneer in this exciting space.
Whether you’re searching ‘influencer marketing how to start,’ ‘what is the best tool for finding influencers,’ or trying to find ways to scale your campaigns, help is at hand.
Thanks to the support of Superprof experts who have expert technical knowledge and marketing know-how, you have all the help you need to make your personal brand shine.
In the meantime, remember that your authenticity and strong relationships will be foundational to your success as an influencer.
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