How to build a smart and effective influencer marketing strategy

Over the last few years, influencer marketing has skyrocketed. In a survey 39% of marketers said they increased their influencer marketing budgets for 2018 because it was so effective. That's a pretty big deal. In a short time, influencer marketing has gone from "huh? what's that?" to the top trending topic in marketing circles.There is no doubt that it has become a critical part of most marketing media mixes. 

But with any new idea, there is always the risk of getting too excited and throwing everything you've got to squeeze every drop of success out of it. So here are some tips worth sharing to help marketers develop a more strategic, and more useful, approach to influencer marketing.

1. Create good influencer content, not ads

Influencer content needs to resonate with your target audience. The only content that achieves this are posts that audiences see as authentic. Authentic content builds trust between the influencer's audience and your brand. 

Creating content that doesn't sound like an ad placement also extends the lifespan of your influencer marketing. The more potential customers see posts that sound like ads, the faster they zone out. That means that you spent a lot of time and money on influencer marketing that is no longer effective. Take the time to work with influencers to create authentic content that people want to see in their news feeds.

2. Work with multiple influencers to maximize ROI

We don't hide how much we love micro influencers. Smaller creators have a direct line to the niche audiences that brands want to target. Plus working with micro influencers is more budget friendly for smaller brands.

To get the most out of working with micro influencers work with multiple at the same time. That doesn't mean you need to come up with a different strategy for each influencer. Instead, focus on creating a scalable influencer marketing concept that can be repeated with multiple influencers.

Investing in a scalable strategy with smaller influencers helps to maximize engagement and create buzz about your brand or product in the right circles. It is a sure way of getting some attention. For product launches, combine this strategy with affiliate links or customized codes to accurately measure your ROI.

3. Work across social media platforms

Get the most bang for your buck by incorporating multiple platforms into your strategy. It's true that certain platforms work best for specific purposes, but it is also worth remembering that your target audience likely isn't on just one platform. I don't know anyone that is just on Instagram, do you? The best influencer marketing strategies utilize multiple platforms, not just one.

Just like your audience, influencers typically create content on multiple platforms. Someone may be known as an Instagram star, but chances are they also have a Snapchat account followed by the same audience. A YouTuber probably has both Snapchat and Instagram accounts.

Amplify your brand's message by incorporating all of an influencer's social media accounts into your strategy. This gives you the chance to really connect with audiences.