In today's digital landscape, influencer marketing has emerged as a powerful tool for brands to reach their target audience, build trust, and drive tangible results.
In this week's episode of the Generation Influence podcast, Bill sat down with Crystal Duncan, Senior Vice President, Head of Partnership Marketing for Tinuiti, where she shed light on the strategic purpose behind influencer marketing campaigns, the importance of defining goals and key performance indicators (KPIs), and the magic that happens when integrated marketing programs bring together influencers, paid media, and commerce.
Success Drivers in Influencer Marketing
Bill and Crystal both have extensive experience in the influencer world and discussed several ideas and parameters that have been proven strategies for success when running these campaigns. A few example points that they touched on were to:- Define Your Strategic Purpose
- Rather than simply jumping on the bandwagon, brands need to ask themselves, "Why do we want to use influencers?" By starting with the end in mind, brands can define their project goals and seamlessly tie KPIs to their desired outcomes.
- Rather than simply jumping on the bandwagon, brands need to ask themselves, "Why do we want to use influencers?" By starting with the end in mind, brands can define their project goals and seamlessly tie KPIs to their desired outcomes.
- Set Clear, Achievable Goals and KPIs:
- Crystal and Bill both emphasize the importance of setting clear goals and aligning KPIs with the desired outcomes. Influencer marketing can serve various purposes, such as driving product sales, showcasing product usage, or improving brand sentiment, and clearly identifying what you're trying to do will help you achieve success.
- Crystal and Bill both emphasize the importance of setting clear goals and aligning KPIs with the desired outcomes. Influencer marketing can serve various purposes, such as driving product sales, showcasing product usage, or improving brand sentiment, and clearly identifying what you're trying to do will help you achieve success.
- Realize the Power of Integration
- In the past, repurposing influencer content across platforms and disciplines was a challenge. However, with the rise of digital and the breaking down of internal silos, brands now have the opportunity to create consistent and impactful campaigns.
- In the past, repurposing influencer content across platforms and disciplines was a challenge. However, with the rise of digital and the breaking down of internal silos, brands now have the opportunity to create consistent and impactful campaigns.
- Focus on metrics beyond engagements
- The technology exists to track lower-funnel results in influencer campaigns and attribute those results to certain influencer types, asset types, and more.
The Non-linear Shopper Journey
One other major area for driving success revolves around the current state of the shopper journey. Gone are the days of a linear shopper journey. Consumers today engage with brands across multiple platforms and touchpoints before making a purchase decision. It's important of delivering a consistent message that resonates with consumers, regardless of where they encounter the brand.
While specific messages may vary based on the platform or experience, maintaining a holistic and consistent brand voice is crucial. Influencer marketing, when integrated with other marketing channels, helps capture consumers' attention at various stages of their journey, ultimately leading to improved brand awareness, consideration, and conversions.