INCREASE SALES FROM INFLUENCER MARKETING: 7 TIPS

For many, influencer marketing is still seen as dark magic. Its results are perceived to be in the grey area of marketing. To learn more about winning strategies you may check out our measuring success from influencer marketing article.

One of the most popular questions we get asked is about the bottom-line impact of influencer marketing activations. Can an influencer really drive sales? Or subscribers? And if so, why has my brand not achieved that yet?

The simple answer comes down to the campaign design and the brief accuracy that is given to the influencer. No one will buy from influencer marketing unless you, the brand, make it clear what the next action should be and give them a valuable reason to take said action.

Here are seven ways to boost sales through influencer marketing activities:

1. VALUE

Simply put, why should a user take action here and now? To answer this question, you may wish to design unique discounts and offers to tie into influencer marketing campaigns. These have to be unique; the user cannot have seen the same offer elsewhere, as this will impact the perceived value of taking action in that very moment. 

For many of our brands, influencer marketing is the most cost-effective acquisition channel, so it’s easier to justify a larger discount for these users. 

In short, offer a distinct value proposition for engaging with influencer content.

2. URGENCY

Why should consumers buy this now? What is the urgency of taking action now? Enhancing the sense of urgency is a key aspect of increasing the ROI from influencer marketing. Some easy approaches to satisfying the need for urgency in a campaign may be through limited-time offers, limited stock, or even gamifying the experience with something along the lines of “the next 50 sales will receive a freebie in their order.”. 

The thing to bear in mind is that the urgency needs to actually be urgent. – it sounds silly, but we see this all the time. It’s no use doing a 5-day discount, as this will give the user the option to come back at a later date. Commit to the urgency and be courageous.

3. CAPTURE DATA

Sales are great, but, just like other forms of marketing, it’s wise to offer a lower barrier option. A simple way to achieve this is through data capture, which may be coupled with a discount, or brands can get more creative. 

Some of our top-performing campaigns have been where we have gamified the experience to entice email acquisition. This then presents the opportunity to engage in email marketing or even remarketing ads, giving brands the power to own the users’ brand experience as opposed to relying solely on influencer channels.

4. TAILOR THE UX

This is such an easy win when executed correctly. When we talk about the user experience, we must place ourselves in the shoes of the user. Broadly speaking, a user may have two potential journeys from influencer marketing: the first being to follow the link to a website, and the second is to look at the brand account on the social platform. 

The first potential journey to the website is an opportunity to tailor the experience on the site. One way to do this is by creating dedicated landing pages for each influencer, maybe bringing in their creative and tailoring the narrative to suit their niche. This is a proven method to maximise ROI.

The second journey to the brand page creates an opportunity to tailor social media activity to be better prepared for a surge of new users looking at these platforms. This is when it’s time to get creative with the brand’s positioning on social media to entice new users to engage with the brand. Opportunities may be across live content such as Instagram stories or pinned posts.

5. REPURPOSE THE CONTENT

Influencer content in advertising can decrease the cost per acquisition (CPA) by up to 50%. This is based on simple recall and the power of influence. When users are targeted with hundreds of ads per day, having a familiar face that they choose to engage with regularly will make them stop in their tracks and increase their likelihood of engagement. To execute this, the brand will need to inform the agency to set up the correct commercial terms with the influencer.

6. INCENTIVISE THE INFLUENCER

If you want the influencer to push sales, incentivise them! This doesn’t mean a brand should try and set up a commission-only deal with the creator, as this will likely not be successful. However, brands can set targets for influencers to unlock further payments or future engagements. 

This is a great way to engage influencers with a brand’s goal and ensure that all parties are on the same page. If it’s a successful collaboration, then brands should consider a longer-term engagement with these types of influencers – a longer relationship will increase loyalty and affiliation with the general public.

7. MAP TOUCHPOINTS

Similarly to our point about tailoring the user experience, brands must really think about all user touchpoints. Especially if this is a totally new brand to the user. Think about the popular actions users may take following exposure to influencer content. Will they Google the brand? Will they search for brand accounts on other platforms? Will they look for reviews? Or branded hashtags? 

Whatever it might be, brands need to consider where their users might go to discover them. Being visible in these places is a surefire way of reaching a target audience. This research might take some time to conduct, but it’s a goldmine of valuable information and insight.

Conscious consumers are growing, and influence will plant the seed,  but the wider brand digital ecosystem will impact the success of an influencer campaign. If you’d like to explore how to boost the ROI from your influencer activity, get in touch!