How to Leverage Instagram Influencer Marketing for Your Business

Introduction

If you’re a business looking to use Instagram to get more sales and build brand awareness, influencer marketing may be the way to go. These days influencers range from nano to mega macro, and there’s room for everyone to get money. 

But first things first: What is Instagram influencer marketing? 

Well, according to Later, it’s “a type of social media marketing that leverages endorsements from influencers (and creators) to promote a brand’s products or services on Instagram.”

When done well, Instagram influencer marketing allows you to build relationships with potential customers, connect with an already engaged audience, and/or introduce your brand to newcomers – all without being salesy or inauthentic.

Influencers are categorized by the following tiers:

• Nano: 1K – 10K
• Micro: 10K-100K
• Mid: 100K – 500K
• Macro: 500K – 1M
• Mega Macro: 1M+

You can get in on the action by connecting with influencers who reflect the vision of your brand and paying them (or giving them free products) to share their genuine opinions about your product. 

Some things to keep in mind when giving out free products:

Some brands, like Doe Beauty, reach out to microinfluencers and ask if they’d like to receive a free product in exchange for (free) promotion. If you choose the free product route, it’s key to make sure you don’t demand influencers post branded content just because you gave them something free. It’s also a good idea to give them flexibility in what kind of content they create: (Reels, Stories, static posts, or carousels) because they know best what will resonate with their core audience. 

Long story short: you can’t put stipulations on what, if, or when an influencer posts if all you’re bringing to the table is free products. We’re just saying!

But if you’re serious about putting your brand on the map, and paying influencers what they’re worth in order to do it, the benefits of influencer marketing are abundant:

1. Boost sales

With a projection of $21 billion in 2023, the influencer marketing industry is growing FAST. Running an influencer campaign for your next launch could catapult it to success.

2. Builds trust in your brand

There’s a reason why influencer marketing is so popular – users like buying from people whose opinions they trust. When an influencer recommends a product, it feels like an endorsement from a friend. 

3. Tap into an already-engaged audience

The best influencers have highly engaged audiences – and you don’t have to work with mid to mega-macro influencers to tap into it.

So if you’re ready to get in the game, here are our tips to create a successful Instagram influencer marketing strategy:

1. Set clear goals.

Before you implement influencer marketing into your larger marketing strategy, make sure it fits with your goals. If you’re looking to drive sales, generate more leads, and build brand awareness, make those expectations clear so you can achieve your desired outcome.

2. Do your research.

Take some time to monitor your tagged posts, comments, DMs, and branded hashtags to discover influencers and creators who are already engaging with your brand. Once you find them, it’ll be easier to connect with them for a potential collaboration. 

3. Identify who your audience engages with.

Knowing who your audience connects with is also important when you’re looking for influencers to promote your products. You can do this by selecting 15-20 followers who best represent your target audience, and looking at their following lists.

Do you notice any common trends in their content? What niche are they in? What type of creators are they already following? How in line are they with your brand? 

4. View their metrics.

Once you’ve identified an influencer you’re interested in partnering with, it’s a good idea to evaluate an influencer’s metrics and determine if they’re a good fit for your goals.

Browse through their followers and comments to see if they’re full of bots and spam accounts. It may sound tedious, but it’s a necessary step to help you determine the genuineness of their platform and community. 

5. Sort out the details

Before you email an influencer you want to work with, make sure you create a contract that outlines the details of working with you:

• Payment (How will you pay them?)
• Expectations (What expectations do you have of them?)
• Deliverables (What type of content are they creating?)
• Deadlines (When is the content due?)
• Length of the contract (How long is the campaign?)
• Usage rights (What are you using this content for?)
• Exclusivity (Can they partner with a competitor simultaneously?)
• Cancellation clause (How should they terminate the contract, should they desire?)

Having a solid contract in place protects you and them in the long run.

6. Reach out!

Once you’ve got all the details, you’re ready to reach out to influencers who can help grow and expand your reach. 

Listen, Instagram influencer marketing has completely changed the way buyers connect with brands, for the better, and there’s no better time than now to reap the results in your own business. As you implement these strategies, remember our #1 tip when it comes to any form of social media marketing: stay true to your brand and the right people will come.