Why Influencer Marketing Is Important For Brands In 2022

Forbes: Influencer content is any marketing material created or published by an influencer of any size, niche or platform. Typically, the content appears organic and feels more candid than a high-quality ad. Its primary purpose is to create a sense of trust and social credibility through digital word-of-mouth.

There are many different forms of influencer content (i.e., unboxing videos, “TikTok Made Me Buy It” videos, quick reviews of someone using the product, etc.), but the idea is that it always appears to be unscripted and not heavily produced. Typically, the content is made using a phone camera and is filmed vertically (in portrait mode).

Today’s consumers are looking for organic content in a social setting. They do not react to or engage well with over-produced and commercial content. The purpose of social media is to be entertained, so typically ads in that style fit that requirement. Engaging creative is essential for an effective digital marketing campaign, and if ads are not built properly, they will not drive the traction brands want.

A Deep Dive Into Influencer Marketing

Influencer content became popular with the rise of social media platforms like Instagram, but it really began to take off with TikTok. Instagram influencers made this type of content popular with how “real” their content was—and similarly, there was overwhelming support for small businesses sharing raw content about their products, services and behind-the-scenes content in a sharable and relatable manner. Later, when TikTok grew in popularity, it seemed like this third-party content became a requirement to effectively advertise products and services. Now, because of the combination of those two things, social media platforms tend to prefer authentic third-party content because of how shareable it is. It helps build and grow communities.

Influencer content works as a form of word-of-mouth from influencers and content creators to push consumers through a brand’s conversion funnel. Brands can use this content on their own marketing channels or on a paid advertising platform. This content can also be featured on websites and in organic growth methods.

In terms of affordability, influencer content is much more cost-efficient than a standard piece of brand content from a creative agency. The amount of time and resources needed to produce the content is a fraction of the cost, and multiple pieces can be made at once. This low-cost strategy is effective because, in order to measure success, you need multiple variations to test and learn what resonates with the audience and drives engagement and response.

The best way to obtain influencer content is to reach out to micro-influencers. Each platform has countless niches, each with a vast number of micro-influencers with their own followings. While it may be tempting to invest in a macro-influencer, it is important to remember your audiences and your KPIs. While macro-influencers have a large following, the audience may not respond if they promote a product outside of their niche. Usually, micro-influencers have very close-knit followings of 1,000 to 10,000 people. If you know the right hashtags or content to search for, they can be relatively easy to find.

Typically, the process to secure influencers to work with is to reach out to them. Introduce yourself and your brand, and provide them with a short list of what you’re looking to produce and what kind of video you are going to be making. Make sure to inform them it’s an ad for your brand. The most important part of the process, however, is to make sure they sign a contract. Within it, be sure to break down payment, dates for deliverables, when the ad will run and any other important information. It is important to also include all platforms the content will be on and the length of time it will be there for. Usually, it will be about 12 months, but depending on your brand, the product and the audience, it could be different. It is important to have this information detailed in the contract because otherwise, it could end up in a legal battle.

Overall, it is hard to create “bad” influencer content (if such a thing exists). However, it is best to remember these two key points: do not over-produce a video and do not try to make it “go viral.” Viral content happens naturally and only comes after testing. The best recommendation is to make several variations of a video and see what resonates with the audience and then iterate from there.

I believe influencer content is the future of digital content, and it should be an integral part of all digital marketing campaigns in 2022 and beyond.