The branding of a business is critical. It’s the core of your identity. It's how you’re seen by your audience. It’s how you attract new users and it's how you build yourself from the ground up.
Now more than ever, the way a company presents itself is hugely important for its success. There’s so much noise to cut through that it’s imperative your brand not only reflects your core principles and values, but is also unique and memorable.
So what’s the best way to do this? Graphics, brand colours, slogans, and aesthetic Instagram feeds will take you a long way, but one of the best ways to really define your brand is through the influencers you align yourself with.
There are many different influencers out there, each of them aligned with a very specific niche audience. On Instagram alone, there’s an estimated 500,000 influencers, and apps like TikTok are giving way to a whole new generation of them.
In fact, 63% of 18-34 year olds trust what influencers say about brands more than what brands say about themselves; and that’s where the beauty of influencer marketing lies.
By aligning yourself with someone who matches your brand identity, you can tap into a much wider audience.
However, it’s crucial to put in the work to find the right influencers for your brand. Someone with two million followers might be great for exposure, but do they align with your brand?
There are a couple of things to think about before you choosing the right influencers for your brand; so where do you begin?
Getting started
CONSIDER THE SIZE OF THE INFLUENCERS
This doesn’t just mean their follower count, but also their reach and engagement. Influencers aren’t just people with a huge following; in fact some have as few as 3,000 followers. It’s about having a loyal and engaged audience, so that your ROI is worth your while.
Nano influencers have less than 5,000 followers, but are usually extremely authentic, leading to super-high engagement that brands can count on.
Micro influencers have follower counts under 100,000 which means that they get a lot of eyes on their posts. They still tend to have a niche following that finds them relatable.
Macro influencers, with over 100,000 followers, have reached internet celebrity status. They interact less with their audience, but still provide great reach on branded posts.
So, as a brand, do you want quantity or quality? Both are valid options, and both will lead to growth for your company. Some brands want to reach the the most people. Others focus on creating fewer, higher-quality leads that are more likely to convert into sales. It all ties back to your KPI’s.
CREATE A PERSONA FOR YOUR IDEAL INFLUENCER
In the same way that you’d create customer profiles for your ideal audience and clients, you should do the same for your dream influencer. What kind of things do they post? What’s their messaging like? How much do they speak to their audience? How do they use Stories? Do they use a mix of stop-motion, video and still content?
Once you build out this ideal influencer profile, it’ll be a lot easier to identify the ones you’re looking for.
Finding the influencers
There are a few ways to find influencers to partner with.
HASHTAG SEARCHES
This one is pretty straightforward: look through the hashtags that are relevant to your brand, and see if there are any individuals out there creating eye-catching content that aligns with your brand.
GOOGLE ALERTS
Set up an alert that notifies you whenever someone mentions your brand—or a relevant keywords—in an article. This is a great way to find bloggers and influencers who are already out there talking about you, or writing about your industry.
BRAND TAGS ON INSTAGRAM
Look through your @-mentions and your tagged photos on Instagram. Chances are, there are already users mentioning your product or sharing it in their feed. This is exactly the type of advocate you want to partner with, someone who already trusts your brand enough to share it with their followers.
INFLUENCER MARKETING PLATFORMS
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsure about finding influencers, platforms like TRIBE can help. Our award-winning platform helps marketers like you unlock beautiful branded content from influential creators. It allows you to increase your marketing efficiency via a powerful platform that can be accessed through an annual subscription or pay-per-use. While everyday creators can make money creating content for the brands they already use and love.
See why thousands of brands globally use TRIBE to tap into the power of influencer marketing and source instant branded content at scale.
