When used correctly, influencer marketing can be a beneficial tool to help increase brand awareness and online presence, whilst getting your business in front of those who matter the most.
Firstly, you may be wondering what an ‘influencer’ is? Influencer is a term used to describe individuals who have a significant follower base on social media platforms in which they are able to strongly influence their following and audience’s purchasing decisions due to a strong sense of trust and inspiration. Brands can collaborate with these influencers to increase brand exposure by the individual promoting their products or services, and this can be done in many ways including on a paid or gifted basis.
Choosing the right influencer to work with
To ensure that influencer marketing is beneficial for your brand, it’s important that the creator you choose to work with resonates with your business and has an engaged follower base with aligning interests. It can take a lot of research to ensure that your chosen influencer has an organic audience that will truly trust the recommendations promoted by the creator.
A common misconception that brands often make when looking for the right influencer is to base their decision on how many followers an influencer has rather than the relationship they have with their audience. An influencer with 100,000 followers could have a significantly lower engagement rate than one with 10,000 followers that has an authentic growing and engaged audience which in turn can transform your brand identity.
You should also ensure that the influencer you choose shares the same values as your business to avoid obstacles in the future that could put your business reputation at risk. For example, an influencer could have been under fire for posting controversial opinions on their platform prior to you working with them which your business may be unaware of. It’s crucial to do some research beforehand to avoid your brand being associated with the wrong creators.
How influencer marketing can benefit your food and drink brand
Influencer marketing can be a game-changer for your brand and can be incredibly effective when done well. People love to see a product or service being used or endorsed by somebody else before they try it, especially when it comes to food and drink. A recommendation can go a long way, particularly from a trusted influencer. How many times have you looked up a restaurant on Instagram or TikTok before visiting to see what the food and overall experience looks like? Did this affect your decision to go?
If you’re a restaurant or bar owner, inviting an influencer for a complimentary meal or drink in exchange for a review post or mention on social media can be great exposure for your business. Equally, if you are a food or drink brand that sells products, you can work with influencers on a paid or gifted basis in exchange for content on their channels. Depending on the popularity of your chosen influencer, they can have different cost rates for content and will often have a media pack outlining their follower statistics, previous experience, and different costs too.
It's also important to discuss deliverables with the influencer prior to working with them so that you’re both on the same page and share the same expected outcome. Having an agency on board can help to guarantee the right influencer partnership from the start as well as discuss relevant deliverables and avoid pitfalls to ensure your brand is being talked about for the right reasons.
For more information on how you can use an agency to support influencer marketing, please visit www.orangepr.co.uk.
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