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How to Choose the Right Influencer for Your Brand

By: Viral Nation | 4 mins read | Feb 2, 2023
The evolution of influencer marketing has made it a vital part of any brand's marketing strategy and because of how quickly this strategy has changed, it is no longer just a nice-to-have approach. It involves a lot of research and knowledge of the industry to determine what type of influencer is best to collaborate with.  Getting the right influencer requires more than quickly signing someone with thousands of followers. Researching their engagement rate, frequency of posting and cost per post is probably what comes to mind before signing an influencer. But it is so important to consider an influencers’ values and how well they align with your brand's goals. A well-matched and authentic relationship with an influencer can help you build a stronger brand. In this article, we'll discuss the various factors you should consider when choosing the right influencer to represent your brand.

Narrow down what you are looking for

There are many rewards and risks associated with working with influencers, so do your due diligence and find ones that have the necessary values and will represent your brand in an authentic way. For instance, if your brand is focused on inclusion and diversity, then ideally, your influencers should promote and believe in these values as well.  Before you start your search, it's vital that you thoroughly review your company's mission and values. This will allow you to identify the ideal influencers for your brand. Then, target them based on their social media presence and how they can align with your brand's goals. You can also use listening and social media monitoring tools to narrow down your options. The success of your marketing campaign depends on the type of influencer you choose to work with. Before you start working with an influencer, understanding how they use social media will forge a path for you to find the ideal collaborator.

Meaningful content and engagement 

Beyond their follower size, the first place to look is the type of content the influencer is sharing. You must know what kind of messages they share and how they engage with their audience.  The type of content that the influencer is sharing should align with your brand's values and be engaging.  Influencers should also maintain their relationship with their audience and promote positive engagement. Tip: check their feed to see what's happening in the comments section. Do people support this influencer? Are they well liked? Do they have a good relationship with their followers?

Relevant and supportive audience

Ideally, you'll want to work with an influencer with a similar target audience to your brand. However, since they'll also be sharing content about your brand, make sure that they can expand your reach with a new audience. Try checking the comments section of an influencer’s post to see how your target audience feels about their content and other brands in your industry. Look into their engagement and audience growth by comparing their past performance with their current state. If they're experiencing a drop in growth or a plateau, ask yourself if something else is contributing to their issues.

Engagement rate on posts

While it's essential to consider the importance of engagement, it's more pressing to ensure engagement is the right type for your brand. Let's say you're a home goods brand. You should work with a partner known for their passion for crafting and sharing content about their products. Relatable content will deliver a higher engagement rate. To determine if an influencer could deliver the desired engagement rate for you, look beyond their most popular posts on their platforms and analyze the content they're sharing that isn't generating thousands of likes. With this, it might be noticeable, for example, that an influencer's engagement rate is higher when they share content that has the #Ad in it instead of content that doesn't have an ad. An influencer's ability to connect with your target audience and share your brand's beliefs in a way that feels authentic should also be taken into account. Look for influencers who can deliver engagement and content about your brand in the same post. This will allow you to be sure that your brand's values are being shared by the influencer. To determine the ideal engagement rate for a post, take the total number of comments and likes the influencers have posted and divide it by the number of followers. Then, multiply it by 100.

Frequency of posting 

Start by analyzing their Instagram profiles to see how often they post content, if they're engaging with their followers and building a loyal following. Also, ensure that the influencers are not posting multiple sponsored posts in a row. This can affect their credibility if they cannot balance their normal and sponsored content. When you work with an influencer, clearly state how many sponsored posts you want them to post. With this, you can control how much you want to expose your brand or product to the audience.

Cost per post 

Generally, an influencer's engagement rate and follower count should be used to determine their pay rate. However, their access to a niche audience and star power can also affect their rate. Other expenses should also be considered, such as the rent and costs associated with a shoot. A macro-influencer might be the best choice if you're looking for a steady stream of followers and want to reach a large audience. But, if you want to reach a specific niche audience, a nano to micro-influencer might be the ideal choice.

Tone of voice and values

One crucial factor to keep in mind is whether or not the influencer shares your target market's values. This will allow you to be sure they're following your industry's guidelines. Do your research and make sure the influencer is consistent with the values they say they have. You don’t want to have a hypocritical influencer representing your brand  Your influencer must also have a similar tone and voice to represent your brand. Is your brand messaging more serious or fun and light? Your brand’s tone of voice will determine what kind of influencer needed to represent your brand.  There are some crucial factors to consider when selecting the right influencer for your brand. These factors go beyond the usual factors like industry, reach and cost. While voice, aesthetics, and values may seem like intangibles or subjective, they can still be very important. Finding the right influencer can help boost your brand's ROI. The success of your influencer campaign depends on the type of work they do and how well they can align with your brand's goals.
_About the author
Viral Nation

Viral Nation is a new media innovation group that powers the social ecosystem through integrated solutions that align strategy, talent, media, and technology. As pioneers in the influencer space, Viral Nation is comprised of a full-service creative agency, a creator and athlete-influencer representation agency, and a technology division creating modern marketing solutions for the social media age.

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