There are more types of influencer marketing campaigns than simply asking people to pose with your product. With more and more ways to engage with consumers, the possibilities for digital marketing keep increasing. If your marketing goals are more specific than increasing visibility, it might be time to learn the different types of influencer campaigns.
1. Sponsored Content
One of the most common influencer campaigns on social media is sponsored content. Brands partner with influencers on existing content ideas for new directions in their advertising. The influencer posts content according to the brand’s rules.
The influencer is compensated based on how well the content is performed or by a flat rate per post. To the left is an example of a sponsored influencer Instagram post that ReelPaws collaborated on with Happy Go Healthy.
2. Gifting/Unboxing
Gifting/unboxing is when a company sends products to multiple influencers for free, and the influencer provides their unfiltered opinion through social media, likely with videos on YouTube or Instagram. Often, brands send free, new products to their ambassadors as they are more likely to post content. This campaign type is best for creating user-generated content and increasing brand loyalty.
No matter if the influencer loves or dislikes it, the resulting content will boost visibility to your brand. The negative aspects the influencer points out are things to address. Customers will want to know their feedback matters. It’s a public consumer test, but your brand response could mean lasting brand trust and loyalty for their followers and the influencer.
3. Discount Codes
When influencers and potential buyers love your product, the next step is to create a discount code and sponsored content. This way incorporates the influencer more concretely into your marketing campaign, and the discount code is a good way to track KPIs to monitor the benefits of the partnership.
4. Livestreams
As more and more social platforms offer e-commerce, influencers will begin to hold an increasingly important role in live retail. You can draw in larger audiences and target certain personas more with the right influencer. They are already great in front of the camera and are comfortable talking about products with a large audience. If live e-commerce is new to you, check out our blog [link] to learn about the future of retail marketing.
5. Contest
Host giveaways are one of the most common contests in influencer marketing. A brand will send an exclusive, seasonal, or new product that their target audience would want to an influencer. Then, the influencer will post the product with simple requirements to enter the contest, such as likes, shares, tags, follows, etc., and choose the winners from the engagement they receive.
6. Takeovers
Takeovers offer more brand exposure but have the least control. A brand will hand its platform(s) over to an influencer to create content through social media platforms, often as stories or posts. It will only be for a short time frame, and the brand offers guidelines on the kind of content they want. Often, takeovers promote events and increase follower engagement with the brand’s platform.
Guest blogging is similar takeovers but with a bit more control. These posts can be the influencer’s candid response to your brand, services, products, or promotions. The blogger will bring their readers and authenticity to your brand. The other way to approach guest blogging is by submitting articles promoting your brand for the blogger to post on their website. It’s a more proactive way of engaging with potential niche influencers and lets them know you are interested in working with them in the future.
7. Brand Ambassador
When influencers love working with and using your brand consistently, it is time to begin a brand ambassador program. It’s the fastest way to create an influencer campaign. Influencers become mini sales representatives who share and create content based on your brand.
Collaborating with your brand ambassadors might develop new hashtags, trends, or types of content that keep your ads fresh but authentic. To the right is an example from Bil-Jac, who created the hashtag #BiljacBeliever, to engage with their customers and potential influencers.
8. Affiliate Marketing
This type of influencer campaign is commission-based. The influencer receives a percentage of the sales made because of their content. Companies ask influencers to include a promo code or affiliate link when they post to track sales. While this is a sure paycheck for the influencer, it is a slow campaign as companies may wait to pay until sales are closed or the influencer reaches a threshold limit. The two popular ways of considering payment for affiliate marketing are pay per click and cost per acquisition. For more information, read our about our price of influencing article!
With these examples in hand, your next influencer marketing campaign is on its way to completion! The next step is figuring out what type of influencer will best fit the kind of results you want. The person you connect with could draw thousands of new potential customers to your brand, so researching and devising the best avenue is key.
Want to learn more, also read ReelPaw’s article on which type of influencer would be best for you?