We’ve written often about the importance of authenticity and credibility. Expert influencers are uniquely suited to help elevate your brand’s credibility. We’ll explain what expert influencers are, how they differ from their traditional counterparts, and how to select and work with them.
What are Expert Influencers?
Experts are people with extensive knowledge and/or skills in one particular area. They’re viewed as authorities, but may not always have the largest social media following. With extensive professional acumen, experts are typically informative more than aspirational.
Focused on their primary area of study or practice, they may not often engage in activities that build an audience on purpose, such as posting new content frequently and following trends. Even experts with a smaller following can be valuable partners, as they lend their credibility to your brand, helping you gain trust from your audience.
Fabio A. Marchesin, better known as Finanzfabio, said, “As an expert financial planner, I feel a certain pressure to create more added value and, above all, to provide correct information. My aim is to create a clean basis and then go into more depth to provide thought processes that no one else can offer. While my work is intended to serve non-professionals, my colleagues in the financial sector also find it useful for further training or exam preparation.”
Quality Over Quantity – Expertise is More Important Than Follower Count
Many brands partner with celebrity influencers in order to reach millions while gaining the personal endorsement of a popular individual. However, some consumers have become disillusioned with outmoded influencers who can be artificial and unrelatable while excessively pushing products. According to Trustpilot, celebrity influencers have the lowest level of trust among consumers – two-thirds (67% in the US and 65% in the UK) describe their level of trust in this source of information as ‘low’.
Expert influencers can serve as an antidote. 41% of consumers trust expert reviews, whereas only 13% trust advertising.
Veronica Kiriak, Doctor and Content Creator, shared her views on how brands and followers have different expectations of experts as compared to classic creators. “As a doctor and influencer at the same time, you have to act a little differently than classic creators. I choose my collaboration partners very carefully and always pay attention to legal and medical principles. Brands often place particular value on the authenticity of my medical expertise, while my followers are primarily looking for reliable information. It requires a balance to meet the expectations of both sides.”
How Do Expert Influencers Help Brands?
Collaborating with people who bring the credibility of formal education and expert credentials can help brands stand out, and can be particularly advantageous in the beauty industry. As marketer Polly Petrova writes “the beauty sector has become more cautious when it comes to collaborating with influencers. It seems the industry is trying to lessen the ‘influence’ of influencers.”
Many beauty influencers post their personal daily skincare routines and preferred brands. However, a dermatologist brings exceptional credibility, with a trustworthiness that’s hard to beat. Dr. Liv Kraemer shares best and easy #skincare routine tips with her more than 243K TikTok followers. Dr. Liv also sells products made in Switzerland that she developed inspired by decades of dermatology insight.
When partnering with an expert, your brand benefits from their credibility in addition to gaining access to their audience. Experts can be especially skilled at explaining complex concepts and bringing clarity to technical jargon. “Finanz Fabio” provides financial education on his podcast and shares podcast snippets on TikTok, along with street interviews he conducts.
Expert influencers also fulfill the need for industry-specific knowledge that B2B buyers have throughout lengthy, complex sales processes.
Experts Influencers Continue Working in Their Profession
For many traditional influencers, social media content creation and brand partnerships are their primary sources of income. OTOH, experts make a living with careers distinct from social media. For example, dermatologist Dr. Liv still sees patients in her clinic and Fabio provides personal financial consulting services.
Continuing to work in their profession means expert influencers:
Keep their knowledge current
Have new real-world experiences
Must maintain a positive reputation
The need to maintain their reputation prevents experts from promoting brands they don’t believe in, further strengthening their trustworthiness with audiences. Regardless of what percentage of their income is generated by content creation, their influencer career relies on their professional credibility. It’s not worth risking any threat to that credibility for a questionable brand partnership.
Veronica Kiriak said, “My content creation process requires more research to ensure my medical statements are accurate. At the same time, I try to present the information in an entertaining and accessible way to keep my community’s attention. I have high expectations of myself, especially in terms of the quality and accuracy of my medical advice. It’s important to be transparent when it comes to the boundaries of my expertise and to always create a safe space for questions from my followers.”
How to Select and Work with an Expert Influencer
1. Start with your Marketing Goals
We’ve discussed how expert influencers differ from their traditional counterparts, but when partnering with any influencer, your goal is still to build digital brand equity. While some aspects may differ, it’s important not to abandon your existing processes for building successful campaigns.
Alter your Influencer Evaluation Criteria & Examine Their Credentials
When considering partnering with any influencer, it’s important to view their track record. With experts, you should additionally evaluate their formal credentials. Do they have the requisite education? Are they certified with the relevant board, such as with surgeons and architects? Can you confirm that after obtaining both the education and credentials, they also have real-world experience working in the field?
2. Pitch Your Brand to the Expert
Considering their need to carefully guard their reputation, experts can be particularly discerning about the brands they work with. You may have to invest time in selling your brand to the expert. This could involve a more detailed, technical analysis of your product, such as examining ingredients or production processes.
3. Be Flexible with Payment Structure & Recognize Added Value
Again, brand promotions aren’t their primary focus, so you may need to compensate experts with a different type of payment structure. Scrunch advises, “…they might be more expensive as you are really purchasing their time, experience, and credibility. Almost think of it as paying a consultant, rather than an influencer.” The value you receive from working with an expert extends beyond access to their community. Your brand earns a seal of approval from a knowledgeable expert. These engagements might also be longer term.
4. Maximize Use of Their Expertise
Instead of asking them to merely promote your product, think of additional ways their expertise can benefit your brand. Ask them to sit for an interview, speak at a conference or webinar, write a blog with their top tips, or provide feedback on your new product innovations.
5. Make the Content Keep Working for you
Increase the value of these collaborations with performance marketing (boosting content to reach even higher KPIs). Consider multi-touch attribution models and use every channel strategically.
Get Started with the Best Expert Influencer Matches for Your Brand
As the leading full-service influencer marketing agency in Switzerland and beyond, Kingfluencers can help you select and collaborate with influencers of all types, whether B2C, B2B, expert, or traditional. We help give brands a real face that people relate to, stand out from the noise, and connect to consumers.
Check out more of Kingfluencers case studies and build your own success story with us.
Kingfluencers presents an engaging series of “Case Study” articles, exploring successful collaborations with diverse brands from different sectors and industries. Consumer Goods, Beauty, Finance, Tech, Gaming, Retail, Fashion, Insurance or NGOs, we’ve got it covered. Explore these articles to discover how Kingfluencers helps companies achieve impressive outcomes in the realms of influence – from influencer marketing on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn or beyond.
Our cases with L’Oréal on Instagram and TikTok demonstrate how Kingfluencers blends creative strategies with influence to promote a brand – from yearly campaigns to get-ready events.
Ever heard of our Influencer TV Spot and ready to make use an omni-channel marketing approach thanks to a brand new advertising format? Check out our yearly campaign highlights of our success story with Ochsner, that also includes our premieres of the Influencer TV Spot on SRF 2 with Alison Liaudat & Whiteny Toyloy and SRF 1 with Christa Rigozzi.
If you would like to learn more about specific sectors your brand is present in, make sure to check our our sector-specific case studies – covering:
Your brand is not only home in Switzerland but present in DACH? We’ve got you covered. Dive into one of our first cases for Germany with Neoperl and Miele Deutschland.
We’ve got even more news. Influencer marketing only works for B2C brands? Not for us. We assure you that B2B brands can benefit from influencer marketing and brand ambassador programs even more, see for yourself in our first B2B case with a Swiss Telecommunications brand.
Together, these case studies provide a comprehensive view of Kingfluencer’s ability to achieve successful results in various industries and sectors.
Check out more of Kingfluencers case studies and build your own success story with us.
Kingfluencers presents an engaging series of “Case Study” articles, exploring successful collaborations with diverse brands from different sectors and industries. Consumer Goods, Beauty, Finance, Tech, Gaming, Retail, Fashion, Insurance or NGOs, we’ve got it covered. Explore these articles to discover how Kingfluencers helps companies achieve impressive outcomes in the realms of influence – from influencer marketing on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn or beyond.
Our cases with L’Oréal on Instagram and TikTok demonstrate how Kingfluencers blends creative strategies with influence to promote a brand – from yearly campaigns to get-ready events.
Ever heard of our Influencer TV Spot and ready to make use an omni-channel marketing approach thanks to a brand new advertising format? Check out our yearly campaign highlights of our success story with Ochsner, that also includes our premieres of the Influencer TV Spot on SRF 2 with Alison Liaudat & Whiteny Toyloy and SRF 1 with Christa Rigozzi.
If you would like to learn more about specific sectors your brand is present in, make sure to check our our sector-specific case studies – covering:
Your brand is not only home in Switzerland but present in DACH? We’ve got you covered. Dive into one of our first cases for Germany with Neoperl and Miele Deutschland.
We’ve got even more news. Influencer marketing only works for B2C brands? Not for us. We assure you that B2B brands can benefit from influencer marketing and brand ambassador programs even more, see for yourself in our first B2B case with a Swiss Telecommunications brand.
Together, these case studies provide a comprehensive view of Kingfluencer’s ability to achieve successful results in various industries and sectors.
Check out more of Kingfluencers case studies and build your own success story with us.
Kingfluencers presents an engaging series of “Case Study” articles, exploring successful collaborations with diverse brands from different sectors and industries. Consumer Goods, Beauty, Finance, Tech, Gaming, Retail, Fashion, Insurance or NGOs, we’ve got it covered. Explore these articles to discover how Kingfluencers helps companies achieve impressive outcomes in the realms of influence – from influencer marketing on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn or beyond.
Our cases with L’Oréal on Instagram and TikTok demonstrate how Kingfluencers blends creative strategies with influence to promote a brand – from yearly campaigns to get-ready events.
Ever heard of our Influencer TV Spot and ready to make use an omni-channel marketing approach thanks to a brand new advertising format? Check out our yearly campaign highlights of our success story with Ochsner, that also includes our premieres of the Influencer TV Spot on SRF 2 with Alison Liaudat & Whiteny Toyloy and SRF 1 with Christa Rigozzi.
If you would like to learn more about specific sectors your brand is present in, make sure to check our our sector-specific case studies – covering:
Your brand is not only home in Switzerland but present in DACH? We’ve got you covered. Dive into one of our first cases for Germany with Neoperl and Miele Deutschland.
We’ve got even more news. Influencer marketing only works for B2C brands? Not for us. We assure you that B2B brands can benefit from influencer marketing and brand ambassador programs even more, see for yourself in our first B2B case with a Swiss Telecommunications brand.
Together, these case studies provide a comprehensive view of Kingfluencer’s ability to achieve successful results in various industries and sectors.
Check out more of Kingfluencers case studies and build your own success story with us.
Kingfluencers presents an engaging series of “Case Study” articles, exploring successful collaborations with diverse brands from different sectors and industries. Consumer Goods, Beauty, Finance, Tech, Gaming, Retail, Fashion, Insurance or NGOs, we’ve got it covered. Explore these articles to discover how Kingfluencers helps companies achieve impressive outcomes in the realms of influence – from influencer marketing on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn or beyond.
Our cases with L’Oréal on Instagram and TikTok demonstrate how Kingfluencers blends creative strategies with influence to promote a brand – from yearly campaigns to get-ready events.
Ever heard of our Influencer TV Spot and ready to make use an omni-channel marketing approach thanks to a brand new advertising format? Check out our yearly campaign highlights of our success story with Ochsner, that also includes our premieres of the Influencer TV Spot on SRF 2 with Alison Liaudat & Whiteny Toyloy and SRF 1 with Christa Rigozzi.
If you would like to learn more about specific sectors your brand is present in, make sure to check our our sector-specific case studies – covering:
Your brand is not only home in Switzerland but present in DACH? We’ve got you covered. Dive into one of our first cases for Germany with Neoperl and Miele Deutschland.
We’ve got even more news. Influencer marketing only works for B2C brands? Not for us. We assure you that B2B brands can benefit from influencer marketing and brand ambassador programs even more, see for yourself in our first B2B case with a Swiss Telecommunications brand.
Together, these case studies provide a comprehensive view of Kingfluencer’s ability to achieve successful results in various industries and sectors.
Check out more of Kingfluencers case studies and build your own success story with us.
Kingfluencers presents an engaging series of “Case Study” articles, exploring successful collaborations with diverse brands from different sectors and industries. Consumer Goods, Beauty, Finance, Tech, Gaming, Retail, Fashion, Insurance or NGOs, we’ve got it covered. Explore these articles to discover how Kingfluencers helps companies achieve impressive outcomes in the realms of influence – from influencer marketing on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn or beyond.
Our cases with L’Oréal on Instagram and TikTok demonstrate how Kingfluencers blends creative strategies with influence to promote a brand – from yearly campaigns to get-ready events.
Ever heard of our Influencer TV Spot and ready to make use an omni-channel marketing approach thanks to a brand new advertising format? Check out our yearly campaign highlights of our success story with Ochsner, that also includes our premieres of the Influencer TV Spot on SRF 2 with Alison Liaudat & Whiteny Toyloy and SRF 1 with Christa Rigozzi.
If you would like to learn more about specific sectors your brand is present in, make sure to check our our sector-specific case studies – covering:
Your brand is not only home in Switzerland but present in DACH? We’ve got you covered. Dive into one of our first cases for Germany with Neoperl and Miele Deutschland.
We’ve got even more news. Influencer marketing only works for B2C brands? Not for us. We assure you that B2B brands can benefit from influencer marketing and brand ambassador programs even more, see for yourself in our first B2B case with a Swiss Telecommunications brand.
Together, these case studies provide a comprehensive view of Kingfluencer’s ability to achieve successful results in various industries and sectors.
At Kingfluencers, we understand that influencer marketing is part of a much bigger field. We encourage brands to think beyond influence to digital brand equity. In this blog series, we’ll cover how brands can establish, strengthen, and grow long-term brand equity through digital influence programs. First, we’ll explain what we mean by that and what lies beyond traditional influence.
What is Digital Brand Equity?
Digital brand equity is the value of brand recognition and brand perception in the digital space. Digital brand equity is a core pillar to competitive advantage. It has a positive influence on people’s purchasing decisions and is a key determinant of the brand’s overall success.
→ Defining factors for a brand’s digital equity include:
What is Digital Influence?
Digital influence is the online equivalent of brand equity. It refers to a brand’s ability to affect and strengthen people’s perceptions, opinions, preferences, and decisions related to your brand versus competing ones. Digital influence is the ability of a brand to take ownership of the influence they have to impact perceptions and – most importantly– decisions.
Like digital brand equity, digital influence is a key determinant of the brand’s overall success. Digital influence strategies enhance your brand’s ability to take that control and ownership to shape perceptions. It is a means to an end. You can build digital brand equity through a variety of digital branding and influencer strategies.
By impacting decisions, you can drive revenue by encouraging people to:
Purchase your brand over competitors by building competitive advantage and elevating brand preference
Increase expenditures through upgrades and additional purchases
Remain loyal customers over time to increase customer loyalty, generate more revenue, and improve profitability
Recommend your brand to their friends by sparking intrinsic advocacy and strengthening your brand community
Work for your brand, enabling you to recruit and retain the best employees and strengthen your employer branding
Digital Influence = Huge Component of Overall Brand Equity
For many brands, the majority of customer interactions take place online. That means your digital influence is nearly synonymous with brand equity. Simply put, what people think of you online is what people think of you. Those brands who master their digital brand equity as first movers will gain an immense advantage and outperform their competitors moving forward.
Beyond Social Media
An influencer posts a positive review of your brand on Instagram. A content creator features your product in an entertaining TikTok.
Great!
Influencer campaigns are excellent tactics for increasing awareness and connecting with your audience.
But that’s just it… they’re tactics – individual components of what must be a larger strategy in order to really make a long-lasting impact. So, what separates effective brands from those throwing campaigns at the wall and hoping something sticks?
How Can Brands Build a Foundation of Digital Influence?
A brand’s equity depends on your visibility, how you’re perceived, and your ability to connect in consistent ways to your audiences in today’s complex digital ecosystem.
Consumers rank trust as a top buying consideration. 81% need to trust a brand to consider buying from it. Nielsen reported that 92% of consumers trust recommendations from friends and family, and 70% trust online reviews from strangers. A strong digital presence and positive online reputation can help strengthen brand equity, in turn influencing purchasing decisions.
Proper digital influence strategies and tactics draw their inherent power from word of mouth (WoM) marketing principles. Building digital influence involves magnifying and elevating the impact of WoM through digital amplification. Digital influence enablesbrands to turn a 1:1 process into 1:many while maintaining credibility. Shifting from one to many amplifies a brand’s influence, which drives exponential gains, making digital influence extremely powerful.
Digital influence programs must focus on strengthening the brand’s digital presence and thereby positively influencing brand awareness and perception.
The Amplification Effect
Individual marketing initiatives, such as SEO, can give your brand a boost. But the most powerful strategies work collaboratively to amplify one another.
With numerous people-centric tactics focused on advocacy, WoM, and authentic storytelling, you can achieve an amplification effect. More people will discuss your brand, activate audiences and communities, building more intrinsic advocacy and WoM from consumers and partners. Like the famous “Flywheel” model, customers become advocates and promoters who feed growth as they move through the phases of attract, engage, and delight.
Key Components of Building Digital Brand Equity
A strong foundation must run deep and wide.
Doing these following things well and for enough time will improve your brand reputation and drive increased online visibility. You’ll be able to increase knowledge of your brand, and impact perceptions of your brand versus others.
Use your existing brand equity
Make use of the equity you already have. Build upon your brand’s reputation and standing in the market. Get ahead of the narrative and consistently convey your brand’s unique selling propositions.
Be consistent
Have consistent, coherent messages across all digital channels. Those messages should also be in line with consumers’ offline experiences. Consistency is key. 41% of consumers say branding (messaging) consistency defines brand loyalty.
Run people-centric campaigns
The participation of numerous voices, along with a consistent story, helps create positive digital brand equity and therefore digital influence. Work with multiple advocates and storytellers who can promote your brand authentically, including employees and senior leadership. Capture and make use of user-generated content.
Harness the power of advocacy & word of mouth
Advocacy is a key ingredient. Consider personal branding and working with corporate ambassadors. With an integrated approach, you can take control of the narrative surrounding your brand and boost competitive advantage and growth.
An effective digital influence program will include multiple tracks such as social media, influencer marketing, brand and corporate ambassadors, personal branding, content creation, including UGC, and performance marketing. While these tracks can each deliver results independently, a program is stronger when they’re all in alignment. More to come in part 2!
Influencer marketing is an important marketing strategy that continues to grow. It is no longer limited to a select few businesses or agencies, but has become a marketing channel accessible to all brands.
More brands recognize the power of influencer marketing and seek out influencers who can help them generate meaningful connections with their target audience.
That means more opportunities for influencers – for you – to make money!
If you’re looking to become an influencer, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll go over the steps of becoming an influencer one by one. Keep reading to begin your journey to becoming an influencer.
Table of Contents
Is becoming a social media influencer the right choice for you?
Ask these questions before you decide to become an influencer
How to get started as an influencer
How to brand yourself as an influencer
How to establish authority as an influencer
How to work as an influencer
How to grow and remain popular after you’ve become an influencer
How to get paid as an influencer
Conclusion
Is becoming a social media influencer the right choice for you?
Becoming a social media influencer sounds like a great career choice – let’s find out if it’s really the right one for you.
Are you excited about making a difference?
If you become an influencer, you have an opportunity to leave your imprint on the world. You decide which causes to support, be it sustainable brands or charitable businesses. You can use your influence to spread your positive values to the world.
Would you love to have a community of people who rally around you?
If you have no problem standing in the spotlight and taking responsibility for your loyal followers, becoming a professional influencer could be perfect for you.
Would you like the financial freedom of working for yourself?
To not be tied down by rigid work hours or office dress codes, or having to stay in one place all the time?
Becoming an influencer can allow you to turn something you are passionate about into a career, basically getting paid to make content about something you enjoy.
Sounds like a good plan! That’s the promise that becoming an influencer holds.
But…
Ask these questions before you decide to become an influencer
Of course, all these benefits do not simply appear because you’ve decided that you’re going to do this.
Understand that if you become an influencer, you are turning yourself into a business. If you are serious about earning the benefits, you have to be serious about the work, too!
So, before you start, please ask yourself the following questions:
Are you willing to do what it takes?
As an influencer, you’re going to have to do a lot of tasks:
Creating your strategy
Dressing up
Filming your content
Editing
Writing captions
Scheduling your content
Publishing
Engaging with your audience
Promoting and managing your brand
Networking and reaching out
and much more. All this will take you a lot of time!
Are you willing to make that investment?
Will you have the patience that’s required to grow your brand?
Again, it will take time to grow your followers and build up an empire – your piece of the web – as an influencer. That’s where you’ll need the patience to keep executing your strategy and keep publishing, even when your audience is not yet as big as you want it to be.
Do you have the passion and motivation to keep serving your audience?
If you want to be an influencer who is successful long-term, you need to find a way to stay motivated – you owe it to your followers.
You can do this if you have passion for the topic you’re making content about and you genuinely want to help and entertain the audience.
Ask yourself: Is that you?
What will it take for you to make enough money to be able to make this a full time gig, or at least a solid side hustle?
Be realistic and set a sensible goal – and you won’t be caught off-guard later when the numbers don’t match what you were hoping for right away.
(This is if you have several thousand engaged followers who love you, and you manage to connect with brands who feel that your content is a good fit.)
Now you can do the math and see how much work it would take to make the income that you’re aiming for. Of course, as you grow your reach and your authority, you will be able to command higher rates.
What type of influencer do you want to be? Nano, Micro, Macro, or Mega?
In influencer marketing, bigger isn’t always better.
Brands are starting to see the value of smaller influencers – they have higher engagement and the trust of their followers.
This means that even as a smaller influencer, you will be able to get brand deals that make you good money.
“The findings of four experimental studies show that micro-influencers (those who have 10,000 to 100,000 followers) are more persuasive than mega-influencers (those who have more than 1 million followers) because endorsements by micro-influencers (versus mega-influencers) bestow higher perceptions of authenticity on the endorsed brand, which ‘rubs off’ from the perceptions regarding influencer authenticity.” https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00913367.2021.1980470
The different sizes of influencer you could become are:
Nano-influencer: Under 5k followers. This is where you will probably start out. Examples: Debora Sarai in the DIY and home niche. Alenis Lima in the beauty/fashion and lifestyle niche.
Micro-influencer: 5k-100k followers. Examples: Adela Smajic in the Beauty/fashion, lifestyle and travel niche. Alayah Pilgrim in the sports, health and fitness niche. Carlo Janka in the sports, outdoors and family niche.
Macro-influencer: 100k-1m followers. As your following grows, more opportunities will come in, but it will also take more time and effort to manage your brand. Examples: Kevin Lütolf in the fashion and technology niche. Zoë Pastelle in the fashion and entertainment niche. Zeki aka Zekisworld in the comedy and automotive niche.
Mega-influencer: Over 1 million followers.
These are typically actors, musicians, and other A-list celebrities.
Your content might never get you into this category (and maybe you don’t even want that), but if you do, hey, good luck! Also, you might make up to $1 million per sponsored post!
Have you answered these questions to clarify what lies ahead on your path to becoming an influencer on social media?
Then you’re ready to get started!
We’ve created this roadmap to help you on your way, and to get you to the point where you can call this your job! Maybe you’ll even end up working with us in the future. Let’s dive into your journey.
How to get started as an influencer
Find your niche
We recommend that when you start your career on social media, you pick a niche. It makes sense to narrow down quite a bit.
What does that mean?
Especially in the beginning, you want to be known for your work in a specific space. That way, your audience will associate you with this space as you post more about it.
People are more likely to follow you if they know what to expect from your content.
Focus and fine-tune your niche, and it will be much easier to grow your followers and be seen as an expert in that niche.
Now, what niche should you pick?
Passion & Knowledge
If you have an existing passion – maybe even a good level of experience and skill – you could pick that to give yourself a head start and be more motivated to create content around that niche.
Popularity and Monetizability
From a business standpoint, it makes sense to find a niche that is trending or at least growing steadily and in which brands are willing to spend money to advertise.
We have compiled ten of the most popular and profitable social media niches for you below:
1. Technology
2. Fashion
3. Health & Fitness
4. Food & Cooking
5. Business & Making Money
6. Lifestyle
7. Beauty
8. Parenting
9. Pets
10. Travel
Find the one that aligns with your interests and knowledge, is popular and monetizable, and has an audience that you could engage with long term.
Choose the right platform to start
Which platform should you become an influencer on?
We recommend you start on just one platform – preferably the one where your audience spends the most time – so that you can focus and grow your following most effectively.
Of course, you can expand your business later and join multiple other platforms!
Try to understand who your audience is first:
Which age group are you targeting with your influencing campaign?
What’s their average income level?
What’s their gender, percentage-wise?
What’s their family situation?
What are their hobbies and interests?
Which circles and communities are they in?
The answers to these will guide you towards the platform you could start out on. As an example, if you’re in the knitting niche, you could start posting on Pinterest. If you’re a gamer, start a Twitch account. Model trains, Facebook. Etc. This information changes over time, and there are many factors to consider in selecting the right platform.
Following is a quick snapshot of which platforms make the most sense for you to be on as an influencer, depending on your niche:
Facebook: Widest adoption among all demographics, but is trending older, and a wealthier audience. Good for niches that have a middle-aged audience.
Twitter: Good for more intellectual niches such as writing, business, and self-improvement.
LinkedIn: The #1 platform if you want to become an influencer in the world of business and money making.
Pinterest: Mostly female audience. Perfect for arts & crafts, among others.
Instagram: A very visual platform that is perfect for many niches, including fashion, travel, food, and pets. The audience is slightly younger.
TikTok: Has the youngest audience. But the platform is now also becoming more interesting for older generations. Best if you are focused on your specific audience, and you are able to capitalize on trends.
Prepare your profile
After you’ve picked your niche and the platform you’re going to start out on, you’ll need to create and optimize your social media profile.
Switch to a business account
If you want to be an influencer, you should upgrade to a business account because it gives you a lot more possibilities – namely for analytics and monetization. You can create a business account in the profile settings of most networks, such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
Create a fantastic bio
When someone visits your profile, the first thing they see is your bio. You want to make sure you’re making a great first impression!
Your biography should explain your narrative in a compelling way. It should also include all relevant information about you, such as your full name, address, phone number, and areas of expertise.
Add a profile pic and banner/cover photo
You should also include a profile photo and a cover photo, as these are crucial components of your own brand identification.
People frequently recognize a social network profile by its profile photo, so choose one carefully. Also, make sure your face is visible, and the photo is high quality.
How to brand yourself as an influencer
What is your influencer personality? You should be able to pin-point the qualities and characteristics that set you apart from others in your niche on social media. People like to follow someone who has a strong and interesting personality.
It doesn’t mean you have to invent a new personality for yourself.
Ideally, you authentically express what’s interesting and special about you. Of course, with social media, you will want to emphasize the most compelling aspects of your personality, but you should never be fake.
Simply go more into what already makes you special naturally.
Your personal brand
You also want to be thinking about creating your personal brand. This means you take your influencer personality and your angle on content and turn it into a recognizable brand.
How do you create your personal brand and make it stand out?
Convey a similar vibe with images and videos: They are created in a similar way, use the same filters etc.
Purposely use your own, consistent color scheme in your profile and your marketing materials.
Have your own way of talking and addressing your followers in your content and captions – brand tone is consistent
Have a special name for your followers
Create a logo and slogan that people recognize instantly
And most importantly, your personal brand is telling a story – one that is compelling and resonates with the audience.
Here’s what Antonella Patitucci, Actress, Presenter, Coach and Content Creator, had to say about how important it is that you tell stories as an influencer:
“The value is in telling your own story and putting emotion behind it. Give the product a face so people can relate. Share your unique story and opinion. A product alone is a picture, but with you and your story, it’s like a movie.” We couldn’t agree more. So start telling a unique story, and you will start creating a strong personal brand for yourself that people will want to follow.
How to establish authority as an influencer
You’ve picked your niche, you’ve thought about your branding… now it’s time to build your expertise! Your goal should be to become an authority on the topic you’re making content on. You want your audience to look up to you, trust what you’re saying about the topic, and follow your recommendations.
How are you going to build your authority?
Study your niche
Start by researching everything that’s out there on your niche on the internet to get a good overview of what you’re going to make content about. Subscribe to relevant podcasts. Read any available books and print publications around the topic.
Establish your web presence
In addition to your social media profile, consider setting up your own website as well. This will give you another chance to advertise your personal brand and show off your portfolio. It’s a signal that you are a professional and will give you even more authority as an influencer.
Start networking in your industry
Go to conferences. Reach out to other influencers in your niche. Communicate, find peers and mentors, and collaborate with others. Not only will this make you an insider with even more knowledge about your niche, it will also increase your status
How to work when you’re an influencer
Now, how do you go about your daily work as an influencer? How do you know what to post, when to post it, and how often to post?
To keep up with creating content and to make sure that you have an awesome social media profile that keeps growing, we recommend that you first create a content strategy.
Your content strategy
First, establish a posting schedule. Decide how often you’re going to post in order to keep your followers engaged – while not burning yourself out. Keep in mind how much time creating just one social media post can take!
Then, decide on the types of content you’re going to be posting regularly. This can, and maybe should, be different types of posts on different days. Depending on the platform, you have the choice between:
Videos (short-form, long-form, stories)
Pictures
Audio
Infographics
Text
Finally, the content topic: What topics are you going to cover? What angle are you going to take with your content? Note all these things down in your strategy document. Now you know exactly what to post each week.
Study your analytics
Executing on the publishing strategy you just created is a great start – but it’s not everything. You should also learn from each post you make. Do this by studying your analytics. With a business account, you will have access to those statistics.
Each week, look at how your posts have performed.
How many people saw your post?
How much did they engage with it?
How many likes did it get?
If it was a sponsored post, did it resonate with people?
What could you do to make even better content next time?
How to grow and remain popular after you’ve become an influencer
Apart from your short-term strategy, be prepared to stay on top of the game in the long term.
How do you do that?
Nurture your community. Do this by running special campaigns, like challenges, surveys, and giveaways; fun initiatives that keep your audience on their toes and excited about hearing from you.
Know your audience intimately. Keep studying your followers. What are their goals? Their deepest desires? What makes them tick? Know all this… then try to satisfy those desires with your content!
Stay ahead of trends. If you always keep your personal brand relevant to the times, you won’t have to worry about people becoming bored with your content and unfollowing. On the contrary, you will keep them engaged with fresh stuff and your following will only keep growing!
Always engage & be present. You should treat your followers like your tribe, maybe even like a second family. This means you’ll always be there to reply to their comments, answer their questions and offer support.
“It’s easy to get blinded by vanity metrics such as big numbers of views and followers. It’s not about the number of followers you have. What matters is the quality of the connection you make with your audience.” – Marvin Sangines, Personal Branding Advisor at Kingfluencers
How to get paid as an influencer
We saved the most exciting part for last:
How you’re going to get paid and hopefully at some point make a full-time income as a social media influencer!
In most cases, this will mean that you’re going to be working with brands and promoting their products in your content.
How are you going to find those brands?
The first option is to make a list of brands you would like to work with. Then research their marketing department and email them about working together.
The other option is to apply to an influencer marketing agency, who usually has a large network of brands they work with. They’ll take on the work of contacting the brands that are the right fit for you. This should be at no cost to you, because the agency will get paid by them and not you. It’s a good option if you want to spare yourself the extra stress of having to find and pitch brands, on top of all the other tasks you have to do as an influencer.
How many followers do you need to start getting paid?
This differs, depending on your niche and other factors. We usually advise you to build your brand to at least 2500 followers and then apply for your first brand deals.
Let’s do it!
Is being an influencer worth it? We say absolutely yes – now that you know what goes into becoming one and how to do it, you can decide if it’s for you. Keep in mind that getting results is a process that takes time and effort. As a result, you shouldn’t expect to become a social media influencer overnight. However, if you continue to follow these guidelines, you will be able to become an influencer and earn money doing it.
In the dynamic world of modern marketing, the symbiosis of influencer content and performance marketing emerges as a powerful force. This approach entails a multifaceted strategy that melds the strengths of influencers, data-driven insights, and optimized ads. At its core, this methodology revolves around seamlessly integrating influencer content into performance campaigns, guiding potential customers towards online shops with finesse. Features like Instagram Shopping and Facebook Shop enhance the customer journey, optimizing the conversion process. This article explores the intricacies of this strategy, unraveling how it drives engagement and sales.
The Evolution of Performance Marketing with Influencer Content
Performance Marketing with Influencer Content, though not novel, has gained substantial traction in recent times. This method empowers advertisers to refine their marketing tactics, fostering user acquisition, brand recognition, and efficient return on ad expenditure. At its essence, creator-based performance marketing transforms authentic content generated by influencers and content creators into the driving force of performance campaigns. The resultant conversion-optimized ads propel sales in the domains of e-commerce and social commerce.
Harnessing Influencers and content creators in the Digital Era
In the contemporary digital landscape, social media has emerged as a dominant player in marketing. The convergence of influencer marketing with performance campaigns amplifies the efficacy of advertising strategies. Influencers and content creators wield the trust of their followers, endorsing products with research-backed integrity rather than contractual obligations. In contrast to celebrity endorsements, influencer marketing’s appeal lies in its laser focus on niche communities, facilitating profound engagement.
Crafting an Effective Creator-Based Performance Marketing Strategy
Within this realm, crafting an effective creator-based performance marketing strategy entails a multifaceted orchestration. The interplay of compelling content, astute audience targeting, and finely tuned ads constitutes the symphony of success. By assimilating influencers’ and content creators’ authentic perspectives, brands synthesize a resonant narrative that propels users towards online shops. This integration serves to humanize the marketing process, fueling engagement and driving conversions.
Empowering Campaigns with Influencer Creatives
In today’s digital tapestry, influencers and content creators have ascended to the role of modern storytellers. Their content possesses the rare ability to captivate and convert. Integrating influencer-generated content into performance campaigns taps into an authentic wellspring of relatability and trust. This integration imbues advertisements with an undeniable authenticity, fostering a seamless transition from interest to purchase. By embedding influencer and content creator insights into the journey, the trajectory from browsing to transaction becomes intuitive, catalyzed by the persuasive power of genuine endorsement.
Moreover, influencer content can be marketed on a much more authentic level. Which leads to the usage of diverse, creative and target group-oriented assets, instead of having to rely on or resort to monotonous, less authentic stock images. Customers are thus addressed on an emotional level, while at the same time a recognition value occurs, which increases the purchase potential immensely. This also leads to cost efficiency on the brand side, as the influencer and content creator campaigns created can simultaneously create a synergy for the usage and marketing on other channels.
A Seamless Path to Conversion
In bridging the inspiration-to-action gap, the pivotal role of influencer content takes center stage. Brands have leveraged ingenious features such as Instagram Shopping and Facebook Shop to facilitate frictionless conversion pathways. Merging influencer content with these tools elevates inspiration to actionable engagement. Audiences captivated by influencer- and content creator-endorsed products can seamlessly transition from captivating posts to tangible purchases. This harmonization ensures a seamless journey, transforming potential customers into steadfast advocates and fostering an enduring cycle of engagement and growth.
The Essence of Influencer Selection and Engagement
Optimal influencer and content creator selection is foundational to this approach. Establishing transparent agreements and briefing influencers and content creators on brand ethos are essential to fruitful collaborations. Legal safeguards and clear communication lay the groundwork. In scenarios where expertise is limited, partnering with agencies can streamline influencer and content creator interactions and campaign execution.
In Closing: Creator-Based Performance Marketing Unveiled
To summarize, the convergence of influencer content and performance marketing encapsulates a dynamic approach that intertwines storytelling with data-driven precision. Integrating influencer and content creator insights within this framework magnifies its impact. By aligning influencer and content creator expertise with e-commerce tools, brands sculpt a seamless journey from intrigue to conversion. This narrative-rich pathway augments user experiences, fuels engagement, and emboldens online sales, forging a harmony between authenticity and commerce.
Check out more of Kingfluencers case studies and build your own success story with us.
Kingfluencers presents an engaging series of “Case Study” articles, exploring successful collaborations with diverse brands from different sectors and industries. Consumer Goods, Beauty, Finance, Tech, Gaming, Retail, Fashion, Insurance or NGOs, we’ve got it covered. Explore these articles to discover how Kingfluencers helps companies achieve impressive outcomes in the realms of influence – from influencer marketing on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn or beyond.
Our cases with L’Oréal on Instagram and TikTok demonstrate how Kingfluencers blends creative strategies with influence to promote a brand – from yearly campaigns to get-ready events.
Ever heard of our Influencer TV Spot and ready to make use an omni-channel marketing approach thanks to a brand new advertising format? Check out our yearly campaign highlights of our success story with Ochsner, that also includes our premieres of the Influencer TV Spot on SRF 2 with Alison Liaudat & Whiteny Toyloy and SRF 1 with Christa Rigozzi.
If you would like to learn more about specific sectors your brand is present in, make sure to check our our sector-specific case studies – covering:
Your brand is not only home in Switzerland but present in DACH? We’ve got you covered. Dive into one of our first cases for Germany with Neoperl and Miele Deutschland.
We’ve got even more news. Influencer marketing only works for B2C brands? Not for us. We assure you that B2B brands can benefit from influencer marketing and brand ambassador programs even more, see for yourself in our first B2B case with a Swiss Telecommunications brand.
Together, these case studies provide a comprehensive view of Kingfluencer’s ability to achieve successful results in various industries and sectors.
