.png){kind=small}
Okay, let’s get this one straight first - What is an #influencer?
In the most basic terms… someone who influences an audience on social media.
You could say influencer marketing is when there is a monetary or business exchange to promote products and services to one’s “followers”.
Who comes to mind? The Jenner/Kardashians? Cristiano Ronaldo? Influencers don’t have to be in the A-list celebrity club. Check out the many tiers of influencers…
Social content creators with niche audiences are now the stars of this reality show.
Think small.
Nano and Micro Influencers tend to have the most loyal and engaged audience and can offer more value to brands.
Nano and Micro Focus
Nano Influencers (with following of 1-10K) and Micro Influencers (10-100K) will tend to provide high value at the lowest cost.
They will have great relationships with their audience, know what they want to see and will be most likely to convert their followers into buyers.
But!!! There’s a lot to look out for before hopping on that brand deal or partnership, on both sides.
The most important rule is to find the right one to rep you or your brand.
5 Do’s & Don'ts when Collaborating with an Influencer
1 - Don't go for the vanity metrics.
Anyone can buy followers, likes and comments. That will not get you far and is a scam. 🙅🏼♀️
As a business, ask the influencer for screenshots of their most recent insights to learn more about them.
What matters most to you are impressions and their engagement rate.
2 - Do your research.
Find an influencer that shares your brand values. Get in front of the right audience.
Know who you’re trying to influence. Learn how to find your perfect match below.
3 - Don't underpay or undercharge.
Smaller influencers may be paid in free products but never expect that to be the case. Noone can pay their rent with free products!!!
The larger the reach of an influencer, the higher the cost associated.
5 Things to Consider when Setting your Budget:
💲 Average Impressions
💲 Follower count & demographics
💲 Engagement rate
💲 Value
💲 Accessibility to niche audience
💲 Expenses of content creation (photo shoot, travel, props, styling)
EXAMPLE:
In the US, an Instagram Influencer makes about $25 per 1000 average impressions for a feed post or Reel.
That does not include any extras, such as link in bio, story shared or shoutouts, rights to boost the post/Reel on the businesses end or use them for ads or on the businesses feed, website or anywhere else.
4 - Do set disclosure guidelines into your agreement.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, influencers must identify sponsored posts. Even if there was a free product given, it’s still a form of payment and now branded content.
Being upfront with your followers builds trust. 👉🏼 #ad #sponsored
FUN FACT:
Instagram’s policies require anyone, no matter if they're on a creator, business or personal account, to tag business partners in their branded content posts when there's an exchange of value between a creator or publisher and a business partner.
Read the full policies here.
Professional (business or creator) profiles have access to a Branded Content tag that will clearly identify the relationship.
Here’s how to add the paid partnership label to Instagram Feed posts:
After you've selected a photo or video and added a caption, effects and filters, tap Next.
Tap Advanced settings.
Under Branded content, tap to toggle on Add paid partnership label.
Tap Add brand partners to add up to two brands. You can use the search box to help you find the brand partners you would like to tag.
You can turn the Allow brand partner to promote toggle on to allow the brand partner to run ads using your content. Note: If you add more than one brand partner, your post can’t be promoted.
When you are ready, tap Done.
You can now share the post to your Instagram feed.
See how to add the label to Stories, Reels, and Lives here.
5 - Don't tell the influencer or creator what to do.
No matter if your campaign goal is to sell more products, grow your own following and create brand awareness, let the influencer create the most authentic piece of content. They know their audience best!
The brand/business is okay to provide guidelines and ideas, but the entire creative process should be done by the influencer.
How to Find Your Perfect Match
Businesses & Brands Partnering with Influencers & Creators
If you’re looking for your perfect match, look for the obvious, but also think outside the box. 💡
Obvious match examples:
Brand/ Business | Type of Influencer/ Creator |
Organic cotton bedding brand Swimsuit brand with inclusive sizing Cooking utensils Business tool Hotel | Sustainable lifestyle influencer Body positive creator Chef or food bloggers Business coaches Travel blog |
You can find great influencers in niches that aren’t necessarily your target niche, but their audience is.
👩🏼🤝🧑🏼 Take these 3 tips on how to find your match:
If you’re not working with an influencer tool or agency, try to find out more about the account. Ask for/provide insights about follower demographics and details.
Before offering to collaborate, take your time checking each other out and make sure you are a good fit for one another.
Think long-term. A one time gig isn’t going to convince the audience. If you’re unsure about it, do a trial run with the first campaign and negotiate additional campaigns after.
Daniela shares an ⭐EXTRA TIP and example down below on exactly what to ask for.
The New Ways to Partner
Besides working with or as the classic influencer as explained above, there are 3 other ways to market a brand, product or service.
1- UGC Creator
With creators being on the rise, this is the new way to market your brand. It is predicted to be one of THE biggest influencer marketing trends in 2023.
A UGC creator is someone who creates sponsored content that appears authentic but is designed to showcase a specific business or product. The most common format for UGC creators is video, especially on platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
2 - Affiliate Marketer
Affiliate marketing involves referring to a product or service by sharing it on a blog, social media platform, podcast, or website.
The affiliate earns a commission each time someone makes a purchase through the unique affiliate link associated with their recommendation.
Affiliate marketing can be an individual agreement, but is oftentimes an add on to another partnership campaign.
3 - Creator
More creators are turning into influencers themselves. Creators are the individuals who create and share content intended to educate or entertain an audience across social media platforms, so kinda like an influencer, right?
What separates the creator from an influencer though, is the fact that content creators can and are taking it to the next level with current product trends they create, such as guides, ebooks and courses. Now that’s a business. 👍🏻
Stop, Collaborate and Listen 🧊🧊👶🏼
Partner with Daniela
Wearing many hats, Daniela is the founder and owner of ELAS Marketing Services LLC. One being an IG influencer with a highly engaged audience - @elasmarketingservices.
Daniela uses her platform to inspire and educate social media managers, small business owners, and content creators all over the world. We’ve seen her community of over 100K grow as they learn about the latest tools, facts, trends, and strategies in social media!
Here’s how you can partner with Daniela to humanize your brand, build your community, and grow your business.
Sponsorships
Partner with me through a sponsorship to get in on the action! I create interactive posts, stories with CTAs, and viral reels for many different niches. 😍 Am I speaking your love language??
Recent brand partnerships include collaborations with software companies, apps, business, multimedia, fashion and lifestyle products. The possibilities are infinite and I’m here for it.
Check out these two examples of recent sponsorships:
SEO and marketing platform - Semrush @semrush New Semrush social media management tool featured in a video reel (+trending audio of course) with clear steps on how to use it. The caption provides even more value by educating how it can help my audience, CTAs and a strategic hashtag group. See the reel!
Ergonomic furniture - FlexiSpot @flexispot_official This was a perfect match as I was in the market for a new work from home desk. Problem solved with this sit/stand desk sponsorship with FlexiSpot. I received the product and created a home office transformation reel including tips and details. They offered a Black Friday deal with a unique link and my audience loved it. Spot that Paid Partnership Label we talked about earlier?!
See more recent campaign examples and get started with your sponsorship here!
⭐EXTRA TIP:
Ask for a media kit. A media kit should include a range of influencer stats and info like audience demographics, engagement rates, past collaborations and testimonials.
Where to begin? Check out my Media Kit & Services to learn more and get started!
1:1 Coaching
How can I guide you? ELAS coaching programs are designed to fit your individual needs and goals. Learn more about different social media platforms, their functionalities and trends and I will guide you towards the strategy you need to stand out on socials.
If you want to succeed on Instagram, my Social Media Success 1:1 Coaching program is for you. Includes custom pdf guides and workbooks as needed.
You can also schedule sessions for:
Consultation Call
Instagram Profile Optimization
Instagram Hashtag Coaching
Custom Social Media Post Templates
Social Media Management
👆🏼 Don't swipe past this opportunity - Get more info and schedule a session today.
We hope this was helpful! Learn more about us and the services we offer at elasmarketingservices.com.
written by Terra Werner and Daniela Schrittenlocher @ELAS Marketing Services LLC
Follow @elasmarketingservices for daily tips, facts and honest social media & marketing talk on Instagram.
Email us at hello@elasmarketingservices.com with questions or topic requests.
Comments