Are you taking advantage of social media influencers to grow your business? If you’re not, then you’re missing out on an important part of your social media plan. Getting traffic for your business can be tough to do on your own. By teaming up with an influencer, you can maximize your potential, as well as gain their reach. A social media influencer can further reach your audience, and post about your products and services to their followers. This allows your brand to reach customers you may not have had access to otherwise.

So what do you do when you’ve found an influencer you like? You can gift them your product, or send them something else relevant to their lifestyle and the things they post about. However, drop them a line first. Explain why you’re getting in touch, and ask if they’re open to sharing their exposure. If they are, then you can begin communicating about what you’re looking for from an influencer. Some strategies to get the most out of your collaboration are:

Giveaways

If you follow bloggers, you’ll find that the majority of them like holding contests and giving away things to their followers. What if you could get the influencer to run a contest and give away your product to their audience? It’s an excellent form of direct marketing, as the audience are competing for a chance to win your product. This creates interest and a desire for the product, and that’s priceless.

Videos

The number of videos viewed on YouTube every day is nearly 5 billion! Videos can drive awareness and inspire action, and, most important for you, boost your SEO. Customers who are exposed to video content increase brand engagement by almost 30%. If you can find a YouTube channel that works with your product or service, the influencer behind it may be able to post a video review that promotes your business in an exciting and entertaining way. More exposure means more sales.

Sponsored Social Media Posts

Instagram is filled with sponsored posts, and is another great platform for you to find the right influencer. When you do, develop a campaign consisting of multiple posts that appeal to the different audiences who use Instagram. You can ask the influencer to try out your product, for free of course, and take a photo or video demonstrating the features and benefits of your product or service. You could even include a link to buy your product via that post and offer a discount for those who do. That could lead to a lot of exposure for you, for a very little price.

Blog Post Reviews

Blog Post Reviews

Blog post reviews can be an effective way to generate more exposure. Done well and with the right influencer, those blog posts could show up on the top search results. Make sure that your main keywords are included in the blog post. Such a post should also link to your website, making it easier for the influencer’s audience to buy your products.

As you can see, there are a number of good ways to work with influencers. And there are multiple benefits of doing so. You will gain increased credibility if you are seen to be working alongside people who are savvy in their field. Plus it shows that you’re adept at maneuvering social media and using it to your advantage. Furthermore, when you create a team dynamic, you’re working with someone who already has credibility, as evidenced by the sheer number of their followers. There is also the added advantage of a fresh perspective. You know your product and services really well, but a new person may bring something entirely new to the table. They have a different voice and a fresh outlook and could have something new to contribute.

Your social media strategy could receive a much needed push with influencer marketing. The first step, and most important one, is to build relationships with the right influencers for you, someone who has the same target market that you have. Once you’ve locked in an influencer, and settled in on the right strategy, you’ll be well on your way to making your brand stand out among the rest.

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