Finding the right influencer for your marketing campaign is like going down the rabbit hole. With a sea of influencers out there, it can be very hard for advertisers to find the right influencer for the job. On the face of it, the popularity of the influencer and follower count may seem to be the top things to consider. But the vetting process should be far more layered than that. 

This article highlights 4 pointers that marketing professionals must consider when narrowing down a social media influencer for your campaign- 

1. Consider influencers from all categories

In recent years, a number of influencers have acquired celebrity status. They are sought after by many brands due to their large follower base. But a big or mega influencer with 1M+ followers may not necessarily be the right fit for your campaign. Here’s why!

First of all, they often work on multiple projects at a time, which means your campaign will not receive the undivided attention that it deserves. Secondly, due to the large follower base of a mega influencer, the size of the relevant audience for your product or service could be much smaller than what you have estimated. 

Such risks are relatively lesser when it comes to working with Nano or mid-range influencers. A nano influencer is someone who has a follower count of anything between 10K-50K.  Although working on a small scale, they are helping brands grow in a big way. It is because they work hard to put together good quality content for their audience. They are perceived to be more authentic and have a niche following. Therefore it's easier for brands to reach the niche audience on a nominal marketing budget. 

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2. Look into the past work done by the creator

It is extremely important to check the past work of the influencer you are considering working with. Here is a checklist for that -

What does their past work look like?

Have they created content that received negative attention?

Have they engaged in any fraud or illegal activity?

Have they promoted products or services similar to your own?

What type of audience do they have as followers?

Are they under any legally binding contract?

The influencer you ultimately choose to work with will become the representative of your brand. Therefore, the vetting process needs to be thorough. 

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3. Work with influencers who know and value your brand

In today's world authenticity matters the most. You have faith in your product and the influencer you choose to work with should reflect the same. This can only happen if they have personally tried out the product or service you are looking to promote. 

For example, you can send our free samples of the make-up, nutritional supplement etc. Or, if you are a SaaS company, you can ask them to try out your product for their next project. 

Tell them to give you honest feedback. This is very important and if they do not resonate well with your product, you must look somewhere else. Sometimes, the feedback you receive about your product can also help you improve them. 

In a nutshell, authenticity matters and it can only come if the influencer has personally used or experienced the product you want to sell to their audience. 

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4. Consider influencers who have a balance of organic and sponsored content

You want to work with social media influencers who will add value to your brand. Influencers who have too many sponsored posts on their page are a no-go. Such influencers may have a wider crowd reach, but it may not be the niche audience you are targeting. 

It is not a bad idea to work with influencers who are selective about the brands they want to work with. Instead of pumping all your resources into a big influencer, divide the marketing budget into several niche, mid-sized influencers. This will enable you to calculate the performance of each influencer with metrics like sales, ROI, engagement rate etc. 

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Conclusion - Let the relationship grow!

Don't end the connection with the influencers once the social media campaign has successfully reached its conclusion. Prudence demands that you should continue to nurture and grow the relationship with them. This can be done by sending them samples of new products and services. You can also ask them to give you honest feedback which will only help you to improve your product. 

Also, maintaining a long-term association with an influencer shows the authenticity of the brand. The working relationship also gets better as you have nurtured a personal rapport with them. Now, working with them on future campaigns will be easier as well. 

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