The creator economy is not immune to the instability around it. Despite this, advertisers' appetite for influencers continues to grow. We're seeing influencer marketing go through a period of sudden hype and skepticism before finally emerging as a medium that almost 84 percent of advertisers believe can help them acquire higher-quality customers than other channels. (according to research from Influencer Marketing Hub).
Here are five “do’s and don’ts” to consider when partnering with influencers amid all the trends and fads.
Separate influencers from a brand’s overall media strategy
It's time we all recognize the media value of influencers who strive to bring brands to the forefront. With increasing pressure to demonstrate its effectiveness, influencer marketing, no different than any other media channel, is typically separated from media strategy and planned into its own silo.
When planned in an integrated manner, influencer campaigns can be aligned with other media efforts to effectively advance your brand's North Star goals. While paid media offers advanced control over targeting, budgeting, and bidding, content creators cut through the noise of social platforms to convey brand messages that are relevant and memorable. This is the missing piece of the puzzle.
Planning a content-first creator campaign
Every advertising campaign in history has had one of two ultimate business goals: sell a product or increase capital. Apart from these purposes, you can also start some cool art projects. Planning is likely the deciding factor in an influencer campaign, so consider each creator just as you would any media channel.
See who you're reaching, how they're performing, and ensure the content you create aligns with your brand values. After all, what good is achieving massive levels of engagement if everything is out of the region?
Content and brand alignment undoubtedly play the most important role in achieving business KPIs. Kelly Mokbel, social media manager at OMD, says, “When choosing influencers, quality is more important than quantity. Genuine affinity and resonance with your brand’s message is more meaningful than reaching alone. “This is because it is likely to produce positive results.”
Choose soft metrics (such as engagement) as the ultimate success metric
The creative industry could use more standardization of metrics and KPIs. That's for sure. But something else is also true. You can't take your hype to the bank and you can't turn your “buzz” into cash. Sales metrics are not the only important metrics. Brand conversation and share of voice are important micro-KPIs tied to brand equity.
Engagement is a hygiene metric, not a goal, and only helps quantify the quality of your content and how it resonates with a specific audience.
Assume that those with small influence have no “influence”
'“Influence” is no longer the primary reason advertisers use creator marketing. Creator content offers a different value to consumers than polished, brand-driven studio content because it delivers brand messages that connect with niche segments on a more personal level.
According to Aya Diab, Social & Influencer Specialist at OMG, “It’s not the celebrity influence that attracts clients, but the creator’s knack for creating content that resonates with brands and their audiences.
The essence is the ability to take a product, weave creativity into its presentation, and turn it into content that your audience will enjoy and that never feels like a paid ad. ”
Applying too many brand guidelines
According to a 2023 US study by IAB and TalkShoppe, both creator and studio content play different but important roles in consumers' lives. The research shows that while studio content tends to be more memorable, the relevancy of creator content can speed up the purchase process.
Therefore, applying excessive brand guidelines can dilute the impact of creator content. To stand out in today's creative world, it's important to find creators who fit and embody your brand's values and hand over creative control to them.
According to Christine Najarian, Head of Engagement at OMD MENA, “This type of breakthrough is achieved by empowering creators to show up in unexpected ways and tell their brand’s story. It’s about giving them the creative freedom to truly connect their audience to their brand, keeping context and culture in mind. ”
Let's end with some quick “to-dos”. When planning, think audience first, performance second, brand alignment and content quality second, and always set KPIs in alignment with marketing and business KPIs.
Influencers are media channels whose secret weapon is unique content delivered in a unique style to a unique audience.
Written by Anthony Nghayoui, OMG MENA Social Media Lead
