Influencer marketing is a powerful tool to help you reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness. But with so many influencers out there, it can be difficult to begin. So where do you start with your influencer marketing campaign?

In this article, we'll look at choosing the right influencers for your brand, what influencer marketing is and how it works, and developing a successful influencer marketing strategy. With insights from our team at Neuralle, you can identify the metrics that matter and select the right influencers to help you achieve them. 

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Understanding Influencer Marketing

Influencers are not just random individuals with a social media account. They're creatives with a unique understanding of insights, trends, and everday creative inspiration. By doing so they’ve unique audiences that drive massive attention to a certain cohort (or demographic) of people. Whether it be 18-24 year old males, or 25-34 year old females. This attention has value from brands that are relevant to that group of people. 

Why is that? Further and further studies show that in our current economic environment, peppered with the demand social media grabs attention today, creates a unique “parasocial relationship”. Whereby the audience believes the influencer is their friend. That relationship is as strong as the classic word-of-mouth recommendation from a friend or family member.

If your aim is to grow your brand, you really only have two options in the science of marketing; sales activities (conversions) and brand activities (engagement, views). Influencer marketing is in this very unique center of being a brand and sales activity (if structured correctly). Therefore, matching with an influencer whose audience mirrors your target demographic and whose values align with your brand is incredibly valuable, and is where engaging an agency like Neuralle pays.

Below are the common types of influencers according to the size of their fanbase:

• Mega Influencers: We're talking big-league celebrities with millions of followers. They can catapult your brand into the spotlight with just a post.
• Macro Influencers: These folks have a following in the 100,000 to 1 million range. Think athletes, entertainers, and those with a broad reach but are more accessible than your A-list celebs.
• Micro-Influencers: Here's where it gets interesting. With followers between 10,000 and 100,000, these influencers specialize in niche areas, offering focused and highly engaged communities for brands to tap into.
• Nano-Influencers: Small follower count (1 to 10,000) but mighty influence, especially within local or highly specific communities. They're known for their high engagement rates and personal touch.

Don’t always be focused on followers, though, it’s just a lag metric to that influencer’s performance. Sometimes brands can get up on categorising influencers and using their following as a metric for calculating spend. But when it comes to budgets, remember that you’re buying views. We’ve seen many brands get caught out spending big on an influencer who’s bought followers, often ending in tears.

That’s why a lot of brands will partern with a dedicated influencer marketing agency like Neuralle , as it can make all the difference for those diving into influencer marketing in Australia for the first time. We'll help you navigate the vast world of digital influencer marketing, ensuring you connect with influencers who can genuinely champion your brand to the right audience.

Metrics to Consider When Choosing Influencers

Choosing the right influencers for your brand is crucial for the success of your influencer marketing campaign. Here are some metrics that you should consider when selecting influencers:

Audience Demographics: Pay close attention to this if sales is the most important factor, rather than reach for you. Regardless, if you have a period undies brand targeting 18-24 year old men will be an absolute waste of money, the questions to ask should be;

• Where is their audience located?
• Does it mirror your own audience?
• Is their audience growing or declining over time? 

Engagement Rate: This is % of people who view and engage with a post via a like, comment, share or save. This tells you whether their content is cutting the mustard and whether people care about their content. The questions to ask should be;

• Is the engagement rate greater than the average on platform? I.e. 2-3% is standard for Instagram, 5% for TikTok.
• What are people commenting?
• Are the views massive but likes and engagement are low? This could be a signal that someone is buying views or reach. Make sure to examine the Comment-to-Like Ratio
• How does the engagement rate compare to the content niche they’re in? 

Content; Understand the niche they’re in, how fresh the content is and so forth to see whether they have their finger on the pulse. The questions to ask should be;

• How often are they posting? Is it too regular? Or not regular enough?
• Do they have consistent formats of content? I.e. if they do skits, to they have varying characters they use that could fit your brand
• What % of posts are branded? Is it too many? 
• Have they spoken negatively about yours or a similar brand?
• Are they entertaining?
• Are they relevant to the niche they’re in?

The Rate or Cost per Post: Even if everything else checks out, can you afford to bring this influencer on board for your price point. Depending on the saturation or competition of a certain niche. A $12-20 cost per 1000 views seems reasonable. But some larger talent can charge much more. The questions to ask are;

• What am I paying per 1000 views?
• How does that compare to other talent I’ve hit up?

Selecting the Right Influencers

Influencer marketing is a powerful way to promote your brand and reach a larger audience. Here are some key factors to consider when selecting the right influencers for your brand.

Relevance to Your Brand

The first step in selecting the right influencers is ensuring they are relevant to your brand. Look for influencers who share your brand values and have an audience interested in your products or services. This will help ensure that your influencer campaigns are effective and that you reach the right audience. 

Neuralle's processes and internal software simplify that process by having the right analytics and tools to discover influencers that match your brand criteria efficiently. Check our effective CPM with our data-driven approach of optimizing campaigns based on previous performance or posts by the talent. This cuts your downside risk. 

Engagement and Reach

Engagement rate is a key indicator of how much an audience interacts with an influencer's content. It's all about quality interactions. We strive to connect with influencers whose content doesn't just sit there but sparks conversations, shares, and likes. This level of engagement suggests that their followers aren't merely numbers but a community actively interested in what's being posted.

While having many followers can seem appealing, we at Neuralle delve deeper. We ask; "does this influencer's audience resonate with the brand's values?" It's not just about casting a wide net; it's about casting the right one.

So, why does this matter to you? Blending the power of high engagement rates with the right reach leads to meaningful collaborations, brand awareness, and, eventually sales. These partnerships do more than just increase visibility—they build and strengthen communities around your brand. By focusing on these metrics, we ensure that every influencer partnership aligns with your brand identity, creating authentic and impactful connections.

Authenticity and Trust

When we scout and source influencers, we're not just looking at numbers. We're looking for influencers who resonate with what they share. It's about ensuring that their followers feel sincerity when they talk about your brand. Why? Because an authentic message is a powerful one.

Trust is what turns a recommendation into action. We've seen it firsthand; metaphorically speaking, influencers who've built a strong bond with their audience can move mountains. They're like the friend whose advice you'd never doubt, and that's what we aim for in our influencer collaborations.

At Neuralle, we're crystal clear about our goals when we kick off our influencer marketing strategies. What's the aim? Whether it be boosting brand visibility, driving sales, or maybe engaging a new demographic. Knowing this shapes our search for the perfect influencer fit.

Finding the right influencer is like matchmaking. Our goal is too find those who feel like a natural extension of your brand.

Influencer Marketing Strategies

Influencer marketing is a powerful tool that can help you reach a wider audience and increase brand awareness. To develop your influencer marketing strategy, you must start by identifying your goals and objectives. Once you have a clear idea of your goal, you can start building your strategy.

• Setting the Stage: What’s your endgame? Are you looking to boost your brand's visibility, or maybe to engage with a whole new set of customers? Pinning down your goals is your first step. This clarity guides our entire strategy, ensuring every move is purposeful.
• Diving into the platforms & talent: Identify which platforms are most relevant to that endgame, and what type of talent are going to be engaged. I.e. if you’re releasing an energy drink to compete with Monster Energy or V, will you engage gamers? 
• Creative Collabs via the Brief: Collaborating on the content brief with influencers is a game-changer, don’t just verbatim command this creative what to do. Understand what will unlock the best engagement and reach with their audience.
• Long-Haul Relationships: It’s about more than just a one-off post; it’s about building a narrative with the talent. We look for influencers who vibe with your ethos and genuinely dig what you’re about as a brand. This authenticity translates into content that’s not just engaging but also genuine.

Check Neuralle’s case studies and influencer marketing sections on our site for a behind-the-scenes look at how we turn these strategies into success stories. 

Influencer Marketing Agencies

Working with an influencer marketing agency like Neuralle can be a great option if you're looking for professional help with your influencer marketing strategy. These agencies offer various services to help you find, vet, and work with influencers to promote your brand.

Services Offered

Influencer marketing agencies typically offer various services, including:

• Influencer research and vetting: Find and vet potential influencers based on audience demographics, engagement rates, and content quality. 
• Campaign planning and management: Plan and manage your influencer campaigns, from setting goals and defining KPIs to creating content briefs and tracking results.
• Content creation: Content creation services to help you develop high-quality influencer or UGC Marketing content that aligns with your brand and resonates with your audience. 
• Influencer outreach and management: Influencer outreach and relationship management on your behalf, ensuring that influencers are engaged and motivated to create content that drives results.
• Reporting and analysis: Detailed reporting and analysis on your influencer campaigns, helping you understand what's working and what's not so you can refine your strategy over time.

Choosing an Agency

When choosing an influencer marketing agency, it's essential to research and choose a partner that is relevant to the industry. Look to get an understanding of their:

• Experience and expertise: Experience in your industry or niche, or a track record of success in influencer marketing for the general area of the economy you operate in, i.e. retail or consumer brands.
• Services offered: Consider your needs and whether the agency offers them. Some agencies may specialise in certain areas, such as content creation or influencer outreach.
• Pricing and budget: Make sure you understand the agency's pricing structure and whether it fits within your budget. Some agencies may charge a flat fee, while others may charge a percentage of your influencer spend.
• Communication and transparency: Look for an agency that communicates clearly and transparently throughout the campaign process and provides regular updates and reporting. Whether it be through email, Slack or WhatsApp.
• Reputation and reviews: Check the agency's reputation and reviews online to ensure they have a positive track record and are well-regarded in the industry. Clutch.co is always a handy place to review profiles.

Curious to see this in action? Head to our case studies and influencer marketing sections at Neuralle’s Case Studies and Influencer Marketing insights. 

Australian Influencer Agencies

If you're based in Melbourne, Neuralle offers various influencer marketing services, including influencer research and outreach, campaign strategy and management, and content creation. They work with brands across various industries, including fashion, beauty, and lifestyle.

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Legal Considerations and Ethics

When choosing brand influencers, it's essential to consider legal considerations and ethics. Failing to do so can result in legal issues, damage to your brand's reputation, and loss of customer trust. Here are some key areas to consider:

Disclosure and Transparency

Ensuring that all sponsored content influencers' posts are disclosed to their followers is crucial. The AiMCO requires influencers to clarify when they are being paid to promote a product or service. This can be done by using the hashtag #ad or #sponsored. You should also ensure that influencers disclose any conflicts of interest, such as if they have a financial interest in your brand. 

At Neuralle, it means more than just creating compelling content and forming meaningful partnerships; it also involves a deep dive into the legal landscape and ethical standards. Let's break down the essentials and how they tie into our approach, guided by insights from our exploration of the Legal Landscape of Influencer Marketing in Australia.

Compliance with Regulations

In addition to disclosing sponsored content, influencers must comply with relevant regulations. Ensure that your agency has briefed influencer partners on advertising standards affecting your industry.

Ethical Influencer Partnerships

Once you've identified potential influencers, you can reach out to them and pitch your product or service. When doing so, it's essential to communicate clearly and concisely and to provide influencers with all the information they need to make an informed decision. Do not gatekeep or withhold information that could ruin the relationship with the talent and, most notably, with the talent’s audience.

Conclusion

Choosing the right influencers to partner with is crucial for any brand's marketing strategy. By taking the time to research potential influencers, understand their audiences, and evaluate how well their content and messaging align with your brand, you can select influencers who will authentically engage their followers and help you achieve your marketing goals. 

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Partnering with influencers requires effort to manage the relationships and measure results, but it can be a highly effective way to reach new customers when done strategically. Starting small with a test campaign and focusing on micro-influencers are good ways to learn what works best for your brand. 

The bottom line is that taking shortcuts when choosing the right influencer can tank your campaign and turn you off from influencer marketing altogether. And wouldn't that be a waste?

Is this article missing something you’d like to see or think is missing? Hit us directly at talent@neuralle.com and give us your thoughts.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long should influencer marketing campaigns typically run?

Most campaigns run between 4 and 8 weeks to allow enough time for influencer content to be created and shared with their audiences over that period. 

What metrics should we track to measure influencer marketing success?

Key metrics include engagement rates on influencer posts, new followers for the influencer and your brand, website traffic and conversions from influencer links, and sales that can be directly attributed to the campaign. Tracking multiple metrics over time will give the best picture of what is and isn't working.

How do we contract and pay influencers for campaigns?

Most brands use sponsorship agreements that outline deliverables, timelines, compensation, and intellectual property terms. Payment is usually made upfront or in installments based on delivering content or reaching milestones. The compensation varies but often includes a monetary payment, free products, or both.

How do we find the right influencers for our brand?

There are a few key ways to find influencers - search on platforms like Instagram by hashtags relevant to your industry or product categories. You can also check influencer marketing platforms that list profiles. Evaluate influencers based on their engagement rates, audience demographics and interests, and content style/messaging to see who would be a good fit.

What types of content should we ask influencers to create?

The best content is organic and authentic to the influencer's style. Provide photo/video assets and caption suggestions as needed. User-generated content like reviews or tutorials performs well. Paid placements should feel natural and not overly promotional.

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