Targeting a niche group is one of the largest struggles many companies face throughout their existence. As the internet has continued to grow and social media has evolved into one of the leading forces in how people market information, one of the newer forms of marketing is influencer marketing. This new form of marketing creates a partnership between a company and an online influencer in hopes of targeting a certain group of people.

Millennials and Generation Zers have admitted to connecting more to online content creators more than actual celebrities. Thinkwithgoogle.com explains that six in ten millennial’s admit to following advice on what to buy from their favorite content creators over more popular celebrities. This proves that partnering with online influencers can be an asset to a company that wants to meet their bottom line. Of course, with any partnership, there are things to consider for a partnership to run smoothly and succeed for both parties.

Keep reading for more information on Influencer Marketing.

An important question to ask when considering this sort of marketing is, “Why is partnering with an online influencer important to our business?” Yes, influencers can help create more traffic for a company, but if it is not done correctly, it could be a poor investment more than a helpful one. Forbes explains that it is vitally important to ask the following questions:

• Can this influencer boost brand awareness?
• Help a company gain followers?
• Can they help increase sales?
• Can they help you reach who you are targeting?

It is very important to understand that if partnering with an online influencer does not meet the questions above, it is best to not reach out to them.

If a content creator does meet these questions, it is important to research influencers that can help a company reach target goals. An easy way to find influencers is by searching hashtags on the platform you wish to market on. People who are interested in a specific topic, and can help companies find influencers who originally may never have been thought of as a partnership, oftentimes use hashtags. Through the use of hashtags, it is possible to find influencers with “smaller” followings than other more popular Internet influencers. The smaller a following is on a certain platform, it can help companies target a niche audience that originally could have been lost in the masses on a more popular account.  

Reaching out to influencers with smaller followings can help increase return on investments, (ROI), compared to other much larger celebrities. It may take more research with back and forth communication to create the perfect advertisement, but it will be worth it when you reach an audience that is interested in what is being sold. Once a content creator is found, it is important to cultivate the relationship and not view a partnership as a one-time event. When you change the partnership into a constant relationship, content creators can become more invested in the brand and advertise it with more enthusiasm.

In order to create these relationships, it is important to know the value of what is being sold. Content creators want to partner with brands that provide them with products they are excited to represent. Getting paid is important, but it is better to give them a reason to want to represent a company.

Influencer marketing is a growing form of marketing and if done correctly, it can help any company expand their reach online. Influencers are becoming a vital form of marketing to reach out to a younger social media reliant generation. By creating these relationships, it can be easier to reach a more niche audience that has a higher rate of interest in what is being sold, rather than throwing out ads to the masses and getting lost in the waves of many larger companies.  

Check out our Influencer Marketing infographic: