How to Productively Integrate Influencer Strategy in Marketing Plans

Influencers are increasingly becoming indispensable partners in most affiliate marketing business programs. These days, Influencers and the content they create help to support many initiatives across the various teams managing a brand. That is why you now find Influencer inputs into product development, PR, events, social media and even in affiliate marketing efforts/plans. That requires some creativity though if you want good results from such efforts in the medium to long term. That is the reason why integrating Influencer strategy in marketing plans now appears to be a very smart business strategy. 


 
As a marketer, the way you perceive and actually use Influencers in your marketing business is what determines how far their influence can benefit your marketing efforts. If you want your business to benefit maximally from influencer efforts, it helps a great deal to see and also use Influencers as:

Events Promoters

Planning events could be hectic and time consuming more so when the invite list must be thoroughly scrutinized to be sure it includes the right local influencers. These Influencers must be involved and notified in advance what the events entail and what roles they are expected to play. This is made possible by briefing these Influencers far in advance with the schedule, key messages, short lists and hashtags. By inviting local Influencers to your events, it is one fantastic way to spread awareness and excitement via the blog and social posts of such Influencers. These posts somehow allow Influencers to share their unique point of view and drive traffic to your social media channels. Inevitably, these actions help to create demand and interest in the event even before it occurs. Local Influencers also help to push e-commerce and retail sales by simply sharing affiliate links to products, site-to-store offers, etc.

Highly Creative Partners
 
Content marketing relies heavily on resource-heavy content creation. That demands a great deal of creativity to make happen. In creative output, partnership tends to get better results than solo efforts. Some persons may be highly creative at photos/visuals while others may be very good with written content. A combination of both can help get better results than from just the effects of one of them. With creative partners, you can easily obtain the rights to use Influencer images and content across many social media channels, websites, prints and emails. Adequate care must however be taken to ensure you discuss usage rights upfront with Influencers, how you’ll credit them, and the timeline and plan for promotion across various channels. That is one great way to come clean and be faithful to your partnership with Influencers.

Co-Content Creators

Online Marketers have since discovered that launching a co-branded product line with an Influencer is a very smart business strategy. This is because Influencers are advantageously positioned on the front lines with their audience. In that position, they can easily identify gaps in the market to create products that resonate with the audience. That is collaboration. It is Influencers who somehow help to provide a real promotional boost across their own channels, engaging their audience and driving new customers to the business. As an added boost, most Influencers like to support the endeavors of other Influencers and are always willing to help spread the good news because it is mutually beneficial to all parties. Some Influencers are both marketers as well as customers. For that reason, they willingly play a big part in the development of the launch plan, messaging, and promotional strategy of brands. 

 

Data-Driven Marketers

Most affiliates rely hugely on accurate data derived from metrics to measure their earnings and business growth. They thrive on earning commissions. This incentive encourages Influencers to share more often about brands, even when there’s no campaign going on. That enables them to make accurate data-driven decisions about what they share, how they share it and what results are coming in from where. Thus, most marketers have the ability to go deeper with their own metrics and reports on clicks, sales, new customers, understand the customer journey, and even measure cross-device types like Smart phones, laptops, tablets, and desktops with reliable affiliate tracking. More and deeper metrics far beyond social engagement give marketers the opportunity to prioritize Influencer partnerships for better revenues and ROI. With this, it is really very smart for marketers to take advantage of data derived from tracking as a veritable way to gain more business insights.
 
Virtually Everyone Who Knows Someone Else
 
Marketers must now take cognizance of the fact that for as long as someone knows someone, anyone can be an Influencer. With this notion, many brands now use their social media channels to repost user-generated content created by real customers who can become reps, have their own product page, and earn a commission. That enables even the brand’s own employees who naturally champion the business culture and morale both internally and externally to also play the role of Influencers and earn commissions too. Come to think of it, who wouldn’t want to join a viable marketing train and earn better incomes? All you need do is to be an Influencer in your own right irrespective of whether you are employed by the brand or not.