12 Jul Ways to Collaborate With Influencers: A Complete Guide
Summary
From X posts, which get heaps of likes, to Facebook celebs with millions of followers, there is a huge untapped audience just waiting for businesses to connect with them. You can tell by looking at Kim Kardashian’s Instagram impact or companies like PRIME by KSI and Logan Paul that a well-organized influencer campaign can be both successful and have a lower cost than traditional advertising channels.
But influencer marketing can be daunting. What is ‘influencer collaboration’ anyway? What sort of collaboration is best for you? How do you find the right influencers for your brand? What’s the best way to approach them?
To help answer those questions, we’ve written this article, which will give you a guide to the various ways you can collaborate with influencers and how to identify the perfect digital connection. But before we get into that, let’s deal with your first question.
What Do We Mean When We Say “Influencer Brand Partnerships”
“Influencers” isn’t a new term; it’s been around in its current context for well over two decades now, ever since the early days of the internet, from early YouTube celebs to viral videos. But what do we mean when we talk about influencer collaboration?
At its core, influencer collaboration is a marketing strategy that involves partnering with people or groups who have a significant following on online platforms. These influencers have built up a reputation and trust with their followers, and by collaborating with them, brands can tap into that audience and credibility.
The basic principle of influencer marketing is that people are more likely to engage with an advert if it’s posted by someone they recognize and follow. It makes it seem more authentic and unique rather than just being another traditional ad.
Influencer collaborations can take many forms. It might be a sponsored post where the influencer shares a photo or video featuring the brand’s product, like when fashion blogger Chiara Ferragni posted about her collaboration with luxury brand Tod’s. It could be a more long-term partnership, like the ongoing work between YouTuber Casey Neistat and Samsung. Or it might be a co-created product line, like the wildly successful Morphe X Jaclyn Hill eyeshadow palette.
The key is that whatever you choose to do with a digital star must feel authentic and align with both your and their image and values. Their followers can spot a phony partnership from a mile away, so the collaboration must make sense for both the influencer and the brand.
When done right, influencer collaborations can be incredibly effective. They can help brands reach new audiences, build credibility and trust, and drive sales. And for influencers, this can be a way to monetize their content and build their own brand.
Tried and Tested Methods of How to Collaborate with Influencers
But, of course, there is no simple one-size-fits-all approach to influencer marketing. So, we’ve made this list of the most common methods brands use to collaborate with digital stars to connect with their audiences.
- Sponsored Media Content
- Giveaways
- Sponsored Blog Posts
- Hosting Events
- Guest Blog Posts
- Brand Ambassador Programs
- Gifting Items
1. Sponsored Media Content
Sponsored media content is the most common way brands interact with influencers. You’ve probably seen hundreds of examples of this just by browsing Instagram for a few minutes. This method involves the influencer creating a post, video, or story that features the brand’s product or service in a way that feels authentic to their usual content.
For example, when gym apparel brand Gymshark partnered with fitness influencer Whitney Simmons, she created a series of Instagram posts and stories showcasing her favorite Gymshark leggings and sports bras. The content felt right at home on her feed, which is filled with workout tips and motivation, and her followers responded positively to the partnership.
2. Giveaways
Everyone loves a good giveaway, and collaborations are the perfect opportunity to create some buzz around your brand while also giving something back to the influencer’s followers. In a typical giveaway collaboration, the influencer will post about the contest on their social media, encouraging their audience to enter by following the brand, liking the post, or tagging friends in the comments.
Beauty brand Glossier has mastered the art of the influencer giveaway. They regularly partner with influencers to give away a selection of their popular products, which not only drives engagement on the posts but also helps Glossier reach new potential customers. This is just one of many examples of beauty influence campaigns with high ROI.
3. Sponsored Blog Posts
For influencers who have their own blog or website, sponsored blog posts can be a great way to dive deeper into a company or product than a typical social media post allows. In this method, an influencer will typically write a more in-depth review or feature of the brand, often including photos and personal anecdotes.
Fashion blogger Julia Berolzheimer frequently collaborates with companies on sponsored blog posts. She’s partnered with brands like Nordstrom, with whom she helped showcase her favorite pieces from their anniversary sale. The post included styled outfit photos featuring the Nordstrom items and detailed descriptions of why Julia loved each piece.
4. Guest Blog Posts
While sponsored blog posts are created by the influencer on their own site, guest posts flip the script and have the blogger create content for the brand’s blog or website. This can be a great way for brands to leverage the influencer’s unique voice and expertise to create media that resonates with their target audience.
Wellness brand Welleco often partners with health and lifestyle influencers to create guest blog posts for their website. These posts typically feature the influencer’s personal story and tips for living a healthy, balanced life, all while subtly showcasing Welleco’s products.
5. Hosting Events
Influencer events are a fantastic way for brands to create a memorable experience for both the social media figure and their followers. These can be anything from intimate dinners to large-scale activations and are designed to immerse the influencers in the brand’s world while also providing plenty of opportunities for content creation.
One example of a successful influencer event was the #RevolveFestival hosted by fashion retailer Revolve during Coachella. The exclusive event featured a curated group of fashion and lifestyle influencers who were treated to a weekend of perfect Instagram-worthy moments, which were shared across platforms and helped raise Revolve’s reputation.
6. Brand Ambassador Programs
For brands looking to build a longer-term relationship with an influencer, a brand ambassador program can be a great option. In these programs, the influencer agrees to regularly promote the company’s products or services over an extended period in exchange for compensation, exclusive perks, and often a deeper level of collaboration.
Fitness apparel brand Lululemon has a robust brand ambassador program that includes a diverse group of athletes, yogis, and wellness experts. They use them to promote their products on their social media channels and collaborate with the brand on events, product testing, and content creation.
7. Gifting Items
Sometimes, the simplest collaborations can be the most effective. Gifting items is a tried-and-true tactic that involves sending an influencer a selection of the brand’s products in hopes that they’ll organically post about them on their social media.
While there’s no guarantee that the influencer will post about the gifted items, many brands find success with this approach, especially when they take the time to curate the gifts to the person’s specific interests and aesthetic. Skincare brand Drunk Elephant is one brand known for doing this. They often send influencers a carefully curated selection of their products, beautifully packaged with a personal note.
How to Partner With Influencers
As you can tell from our examples of each method, it’s important to pick the right influencer, as there’s no point in advertising makeup with a YouTuber whose channel is all about extreme sports. The influencer you choose should align with your brand’s values, aesthetics, and target audience. But with millions of influencers out there, how do you find the perfect fit?
First, start by defining your goals for the collaboration. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, drive sales, or reach a new demographic? Once you know what you want from the influencer, you can start narrowing down who’d be the best fit.
Next, consider the influencer’s niche and content style. If you’re a vegan food brand, you’ll want to look for influencers in the plant-based lifestyle space. If your company is known for its edgy, provocative style, you’ll want one whose media pushes the boundaries.
Of course, follower count and engagement rate are important metrics to consider, but they’re not the only factors. A smaller influencer with a highly engaged, niche following can often be more effective than a massive influencer with a broader, less engaged audience.
Tools like Social Blade, Hype Auditor, and Upfluence can be helpful in analyzing an influencer’s reach, engagement, and audience demographics. Many of these tools also have search functions that allow you to filter influencers by location, niche, and other key criteria.
It’s also important to look beyond the numbers and evaluate the quality of the influencer’s content. Do their posts feel authentic and genuine? Do they have a unique voice and perspective? Do they seem to have a real connection with their followers?
Once you’ve narrowed down your list of potential influencers, it’s time to start reaching out. Many have contact information listed in their social media bios or on their websites. If not, try sending a direct message or email introducing yourself and your brand.
When crafting your outreach message, be sure to personalize it to the specific influencer. Mention something you admire about their content and explain why you think they would be a great fit for your brand. Be clear about what you’re proposing in terms of collaboration and compensation, but also be open to their ideas and feedback.
Influencer Marketing Factory – Influencer Collaboration
Finding the perfect influencer can take time, but not if you’re smart and use The Influencer Marketing Factory. We’re not just another ad agency; we’re your strategy in every aspect of crafting the perfect digital campaigns that captivate and convert.
At The Influencer Marketing Factory, we understand influencer collaboration like the back of our hands. From micro vs. macro influencers to the top effective niches in influencer marketing, we’ve got our finger on the pulse of what works.
But we don’t just chase the latest trends. We’re always looking ahead, anticipating the next big thing. Take therise of AI influencers, for example. While some agencies might be caught off guard, we’re already strategizing how to incorporate this emerging trend into our clients’ campaigns.
Moreover, we don’t just create pretty posts; we craft campaigns that click with audiences and drive real results. And we have the data to prove it. Our comprehensive tracking and analytics give you a clear picture of your campaign’s performance so you can see the tangible impact of your investment.
So why wait? If you’re ready to connect with an influencer marketing agency, now’s the time to collaborate with us. With our award-winning excellence, diverse global team, and proven track record with industry titans, we’re the smart choice for brands looking to make a splash in the influencer space.
Kickstart your influencer journey now
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Conclusion
From boosting brand awareness to driving sales and reaching new audiences, the benefits of influencer collaborations are undeniable. The key is finding the right influencers and the right collaboration methods for your specific brand and goals. It takes research, strategy, and a willingness to think outside the box. But when you nail that perfect partnership, the results can be truly spectacular. So good luck, and don’t forget that if you’re not sure where to start, The Influencer Marketing Factory is a good starting spot.