Influencer marketing has become an essential part of any marketing strategy, and for a good reason. Working with influencers allows brands to tap into the trust and authority that influencers have built with their audiences and leverage that trust to reach your brand to a broader audience.
While it is common for brands to pay influencers to promote your products or services, there are many creative ways you can use influencers in your marketing mix that can help you stand out from the crowd.
Lifestyle Influencer Cherly of @ohtobeamuse on Instagram’s In-Feed Post and Instagram Stories for the Thai Rice Challenge Campaign for Thai Rice
Collaborate on Content Creation
One effective way to use influencers in your marketing plan is to collaborate with them on content creation. This can include creating a video or blog post together or even showing off a product. By working with influencers to create content, you can tap into their creativity and expertise to create something that resonates with their audience while promoting your brand.
Back in 2020, when working with our client, Thai Trade Center, to promote Thai Rice, we collaborated with a variety of influencers, including beauty, lifestyle, and cooking influencers, to create food or beauty products with Thai Rice. We sent influencers Thai Rice, ingredients, and a recipe card. This helped Thai Rice reach a wider audience and gave our audience a different view on the multiple uses of Thai rice.
IG Reel from @thihalulin for the #MekongPostCard Campaign
Run a Giveaway/Contest
Another creative idea is to host a giveaway or contest in collaboration with influencers. This can be a great way to generate buzz around your brand, increase engagement on social media, and grow your following.
Last year, we teamed up with influencers for one of our clients, Mekong Tourism, to promote our #MekongPostCard contest. We had influencers share photos or videos of their experience traveling in the Mekong region and details on how their followers could enter the contest. People who entered the contest could win a $250 Visa Gift Card.
Not only did we gain more followers and boost engagement numbers for our client, but we also had access to more UGC (user-generated content) for potential social media posts in the future.
Ojo De Tigre’s Brand Ambassador Nino Gandulla Co-Hosintg an IG Live with Thirsty Magazine
Host a Live Event With Influencers
Hosting a live event with an influencer can be a great way to build relationships and generate buzz around your brand. This includes product launches, live streams, or store events. Inviting influencers to these events allows them to experience the brand firsthand and help promote your brand to their followers.
To drive awareness of Ojo De Tigre in the US market and drive sales, we collaborated with Thirsty Magazine to co-host an Instagram Live with Ojo De Tigre’s National Brand Ambassador. During the Live, they discussed Ojo’s flavors, its roots in Mexico, where to purchase the mezcal, and created a signature cocktail live that was voted by fans on an IG poll. Ojo De Trigre donated $1 for every view that was garnered over 20 days to ROAR New York, which is a non-profit that helps rebuild the hospitality industry.
Partner with Multiple Micro-Influencers
While using an influencer with a million followers can be effective, partnering with micro-influencers can be just as valuable. The difference between the two is that micro-influencers are typically more niche-focused and are more engaged with their audience.
We’ve partnered with groups of micro-influencers for many of our clients, which has helped us reach specific target audiences while being more cost-effective than working with a single macro-influencer.
Elevate your Marketing
Overall, there are many creative ways to use influencers in your marketing plan. By collaborating on content creation, hosting giveaways/contests, or even hosting an event with influencers, you can leverage influencers’ authority with their audiences to reach a wider audience while sticking out from the crowd with fun campaigns.
Don’t miss out on the opportunities influencers can bring to your business! Contact ELMNTL to discuss how influencer collaborations can elevate your marketing strategy and help your brand stand out.
