Influencers have been around since 105 BCE, as Roman gladiators used their status to endorse products. Since then, being an influencer has developed further, especially with the introduction of the Internet. We’re no longer seeing only sports figures and other well-known people. Instead, people from all social classes are taking the stage and using social media to drive awareness and persuade. That said, with brands recognizing the impact influencers may have, it can leave decision-makers wondering how a consumer goods recruitment agency can support brand growth through influencer-led brand growth.
In This Article
Understanding the Importance of the Right Influencer(s)
Think about every aspect of a brand. Every last detail makes a difference in the overall image consumers receive. This includes more than just the logo and colors. All advertisements must reflect the brand’s values and message. Influencers are part of the brand image as well; they’re the ones who convey information on behalf of the brand.
The wrong one can easily mismatch with the brand’s voice and cause more harm than good overall. The other consideration for a decision-maker to consider is the engagement quality. The influencers need to come across in a way that’s genuine. They need to make people believe that the products or services are useful, of high quality, and beneficial.
It’s also vital that the influencer(s) are in the right niche. No matter how large or engaging their following is, if they’re not reaching the business’s target audience, they aren’t beneficial to the company.
The wrong influencers don’t always harm the brand’s reputation, but they can lead to wasted resources for the company, which will result in low conversions.
Choosing the right influencer(s), however, will increase profit and be worth the initial investment.
Determining if Influence-Led Growth Is Suitable for Your Business
Throughout the years, countless businesses have seen tremendous growth using influencers to spread the message about their companies. Take Crocs, for instance. The brand was sailing into troubled waters prior to an influencer displaying the comfort of the shoe on their social media page. Word spread quickly, and Crocs not only navigated out of the murky waters but was able to expand and thrive with the assistance of influencer marketing.
That’s not the only success story, either. However, is your business really the type of company that’ll have success from this type of marketing? A consumer goods recruitment agency will evaluate the needs of your business in-depth, considering your target audience, goals, and more.
Identifying Specific Needs
Finding one or more influencers is only a portion of the process that a recruitment agency goes through to help your business. The agency will think critically and incorporate your brand’s marketing objectives. That may mean hiring one influencer who is front and center, using them on a long-term basis.
Sometimes, a more practical solution for your company is having a network of micro-influencers — individuals with small followings of 1,000 to 100,000 followers who remain actively engaged. The purpose of going this direction is to market multiple products or target multiple channels to broaden the business’s reach.
The business could need an influencer for only a short time for a product or service launch. This may include seasonal promotions as well.
No matter the game plan for the business, the agency will keep the big picture in mind and center on the long-term goals of the company to solidify its name in the industry. The goal is always growth, and sustainability, for that matter.
Finding the Right Talent
After determining your company’s needs, a consumer goods recruitment agency will look for qualified individuals to fill the role from a pool of talent. The agency looks for individuals who have experience in influencing in your particular business’s area of interest. All of the hiring process goes through the agency. They conduct the interviews and select the candidate they feel is most qualified. The influencer then will go off to work with the company.
Influencers are more than people who have a wide following. Each one is unique, with a personality that appeals to a different audience. Beyond that, though, the influencer needs to understand social shopping integrations, conversion optimization, retail timing, and various other factors that impact how well they’re performing.
Besides the influencer(s), other talent is often needed to expand the brand. This may include hiring people to manage inventory, fulfill orders, and provide customer support. These are the individuals who are working behind the scenes.
The agency will go through all prospective candidates to find those who truly enjoy their jobs and are passionate. These individuals genuinely love their jobs and take pride in their work.
Tracking Performance
Initially, performance is estimated. The decision-maker of the business and a representative from the agency work together and establish expectations and benchmarks. The agency evaluates past campaigns, platform performance, and audience behavior to give the decision-maker an idea of what to expect.
Once the influencer(s) begin, the agency can track conversions, engagement, and sales, giving insight to help shape the content and alter it as necessary to improve performance.
Hiring influencers to support a business’s growth is better left to the professionals. They understand all the ins and outs of what makes for the best results. They perform the heavy lifting of looking through all potential candidates, screening them, and more to find the one(s) most suitable for the campaign and the company in general.
