influencer marketing 2022: a step-by-step action plan + a convenient template for collecting information

The situation is not new: access to social networks is restricted, coverage has decreased, targeted advertising campaigns are not very effective, and bloggers are migrating. All of this, of course, complicates the life of businesses.

You can panic and tear your hair out, or you can look for opportunities, one of which is influencer marketing. Let's talk about how to work with bloggers effectively and keep your nerve cells intact.

Why do businesses need bloggers in the first place?

The answer is simple: bloggers have a loyal audience. People trust opinion leaders, often perceiving them as friends and acquaintances, so they are more willing to listen to influencer advice. With the right choice of blogger, this results in higher conversion rates for targeted actions.

And someone might object that targeted advertising, for example, is a more stable and predictable channel, and they would be right. However, it is important to note that advertising through bloggers can also build brand trust and motivate people to take targeted action. And, let's face it, that's much more important than coverage.

What tasks can be solved with the help of bloggers?

Setting goals correctly

Bloggers can work at both the top level of the sales funnel - brand recognition and reach, as well as sales.

The choice of goal depends on the specifics of the business. Lead generation and sales are relevant for products and services. If you are, for example, selling real estate, influencers will help with image tasks and reach. Large brands also use bloggers for constant presence in the media and maintaining audience loyalty.

We have defined goals and tasks. What's next?

Let's go through the sequence of actions for working with bloggers

1. Request statistics screenshots for the last 1-3 months. Bloggers often misbehave by sending statistics of their best publications. Of course, it's cool, but not very relevant, especially in current conditions.

2. Focus on coverage, not the number of subscribers.

3. Calculate ER reach, not day or post: this is the coefficient that shows engagement by coverage, that is, how many people who saw the post interacted with it.

4. Request the maximum number of communication channels: phone number, email, messengers. It is better if communication does not happen via email, as it is a more time-consuming option. Plus, it will be more convenient for you to communicate with all bloggers on the project in one channel, so think about it in advance.

5. Priority should be given to bloggers who offer ideas for integration rather than just waiting for a brief. It's better to pay an influencer for developing an idea because they know exactly how to communicate with their target audience and do it in the most native way possible.

6. Negotiate: ask for discounts, find out about the possibility of working on a barter or cross-posting an advertising post on other social networks. It's okay, and it works.

7. Agree on the use of content on the brand's platforms.

8. Request payment details and delivery address right away: not all companies can pay for placement on the same day, and product delivery also takes time.

Collect Everything in One Place

Working with bloggers is not always fast and convenient. You communicate with someone by email, with someone in Telegram. Someone responds in a couple of minutes, and you have to wait a week for someone else's response. It's important that all the information you receive is collected in one place. We use a template spreadsheet for this, which we share with you.

It's big, but don't be scared: after a few minutes of studying, everything will become clear. And in the process of work, you will appreciate how convenient it is to accumulate all the data in this way.

Conclusion

The market of bloggers is so vast that it seems easy to choose the right one. However, such a large variety of opinion leaders sometimes complicates the selection process and evaluation of effectiveness.

It's important to be selective, involved, carefully analyze options, and everything will work out!