VER 3 - PreEdit - Maximizing Influencer Campaigns
[00:00:00] marketing is just getting bigger it is not going anywhere. It's here to stay
Canne Lion just came back basically saying that almost every brand that was there is doubling down on influencer marketing
I wanna know if there's a natural arc to how you utilize the content
if somebody puts content out into the world and that gets an organic traction we know that's hot
how do you start clean from the beginning with a good brief?
there is a fine balance between.
An education on the product and overloading the influencer and stifling creativity
Hey everybody and welcome to Marketing Habits Podcast. today we're going to be talking about how to maximize influencer campaigns. There's so much that we can do with influencer campaigns that go well beyond just the post.
So let's focus on like a few key things to remember, such as, you know, difference between using influencers versus content [00:01:00] creators. Do you use this in paid ads? Organic? There are a few ways to kind of simplify this so you get the most bang for your buck when you work with influencers.
Absolutely. So when we're looking at influencer marketing, it used to be a bit more about traditional, Hey, we wanna get the product in the hands of people that have a. Big audience that makes sure that lots of people see our product, and that is definitely a piece of it. But increasingly, we're seeing so much more value that we can add to these campaigns, especially if you're looking at it as a performance tool.
So a couple of the ways that we look at maximizing social campaigns for influencers are. Ideally getting usage rights on the content so we can use that content on organic. Um, We know that that's really gonna help you build your community. We use the content, we repurpose it, edit it to create paid social ads that allows us to have ad content that is native to the platform, which we know converts better.
We also recommend clients [00:02:00] using it for email marketing. That allows you to get higher click-through rates by using how tos and demos and side-by-sides and just really great UGC content that we can get. And then of course, adding it to your website, to your product pages, and even about us pages where you can get more of that testimonial.
How to side-by-side content.
Okay. All very important based on, like you said, usage rights, which when I work I. See some of these contracts and I'm like, I can't even believe he would ask for that, but. I have worked with people and been a little more liberal. 'cause I also know that like content expires, it's not gonna be good for years and years.
I know. Um, and tell me if I'm wrong, that one of the main reasons for usage rights is kind of so your team doesn't have to be managing expiration dates and all those things. That being said, it's a really touchy subject because. should not be giving away usage rights in perpetuity for kind of all media.
I don't think as far as you know, an influencer, content creator perspective goes because that can make [00:03:00] somebody so much money.
Yeah, absolutely. And I, I mean, in your sag, right? So you know this, you understand how that works and, and I think that, that the notion of, that obviously has kind of translated into the influencer space. Unfortunately it's not a union, so there's no protection value to it, but that that idea of your content has value dependent on what the client is using it for.
Does make a lot of sense and it's something that's increasingly changing and becoming more of a topic and a point of conflict I think, between brands and influencers. Um, and rightfully so. So from a brand or client perspective, it's a real headache. When you have to separate a hundred influ pieces of in influencer content every month, and each of them have different usage rights, right?
So there are so many buckets that content goes into. Some of them you can only use for a month. Some of them, you know, a year, some of them only on social, some of them only organic. And when you really have to, when you have [00:04:00] to manage that process, it. Can get really hairy from a brand perspective. Um, but on the same side of things, we do know that there is a value in really studying well executed content, and we know that, that that does take time.
Um, so oftentimes there's, there's a bit of a trade off there now. I think that one, one thing that. Influencers oftentimes oversee. I think it's a little bit different. You, you're a little bit, um, let me see. You've been in the game a lot longer, not only just in the influencer side, but behind the camera, in front of the camera, just in the TV space for a very long time.
You really understand how it works. There's an incredible value in the brand that you've built. and that's oftentimes what you're paying for is you're paying for the value of the brand, of the person that you are. We are going to utilize. Um, so when we're talking to influencers about usage rights, it varies wildly, um, on what that value is, depending on the size of the influencer, the type of content, and what we wanna use that content [00:05:00] for.
speaking of which we touched on at the beginning, um, something about, you know, initially a lot of influencer marketing was more brand awareness. Now we're in more of the performance space
yeah.
I wanna know if there's a natural arc to how you utilize the content. Let's say, do you do an organic post?
And then, okay, if that does well, then let's do paid ads. Then if that does, well, let's put it on the website and you know, so on and so forth. When does it get into an email marketing campaign? How do you determine what's working?
if we are not evaluating the content, we're not optimizing the content and we're not getting the full value outta that content. So part of what our team does. After we've contracted, after we've got that content in, um, regardless of whether or not we have usage rights, the team audits that content for performance in the marketplace, but also for potential performance within.
And the reason why is there's two different ways that that content kind of continues to have life and. From a performance [00:06:00] standpoint, if somebody puts content out into the world and that gets an organic traction from what's going on in the marketplace, we know that's hot. We know that the best thing we can do is turn it around and put it to good use, right?
And then also take that messaging and see if we can replicate the success. What were the key things that were sent, or how did we shoot that? Or was it a before and after? What was it that really allowed that piece of content to perform? Versus another piece of content. The other side of that is what does that life have outside of something like a paid ad?
Um, how does that fit into representing our community online? Right? So for organic purposes, do we just want to showcase more people trying a product and experiencing it and, and showing what that experience was like? Um, that. Oftentimes we just want it for organic. And then you of course have the, what we consider like kind of the owned and operated, which is, you know, that email marketing or that website.
And those oftentimes can [00:07:00] have little to no traction. They could have been made by somebody who has, you know, 40 followers or less. Um, but the content is stunning and it delivers a message that's very authentic. And that may not be something that we wanna use on an ad, but it may be something that's perfect for our online tutorial of how to do something like a makeup or a hair tutorial or something to that effect.
So we're constantly evaluating and categorizing the success and the different ways that things have value, um, depending on what we wanna use it for after that initial post.
and it all starts at the beginning with. The brief, which we've talked about before, but I just wanna touch on, um, something that you mentioned, which is if something really resonates, it's organic, it's authentic, which is what influencer content creator marketing is supposed to be and why it works.
So. I know I get these like massive decks and I get like some information that I'm like, you just can't do both of these things at the same time. That being said, it's if you haven't been [00:08:00] shooting something and someone puts it together and they're not familiar with it, I can see where some things get lost in translation, or one person wants this and another person wants that, but they haven't talked to each other before the brief goes out and it just, it creates a little chaos.
So how do you start clean from the beginning with a good brief?
Yeah. You know, and, and we joke about this, I think the reason why our team has gotten really good at creative briefs is because we had a lot of unsuccessful content returned to us. And, we really had to sit down and think about how do we really get the best out of the relationship that we're in? And what we have found is that, to your point, there is a fine balance between.
An education on the product and overloading the influencer and stifling creativity. And where we want to sit is in that beautiful middle space where we have enough education points. We like to do it by video, uh, just because as you know, a lot of times influencers are on the go. They've got nine to fives, they've got other things that they do.
So they oftentimes don't have tons of, uh, of time to [00:09:00] invest in doing the research. So we like to really, really clearly. Talk about some very, very high level key points. Um, if it's a product that has some absolute definite nos, we include those as well, um, to make sure that we're not putting, uh, mis misinformation onto the marketplace.
Um, and then we, we love to, um, add some. Examples of content that was really strong performer for the brand. Um, and we oftentimes will look at the influencer's content, see what performed very well for them, and try and tailor some messaging that we feel like will help resonate with their audience.
With the caveat that here are some suggestions that we feel like might be a good fit based on our brand and what we know from your brand. And we try to leave it there and say, okay, now go forth and, uh, you know, create something amazing. if an influencer is maybe newer to the game, we oftentimes have.
Talking points, you know, like, here's some ideas outside of what [00:10:00] we've given you that might be maybe a better fit, um, in case you need to choose or something. And then we might give some tips on, um, don't wear a shirt with, you know, 45 different colors and, uh, make sure that you're standing in front of exactly, you know, some, some tips on what's working
really well now in terms of, you know, using test reels so that your content goes out to non followers as well as followers if you wanna gain more exposure. Um, if there are new trends, new music, new things that we know from the platforms, from the updates that our team is constantly getting, we'll sometimes share those as well and be like, Hey, here's some, some tips that.
Might be helpful to you to help get your content out further, just from an educational standpoint. And those are more take it or leave it, but sometimes they're helpful to influencers and they appreciate it.
Yeah, all of that stuff is great. The do's and don'ts, like I like the big pictures with the X and then the green check mark and like it's just big font and bullets. Like you said. [00:11:00] If somebody gives me like a small font four page document. I like, forgot what's on page one by the time I get to page four.
'cause I
Yeah.
like, this is not a feature film. Like, it's just, it's, it's, this is great and uh,
Yeah.
to know more, but I also want this to be about my experience so I don't, you know, need you feeding me stuff. I want what you were just talking about, like the tips. And a lot of people do that.
Uh,
Yeah,
it's, it's evolved over time how these, these. Briefs work, but they truly do kind of start the, uh, campaign success from the very beginning. So in, in, in maximizing, uh, that content throughout, you ever hired an influencer for something outside of a post? Like just for email marketing or just for web content?
Yeah, so we've had some interesting products because as you know, we work, we are non category specific, I would say, or category agnostic.
agnostic or vertical [00:12:00] agnostic? Vertical agnostic.
Exactly. So, um, the only thing that really ties our brands together is that they're challenger brands and that they are looking to scale right with a response driven campaign. So that's the client, uh, persona that we're looking at. So we've had some products that are not necessarily products and an influencer like to go out and talk about.
On their own feed. Um, so with those, we have specifically gone and contracted people for only content. Um, and what we're looking for there is personality, great to camera, um, energy knows how to get good lighting and very comfortable speaking. Right? So those are the types of things that we're looking for, and that content is extremely, um, helpful to clients that understand that their product may not be.
Fit for purpose in terms of like, people wanting to promote. I mean, it's everything from, you know, toenail fungus product or, you know, uh, maybe it's a [00:13:00] medical product that somebody doesn't feel like they, you know, they want it, they don't mind being an advocate for them, but they don't really put it on their page, you know, so there's, there's a lot of those that are better as UGC campaigns as opposed to a traditional influencer campaign.
there's for some reason recently I've gotten like a few requests and they're like, well, we're not certain if you'd be okay with that. Can you watch this video? And I'm like. Oh my God. And I'm not even gonna go into the category or the certain things because I just have to be like, thank you very much.
Like not even on brand, even if it's not on my page, like I would never
Yeah, totally.
not
it's because, I mean, if you think about it, even if you go back to like your advertising days, and I remember this as well, when, when you got offered jobs, you would sit there and go, oh, geez, do I, do I wanna be that person in that ad that, that's what everybody remembers me for, pays really well, but is that, is that what I be seen or known for?
Seriously, I, this is, I'm gonna [00:14:00] date myself because this goes back to a contract or this goes back, yeah. To a contract that I got. So do you remember like, um, was it the Janet Jackson like wardrobe malfunction boob kind of
Yes.
Like, so get offered a hosting role for like the girls Gone Wild Football
Oh yes.
hosting, and I'm like. Okay, I, I read the contract and they're like, there is an accidental nudity clause. And I'm like, why would the host need to sign that? They're like, well, we kind of think it would be great if they were like playing football. It's probably like stumbled into you and maybe your shirt came off.
I am like.
We're gonna go with No. Um, but I'm just like that for some reason. Yes, that brought that up. Why I had to go down memory lane and again, just totally date myself. But those, that's, there's some, I saved that contract. Because it was so funny, the language, like I have to like find it. [00:15:00] Anyway, back specifically, uh, targeting the right influence or the right personality for the right type of media.
Yep.
very important as well.
Definitely, and also like constantly evolving that messaging. So that's the other thing our team specializes in when we're, when we're talking to clients, is, you know, here are the personas we believe you have, and we talk about this often. That you believe are your personas we're going after? Uh, because the starting point is never where you end.
Uh, and then we, we, we craft different kinds of messaging in different situations and backgrounds and sceneries and all these types of things so that the content that's coming in, uh, feels unique. So you don't just have. 85 influencers talking to camera in their bathroom with similar lighting and white shirts saying the same kind of things about your product.
Um, and I think that that's the other thing that is constantly being. [00:16:00] Reworked one based on the influencers we're working on, but also based on the messaging that's performing, to your point, organically or through email click-throughs or through our or our community. Engagement on our own. Own. And owned and operated.
Owned and operated properties.
Oh my God. I've had like three cups of coffee and I'm still like, what's going on? Okay, so let's, let's talk data. So if you're talking to a client and they're like, well, I can produce this non influencer, you know, content creator. UGC style, which sometimes that does work if it's just, you know, you're replicating it.
But let's say that they just want to do something that is completely not influencer related and you're trying to convince them as to why they should do influencer. What does the data show as far as ROI when it comes to influence or marketing versus, you know, old school, if you want to call it, or traditional, you know, [00:17:00] advertising.
Yeah, so what we have found is that increasingly consumers on social find, we'll call it studio produced content, right? Um. That tends to not land on social anymore. People feel that it's interruptive, it doesn't fit what they're trying to, like, the aesthetic of what they're trying to see on their social platforms.
Um, on the, on the other side of that though, what we do see is brands also need to maintain some level of brand, right? So very often what we recommend to clients is to do both. Um, find your brand voice, your brand messaging, and how your aesthetic is for your brand, but then also allow us to find influencers that have a similar ethos or their branding is aligned with your branding, and ensure that there's a constant mix of those two things.
Um, when they're talking about creating UGC, um, by themselves, sometimes they come to us with the idea of. Wanting to sort of have an in-house person [00:18:00] that creates some of that, or they may have a network of smaller content creators that they've worked with. And so what we always try to evaluate is how does that fit into the bigger picture and what is the goal of the content that they're producing versus the goal of the content that we're producing.
Um, we know that the conversion rate is much stronger and community building is far accelerated when we use. Influencer and UGC content. Um, so if the goal is to grow your community, scale on socials, convert on your ads, convert on your click throughs on emails, then we, we need to look at that strategy holistically and find out how we can work with the internal goals of a particular client or a brand, um, but also making sure that, that we're, we're kind of putting this together in a holistic way that that works together.
Okay, so you mentioned, you know, obviously people will reach out to creators and can kind of, you know, spark, uh, a [00:19:00] relationship, uh, on their own, but oftentimes and more and more so it's getting harder to just reach out cold to influencers. Do you find third party platforms are better, or do you have success reaching out directly?
So our team does a bit of both so well, about a bit of a bit of a few things. There is still a value on going into platforms for searching. Um, we tried to do that less and less. Um, I think dms get full people. There are so many scam artists, unfortunately, and people's accounts get hacked and so on. Um, so I think that there is a weariness.
From influencers to be contacted by some random account that doesn't seem legit. Uh, or even a small brand, if they don't have enough following yet, that can also not be taken seriously. So that can be a challenge. Uh, from our, our side. We often go straight out from our agency socials, which gives us instant credibility, I think, in the marketplace.
Um, but what we utilize is obviously there are a handful of pretty good [00:20:00] platforms out there for doing this outreach. Um, and that also includes being able to evaluate based on their engagement rates, activity, who they've worked with before, authenticity scores, really important things. Also, what are, what does their demographic look like?
Um. Something that's super key. You and I know you can have this amazing looking influence. You're like, well, everything about her is perfect for my brand. And then you're selling products to females and you look at the audience and it's 97% male and you. Like, okay, well she would be beautiful for, and she could be perfect for UGC, but she's not gonna do much for influence unless we start selling our product to men.
So, you know, there's a, there's a lot of that that we can determine through that platform. Um, but then we also now use, um, AI technology that we've built scrapers for the various different platforms which allow us to go in based on keywords and find influencers that are a good fit for the general, uh, ethos of the brands that we're looking on behalf of.
All right, perfect. segue to talk takeaways in how [00:21:00] you manage all of this based on everything that you just listed from, you know, creating the content. All the way down to repurposing it for multiple things. You mentioned AI managing something like this is not an easy feat, and we still know people are out there with an Excel spreadsheet, which you know that has value.
Yes.
a little bit about how you're able to successfully manage and keep up with this process.
Yeah. So for us there, we do use management tools. Um, we find that that's so key. So we use the AI for the research. We do use social platforms, um, uh, social influencer platforms for the conversation management. Um, we then pair that with, um. With a, uh, ability to store that content. So that's regularly automated, uploaded into folders based on usage rights, based on content, content styles or content pillars or products depending on, on the client or brand that we're working with at the time.
[00:22:00] Um, and then all of that is delivered back to the client in a very organized manner where. They know exactly how to find what they're looking for. Our team also, because we're analyzing every piece of data, both on the performance, on the marketplace, as well as the potential of the content for all of these different, uh, repurposing, uh, purposes, we will also then create.
All, all additional folders that allow clients to understand. Fantastic. For UGC, definitely use this for organic, this is for email marketing, you know, and we'll give tips on how to edit and structure these different, uh, pieces of content in a way that can be really beneficial to the clients. Um, and if we don't have usage rights, we go back and negotiate that with the influencers.
Yes, you can always do that, and I think it's safe to say that marketing is just getting bigger. It is not going anywhere. It's here to stay. Right.
Um, yes, I believe Canne Lion just came back with, basically saying that almost every brand that was [00:23:00] there is doubling down on influencer marketing. And so I think if, if that's what we're hearing from Canne this year is pretty safe to say that that's probably what we're going to be seeing.
Definitely over 2025 and 2026. Um. We see a real uptick in the number of people selling through platforms, especially because of TikTok shop and streaming. Um, so we know that that's only going to grow and the more people that can generate a living from doing influencer marketing and through selling on social platforms, the more we're gonna start to see it in the marketplace.
Absolutely. We TikTok shop so much. We can talk to you on that for another
A.
episode. I think we've kind of covered what we need to on this episode and as always, we're around for questions. You can email us. DM us. Do whatever, whatever you need to do to get ahold of us. Again, happy to answer any questions, but in the meantime, we are outta here and we will see you next time on Marketing Habits Podcast.
Bye.
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