In the modern, digitally driven marketplace, social media networks have moved front and center in the quest to catch consumers’ attention on the crowded, noisy internet.
Instagram launched in 2010 to quickly and attractively share photos and videos. It has become a major marketing tool. Social influencers use Instagram heavily.
According to MediaKix, an agency specializing in influencer marketing, about 89 percent of marketers consider Instagram to be the most effective social media network for an influencer marketing campaign.
Influencers have web sites, video channels, and blogs that attract large groups of followers. Marketers push to partner with influencers to sell products and services because these thought leaders have higher engagement rates than do corporations.
Consumers generally trust influencers more than companies. However, influencer campaigns on Instagram can go wrong. Here are six Instagram influencer marketing mistakes to avoid.
1. Weak Relationships
If you want to work with an Instagram influencer to promote your product or service, you need to cultivate a relationship with that person.
In an influencer marketing campaign, you are shouldering the marketing costs, but successful influencers also have a lot at stake.
They could lose sway over their followers, and their long-term reputations could suffer if the campaign is not planned well.
You want to choose the right influencer to work with for Instagram marketing to be successful for all parties.
2. Failing to Understand the Influencer’s Audience
Whether you are courting a celebrity or a micro-influencer with 2,000 followers, choosing an influencer involves studying that person’s audience.
The demographics of the followers need to overlap significantly with your ideal consumer profile.
The match might not be perfect, but there must be enough similarities for you to try and attract that specific group of potential consumers.
Otherwise, a partnership will not be profitable for you or the influencer.
3. Audience Size
When you are choosing an influencer to work with on social media marketing campaigns, do not fall into the trap of thinking that a larger following is automatically better.
Some influencers may have huge followings, but most of that group may not pay attention to the influencer at all.
Influencers with a smaller following, however, could have more engaged audiences that listen to their opinions.
A single Instagram post from an influencer with an interested audience of 1,000 could yield you a much better result than a post from someone with a large but uninterested group of followers.
Pay attention to Instagram engagement measurements such as click-throughs, shares, and comments. This gives you a good idea of who audiences find interesting.
4. Buying Audiences
If you think you can succeed in social media marketing by buying your target audience or paying for positive responses, think again.
Such tactics could hurt you in the long term. Your Instagram account could be severely limited or permanently closed.
You may lose authority and the trust of a large number of potential customers. Forget about buying followers and instead work to increase your audience naturally.
5. Failing to Measure Results
You cannot tell if an influencer marketing strategy is working for you unless you have a system in place for taking relevant metrics.
There are marketing programs such as Find Your Influence and Liked Lab available that can help companies, as well as influencers, measure the results of Instagram marketing strategies to determine whether or not they are working.
6. Thinking You Do Not Need Influencer Marketing
Influencer marketing is the new darling of digital marketing for a reason. When done well, it boosts SEO, creates leads, and drives traffic to your website.
Whether large or small, whether you sell toilet paper or fashion items, influencers can help you build a larger audience for your brand.
One of the most common mistakes brands can make is thinking they will not benefit from working with influencers.
These types of marketing campaigns are word-of-mouth advertising, which has always carried weight with consumers.
Though the marketplace has changed and how consumers shop is different from 40 years ago, people are much the same.
A positive word about a product from someone they trust goes a long way.
Working with a reliable influencer can boost your business in significant ways, but common mistakes can sabotage any good such campaigns could do for your brand.
You can avoid these pitfalls with careful planning and some research. Successfully working with an influencer can be a mutually beneficial partnership. Who doesn’t love a win-win scenario?