The creator economy market size is already valued over $100 billion and predicted to reach half a trillion dollars by 2027. This shows how shopping is evolving, what people think about authentic voices, and how the people that most influence shoppers’ lives has changed. 

Let’s take a look at what the creator economy is, why creator content is valuable, how brands can leverage the creator economy, and the current and upcoming trends we’re seeing in the market.

Chapters:

1. What is the creator economy?
2. Benefits of the creator economy
3. Creator economy trends
4. How brands can succeed in the creator economy
5. Getting started in the creator economy

What is the creator economy?

The creator economy refers to the highly valued market of content creators — every day social media users who make content on social platforms. Really it’s any monetized form of content creation.

When we talk about the creator economy, we’re talking about a system of people who create content that’s shared and consumed by their peers, their friends, and in the media space. It used to be you’d only find a very small community that was engaged in a niche topic. But now that niche content finds a bigger community through these networks.

This is really changing how we think about what content is, and how you get your message to audiences that were never before possible. Some stats to put the creator economy into perspective:

• There’s over 200 million global content creators — these creators are typically operating on at least two platforms
• 44% of advertisers plan to increase spending with creators in 2024
• Brands are anticipating increasing creator content budgets by 25% in 2024
• 39% of consumers watch more creator content now than the year prior

This shows how quickly the creator economy is being legitimized. For example look no further than Addison Rae, one of the most popular influencers out there, who just starred in a Super Bowl commercial. It’s a huge opportunity for your brand to work with creators!

Benefits of the creator economy

The digital space is competitive and it’s getting harder to reach audiences purely with digital ad spend. Working with creators gives you an opportunity to connect with consumers, with more relevant and cost-effective content.

Hear Bazaarvoice’s own Global Head of Community Growth & Engagement, Terry Hurlbutt, outline some of these opportunities below in this short clip from her Bazaarvoice Summit presentation on creator economy trends and social shopping strategies.

Expanding on from Terry’s expertise, let’s look into other benefits of the creator economy.

Boost authenticity

Creators build their brand(s) on making genuine connections with their audiences. They’re bringing their followers into their success, pitfalls, and even their stories of vulnerability in their daily lives. And that builds real connection. A connection strong enough that when they do offer a product, even in a paid partnership, their audiences are still really interested in learning more about the product their favorite creators share with them.

100% of shoppers we surveyed have purchased products based on a creator’s recommendations, which circles back to that trust that the creator has built with their audience. If you follow someone who posts daily and you enjoy their content, you’re more inclined to go and get a product they enjoy.

So there’s a real authenticity (and sales!) boost when you partner with creators.

More relevant content

By its nature, the creator economy makes content more relevant to shoppers. What’s so helpful here is that this user-generated content, content created by creators, helps consumers see how products look in a “real world” setting versus branded content, which still has a place but doesn’t necessarily show you that same real-world experience. 

We tend to see higher engagement when visual UGC is integrated with branded content. According to our research, the majority of shoppers want to see both branded photos (83%) and shopper photos (76%) to make a confident purchase on product pages.

There’s also the amazing opportunity for creator content to help you increase your audience engagement and reach. Shoppers are more likely to follow their favorite brands. And so the more creator content you have in your social mix, that’s more likely to pay off because they’re already following you on social. 

Keep up with content demands

We need a lot of content.

Everyone working in the creator economy realm and social sphere knows how much time and effort is spent really trying to beat those pesky algorithms and stand out in a crowded social marketplace.

Over 500 hours of content is uploaded to YouTube every minute, 34 million videos uploaded a day on TikTok, and on Instagram there’s over 66,000 photos uploaded per minute. By comparison, those couple of pieces of branded content you upload per week aren’t even a drop in the ocean.

Rather than increasing investment to produce more content in-house, partner with creators who can pack your content supply chain with a steady flow of authentic content for you. Tapping into existing communities of creators like the Influenster community ensures your brand benefits from an always-on source of fresh content.

Creator economy trends

The creator economy will continue to evolve, such is the nature of working in the social. It’s important to in the loop. With that, as experts in the creator partnerships space, these are the latest creator economy trends we’re most excited about!

Brand storytelling 

Do you ever find yourself a little worried sometimes because social media algorithms are just too good? Let’s say you’re a parent so you check out an account talking about parenting hacks. The next thing you know your whole Explore page is full up of parenting hacks and ideas.

Your Reels are full of tips and tricks for parenting, cooking, and staying organized in the midst of child-rearing. Whether it’s through memes or people sharing their tough moments of the day, they really resonate with you. You feel grateful for that connection. They make a significant impact on your life, and you’re deeply thankful for them.

This is brand storytelling in action. These trends that speak directly to your audience’s personal experiences and connect them to your brand. The power of social media and the creator economy recognizes the diverse voices and perspectives that contribute to your sense of community.

Video content

First it killed the radio star, now video is coming for your static images. 89% of consumers want to see more videos from brands this year. What video does that static images can’t is really show shoppers your products actually in use. Whether it’s how to build something, how a jacket looks in motion, how to assemble something, etc. Video provides a whole new avenue.

Let your analytics decide for you whether static images or video works best, but between IG Reels and TikTok’s boom, video is a trend that can’t be ignored for much longer. TikTok shops intend to grow the business 10x this year, hoping to get to about $17.5 billion revenue, so video provides commerce opportunities also.

Livestream shopping

Another potentially lucrative angle for the creator economy is livestream shopping. Still in its infancy, it’s one of the most closely followed industry trends. Already big in China and other parts of Asia, livestream shopping has been gradually making its way stateside and consumers are taking note.

Livestream shopping provides brands with a new, engaging way to get products in front of shoppers — who can purchase them instantly! 

How brands can succeed in the creator economy

Do you want to work with creators but you’re not sure where to start? Or maybe you’re experienced with influencer outreach and need a refresher? Here’s the best practices to follow.

Work with the right creator(s)

Not every creator will be the right fit for your brand. When you’re choosing creators to work with, influence (reach, engagement, brand values, and audience relationships) is more important than just their number of followers — 72% of consumers don’t actually care about follower counts and smaller audiences tend to see higher engagement anyway.

There’s a lot of different creators out there who may have smaller follower counts, but who will align more closely with your brand, and would make more impact. The priority should be finding creators who align with your brand values and style, and letting them go and create.

@bazaarvoiceofficial PSA: leverage the Creator Economy! Let creators create in their own authentic style #socialmediaweek #smw #smm  #creatoreconomy @adweek ♬ Taste It – TELL YOUR STORY music by Ikson

Lean into the expertise of your creators. You’re partnering with them because they know exactly the best way to connect with their audiences. And because they put out content every day, they have their finger on the pulse of what works best.

When you reach out to them, just be very honest and clear about what you’re looking for and what your expectations are. Working with high-quality, brand-safe creators is really important. Tools like Bazaarvoice affable.ai can help you find, identify, reach out to, and manage relationships and campaigns with these creators on a long-term basis.

Pick the right platform

TikTok is an entertainment platform first and a social platform second. So be entertaining. Brands can reach new audiences by engaging with this form of entertainment. A good example is Prose. The hair care brand went outside of their traditional creator demographic and partnered with a comedic TikTok influencer to endorse them, and they reached a whole new audience through this.

And large gaming communities already exist, which provide a natural platform for digital expansion.

For example, clothing giant Gucci teamed up with Rook Vanguard, a creator for online game platform Roblox. Together, they built the Gucci Garden Experience which allowed users to explore various boutiques of virtual items.

Use your everyday creators

Regular people are creating every day. If you have a phone and an Instagram account, you’re a part of the creator economy. Which is why at Bazaarvoice, we always advise that the most effective change you can make is using this user-generated content from everyday people.

Not only is UGC considered more trustworthy and influential, it also supports stronger brand storytelling as we mentioned earlier. Something a lot of brands struggle with on social media. Storytelling with UGC naturally leads to the community because you’re highlighting end users, and oftentimes those who were not paid, but just simply love your products.

And UGC doesn’t just tell a story, it drives sales too. 54% of shoppers say they’d be more likely to buy a product on social media if they could click the post and get product info right on the platform. Before, if you scrolled past a t-shirt you liked on Instagram, you’d then have to Google the brand and try and find the t-shirt manually. Now though, with an effective social commerce solution, shoppers can go directly from app to checkout. No fuss!

Sharing community content helps grow your social media presence and builds positive relationships with your customers. Leading to better advocacy, repeat customers, and increased sales. Creator-generated content is out there, you just need to go out and find it.

Have a budget

When you’re just starting out with creator outreach, budget can be as big or small as you want. It just depends on what you’re ready to do from an investment standpoint. If you’re treating it more like a pilot, maybe try to look for five, six creators and learn from that.

But there’s no benchmark answer. It depends on where you are in your creator marketing cycle and also just what your overall marketing budget for the year is. But 75% of brands and retailers spend over 60% of their budget on branded content — free up some space and costs with UGC creators.

Sample your products

If you want everyday shoppers posting content about your brand (reminder: you do!) you need to get your products in their hands. Product sampling is how you do it. A hyper-targeted product sampling campaign ensures you:

• Launch products with a bang by collecting reviews and imagery from your community pre-launch
• Give life core products by generating fresh reviews
• Learn valuable customer feedback to improve messaging and identify new market opportunities

Getting started in the creator economy

In the consumer-to-consumer era we’re living in, it’s creators who are your new storefront. They’re not only creating original content, but they’re influencing other shoppers. Consumers no longer rely on content or marketing from brands, they rely on authentic UGC created by their fellow shoppers. That’s what’s going to influence them to make a purchase, not you.

The creator economy is not a passing trend, it’s essential for the success of your business.

The first step to getting started with the creator economy is to leverage UGC, and those who are creating it. But not all content is created equally. You’ll want to make sure you find the right creator(s) for your brand and team up with a platform that can combine the power of creators with social commerce solutions.

LEARN MORE

From pixels to profits: Creator trends and social shopping strategies

Watch here

Showcase your products in action with creator videos, showing real-life use cases and seamlessly fitting into student lifestyles. Ultimately positioning your brand as the back to school hero they’ve been searching for.

Chapters: 

1. Unlocking the impact of social media videos this back to school shopping season
2. 10 creator-led, video campaign strategies
3. Easily find creators with AI tools

Unlocking the impact of social media videos this back to school shopping season

Back to school shoppers will be hitting the stores soon, but what’s becoming the go-to for finding cool stuff? Social media platforms! It’s like the new Google, helping shoppers discover products and making it easy to buy them immediately.

A survey in November 2023 found that over 67% of folks aged 16 to 24 in the USA stumbled upon a product or service through a social media video that randomly popped up on their feed. Talk about being in the right place at the right time!

And when it comes to back to school shopping, social media is where it’s at. Over 62% of shoppers turn to platforms like Instagram and TikTok to snag those sweet deals (compared to 56% last year).

More so, going by the Bazaarvoice data, over half of consumers, at least 57%, have hit the “buy now” button after watching a product video on social media.

So, what’s driving it? It’s all about showing real people using the product, giving tutorials, or doing live demos. And, of course, content creators play a big role too! Seeing an influencer rave about a product or watching a brand video can seal the deal.

Let’s dive into some brands that have nailed it with their awesome video strategies blending the latest trends. 

10 creator-led, video campaign strategies 

1. Leveraging product placement in a school supply haul video on YouTube

In 2023, Casetify partnered with influencer Zhirelle for a shopping haul video, hitting Target for her school supplies. Zhirelle meticulously breaks down each stationery item she snagged, elaborating on why she chose it and how it’s been a game-changer for her. 

Seamlessly, Zhirelle incorporates product placement, highlighting Casetify’s durable phone cases tailored for students, all while emphasizing their support for art students and creators by showcasing their designs. This strategic move not only amplifies Casetify’s product visibility but also serves as a savvy incentive for the content creator.

Why it works:

• You get access to a wider audience than it might reach through your marketing channels
• Integrating your product into the video can capture the audience’s attention and potentially increase engagement for your brand
• It makes it easy for shoppers to purchase the product directly after watching the haul, as the video description often includes affiliate links or discount codes

2. Authenticity in action with behind-the-scenes videos on Instagram and YouTube

With behind-the-scenes videos considered highly engaging, American Eagle teamed up with influencers Maddie & Kenzie to craft a genuine narrative for their campaign. The goal? Connect with their customer community personally and inspire students to rock AE jeans in their everyday looks.

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A post shared by American Eagle (@americaneagle)

The sisters got hands-on, trying out samples and putting their spin on the pieces. They shared feedback with the AE team, highlighting which outfits resonated most with their vibe. And it wasn’t all about pushing products — behind-the-scenes videos offered a peek into the real story behind the polished content, giving viewers a glimpse of the genuine effort that goes into it all. 

Why it works: 

• The raw, unedited moments during attire trials reveal the genuine person behind the scenes, making recommendations believable
• Witnessing the effort behind the scenes fosters community, trust, engagement, and inspiration
• You can offer unscripted, diverse content across multiple platforms

3. Integrate back to school videos with the latest TikTok trends

TikTok’s “For You” page has changed the game regarding shopping on social media. Whether serving up outfit inspiration with Get Ready With Me (GRWM) videos or showing off styling tips and room decor, content creators are shaping what’s hot and what’s not.

You’ve got to jump on those trends like the 2024 ins and outs list or dive into the silent reviews trend on TikTok. And for clothing, footwear, and makeup brands, it’s like hitting the jackpot! You can get your products reviewed while riding the wave of the latest viral trends on TikTok and Instagram. It’s not just about copying and pasting. You must seamlessly blend these trends into your back to school content in a fresh, creative, and relevant way.

Why it works: 

• Keeps your content relevant
• These viral trends are relatable to students, sparking major enthusiasm for your brand or message.
• Increases brand visibility and awareness

4. Embracing rawness with unpolished video content for YouTube Shorts and TikTok 

Jansport, the famous backpack brand, decided to switch things up for their back to school sales. Instead of heavily curated photos and images, they used raw, unedited, quick videos. 

They jumped on this viral trend of less polished content. With icons like thrift queen Emma Rogue, indie band DWLLRS, skater Eunice Chang, and gamer girl Krystalogy, they grabbed their iPhones and filmed videos all about school life and friendship.

It’s not just about what happens in the classroom — it’s about those moments outside, hanging around in cafes, stores, or skateboarding with friends. Jansport’s “Always with you” campaign perfectly captures how their backpacks are there for all those lifelong moments.

Why it works: 

• Unfiltered moments capture the essence of reality
• They could cut through the noise with the unscripted look, raw videos away from the polished veneer of traditional content 
• Featuring real people in real-life situations made them stand out as the target audience could relate to it

5. How-to and tutorial videos on prepping for back to school shopping

Sadie Aldis, a content creator with over a million YouTube subscribers, teamed up with Amazon last year to bring some serious value, especially during this crazy back to school shopping season. Her how-to and tutorial videos speak directly to students’ needs and interests.

Her 26-minute video covers everything from organizing school files to jazzing up your school bag, setting goals, and even keeping your skin game on point for prepping for back to school. 

But Sadie’s video isn’t just about giving tips — it’s about building a community of people looking for organization hacks, DIY projects for spicing up your school supplies, and even some fashion inspiration to make you stand out in the halls.

Tutorial videos like Sadie’s are a powerful way to showcase your products in the most natural way possible. It’s all about weaving them into a bigger story — giving viewers valuable content while subtly showing off some excellent products.

Why it works: 

• Increases the likelihood of getting into the DMs of your potential customers as how-to or tutorial videos have a high chance of shareability
• The informative and valuable content not only reaches the established follower base but has the potential to go viral as viewers share it with their friends, family, and followers, who may also find the content valuable
• In-depth product demonstrations, reviews and tutorials keep viewers engaged

6. Let your employees be the face of your video content on social media

Do you know what’s hot in the creator marketing world? Putting your employees at the front and centre to discuss your brand and products. In 2023, the footwear brand Foot Locker hopped on that trend by rolling out its “It’s Sneaker Season” campaign right at the heart of the back to school shopping season.

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A post shared by Foot Locker (@footlocker)

The video starred their staff — the Foot Locker Stripers — alongside sneaker shoppers, especially Gen Zers, hitting the store for fresh kicks. It was like the ultimate sneak peek into sneaker heaven, as you could see them smell those sneakers in all the videos. 

Why it works: 

• Highlighting employees as influencers adds credibility to the social video, as they possess specific knowledge or skills related to the topic
• Employees act as nano-influencers within the company, well-versed in the products and features
• Through their social media networks of friends, family, and acquaintances, it’s easy to broaden the reach of the videos. People tend to be more engaged with content shared by individuals they know, resulting in more likes, comments, and shares, ultimately boosting overall engagement

7. “Shop with me” is the new “GRWM”

Check out The Wads, a mom influencer promoting Target with her “Shop with me” video on YouTube. So, she heads over to Target to scope out all the back to school gear for 2023. And she picks up so much cool stuff that’ll have the kids going wild. She even swings by the office supplies and dollar spot sections.

If you’re unfamiliar, “Shop with me” videos are like a twist on haul videos. YouTube creators bring their cameras along on a shopping trip and then dish out all the deets on their finds when they get home. This trend has blown up big time! In the past few years, watch time has shot up over 10 times on mobile alone. It’s like everyone’s hooked on watching other people shop.

Why it works: 

• It gives audiences a chance to experience their products in a fun, familiar way, leading to higher engagement than traditional ads
• Viewers see how products look and function in real-life settings 

8. Product giveaway videos featuring YouTube content creators

Everyone’s on the hunt for discounts and killer deals when it comes to back to school shopping and sales. Teaming up with content creators to shout out those value-packed deals feels way more authentic than just pushing ads in people’s faces. It’s like getting a friend’s recommendation — it hits home with viewers and increases the chances of turning them into customers.

Princess Polly, an Australian online fashion boutique, partnered with influencer Paige Kaiser to hype up their back to school giveaway — $1000 cash, a $2000 wardrobe, and a $500 UberEats voucher. They partnered with Paige with some gift products to feature in her videos while spreading the word about their giveaway to connect with their target audience.

Why it works: 

• Giveaways incentivize viewers to watch the entire video
• Amplifies the reach and impact
• It creates more UGC as viewers can share content in comments or social media posts 

9. Shoppable livestream events

As part of their One Walmart initiative to make shopping seamless, retail giant Walmart teamed up with suppliers Skin U by Neutrogena and consumer health brand Kenvue for a livestream event on Talk Shop Live. This social selling network helped promote Walmart’s back to school in-store and online shopping campaign.

During the event, beauty influencer Mei Mei and a Neutrogena R&D scientist shared tips and tricks for healthy skincare routines, boosting shoppers’ confidence for the new school year. 

Why it works:   

• Shoppable videos provide an interactive experience, enabling viewers to click or tap on the video, seamlessly directing them to purchase pages
• Witnessing others use and endorse products makes them more appealing to viewers, creating a sense of social proof
• Allows viewers to transition from discovery to purchase within seconds of finding a product they like, ultimately shortening the marketing cycle
• You obtain  valuable first-party data insights on which products garner the most interest and clicks, allowing for future influencer partnerships and product development based on that information

10. TikTok Shop

Social media is exploding as a product discovery hub, and TikTok’s shoppable videos, “TikTok Shop”, take it to the next level. It seamlessly blends e-commerce with engaging content, allowing viewers to instantly discover and purchase products within the app. 

Shoppable videos integrate clickable hotspots, such as product tags or links, directly into the short-form video. These hotspots can reveal product details and reviews or whisk viewers to the purchase page.

Partnering with content creators who resonate with your target audience unlocks a powerful marketing strategy. Their voices and personalities build trust and excitement around your products, driving viewers to explore and purchase effortlessly.

Why it works: 

• Removes the friction of leaving the video to find and purchase a product — significantly boosts conversion rates
• Seamless buying journey, keeping viewers engaged throughout the entire process
• Valuable data on viewer behavior and product interest

Easily find creators with AI tools

For businesses like yours operating within tight marketing budgets this back to school shopping season, finding the perfect content creators for these videos can be a game-changer. Are you curious to know more? There’s a simple solution waiting for you!

If only things were that easy…

The fact is, understanding usage rights is a must for every brand that wants to collaborate with influencers and other creators. Nearly 80% of people tag brands in their social media posts at least sometimes, creating lots of opportunities to leverage user-generated content (UGC) and influencer content. 

In this guide, you’ll learn how to repurpose creator content without landing in hot legal waters — or getting (gasp!) “canceled” by a creator.

Chapters:

1. What are usage rights?
2. Why do usage rights matter
3. Types of licensing agreements for usage rights
4. Best practices for securing usage rights
5. Streamline creator partnerships with Bazaarvoice 

What are usage rights?

Usage rights determine how someone — a business or individual — is allowed to use a piece of content they didn’t create or own the rights to. 

When you partner with an influencer or UGC creator, you need a usage rights agreement (often called a licensing agreement) that will define where and how you’ll use the content. The agreement also defines how long you’re allowed to use the content. Some agreements grant usage rights “in perpetuity” (meaning forever), while others set a limitation.

For example, an influencer could grant usage rights to their video review of your product in perpetuity on all digital platforms and also allow you to repurpose the video material for other types of content.

Why do usage rights matter

Agreeing on usage rights is important to set expectations for your influencer collaborations. It puts everyone on the same page regarding your partnership and lowers the risk of legal issues as a result of copyright infringement.

If someone sues you for copyright infringement, you could be on the hook for financial damages. What’s more, you’d have to shelve any marketing campaigns that use the content, adding to the cost. 

In addition to lawsuits, your brand could suffer reputational damage — and reputation is everything. Many content creators have loyal followings who might no longer buy your products if the creator goes public with their bad experience. People are drawn to controversy. Coming back from a scandal can take you years and cost plenty of dollars.

Be aware that you also need a licensing agreement for any other copyrighted material a creator uses in their content, like music. Failing to do so could lead to expensive lawsuits.

Just recently, Sony Music Entertainment sued beauty brand OFRA for not getting permission to use copyrighted music when collaborating with influencers. In Sony’s view, the popular music added to the impact of the influencer videos, so OFRA was supposed to compensate them for their use. A similar lawsuit took place between UMG Recordings and Vital Pharmaceuticals.

You might wonder why brands are liable for copyright violations committed by influencers they partner with. After all, you didn’t do anything wrong. Well, the reason is that it’s the brand’s responsibility to verify that the sponsored content doesn’t infringe on copyrighted materials.

So, your usage rights agreements should make it clear that creators aren’t allowed to use content they don’t own.

Types of licensing agreements for usage rights

When you partner with a creator or influencer, or source UGC from social, you’ll establish usage rights using a license agreement.

Creative Commons

A Creative Commons license allows you to use a piece of content as long as you give credit to the copyright owner. There’s seven kinds of Creative Commons licenses, some more restrictive than others:

• CC BY: Allows commercial reuse, distribution, adaptation, and remixing across formats and mediums with attribution to the original creator
• CC BY-SA: Same conditions as the CC BY license, but you must also license the modified content you created under the same conditions
• CC BY-NC: Same conditions as CC BY, except it doesn’t allow for commercial use
• CC BY-NC-SA: You must give credit to the original creator and use the same license for the modified content. Commercial use isn’t allowed
• CC BY-ND: You’re not allowed to adapt the content, but you can share and copy it across formats and mediums with attribution. Commercial use is permitted
• CC BY-NC-ND: The content can be shared only in its original format, with attribution, and for non-commercial purposes

Remember that once a creator applies a Creative Commons license to their work, they can’t revoke it.

Royalty-free

Under a royalty-free licensing agreement, the creator gives you permission to use their content for a one-time payment. You won’t need to pay royalties every time you use the image or video, and the license is granted for an unlimited time period.

This is a common license on stock photo websites, where you can purchase a piece of content and then reuse it as many times as you want. Typically, you don’t have to credit the creator, and you’re allowed to change the content to suit your needs.

Keep in mind that a royalty-free license doesn’t grant you exclusive rights to the content. Other brands can purchase the same image or video and use it in their campaigns.

Rights-managed

In terms of reuse, a rights-managed license is more limited than a royalty-free one. It permits you to use the content in a single project, but it doesn’t cover additional usage in other campaigns. 

On the plus side, a rights-managed license can give you exclusive rights to the content so you can be sure your competitors won’t use it (and you rake in brand authenticity points).

Best practices for securing usage rights

Follow these best practices to get your creator partnerships off on the right foot and avoid litigation. Happy legal team = happy life. 

1. Do your research

Not all types of content have the same usage rights, which is why you should first research where the content came from. 

Note: This applies only if you want to use existing content, not when you’re collaborating with an influencer who has yet to create content for your brand. In this case, jump down to step two, “Get the creator’s permission.”

Let’s say you found an image that would work perfectly on your website’s product page. But there’s no attribution, so you have no idea where the image came from. To find out, try doing a reverse Google Image search, which will pull up all the websites featuring the same image.

If the image came from a stock photo library like Shutterstock, then it’ll be easy to determine usage rights. On Shutterstock, for example, there are “Standard” and “Enhanced” licenses that depend on your subscription type. Each license specifies how you’re allowed to use the content.

What about videos on Instagram or TikTok that you want to reuse? The first step is to double-check if the account owner actually created the video and didn’t just repost it from somewhere else. Then, contact the creator to get their written permission.

2. Get the creator’s permission

If you’re partnering with an influencer who will produce UGC for your brand, you’ll also need a contract to establish usage rights.

Written permission can be in the form of a formal licensing agreement that describes where and how you’ll use the content. You might also specify compensation and how long you intend to use it.

If you just want to share a creator’s content to your profile, then a simple message asking their permission could suffice (the kids call it sliding into their DMs). However, make sure to clear this with your legal team first, especially if you’re not sure if the creator has used someone else’s copyrighted material in their content, like music.

Remember to archive these communications in case any legal issues arise. The more receipts you have, the better.

3. Be ready to negotiate

Some creators are happy to share their content for free. Others want to be compensated for their time and effort, so you might need to negotiate their rates.

Compensation depends on many factors. If someone grants you an exclusive, perpetual license to their content, then they might ask for a much higher fee. Consider limiting the duration of the license to six months or a year to get a lower rate.

The scope of usage also influences compensation. If you only plan to repurpose a creator’s video on your website, it could give you some room to negotiate their fee.

Be upfront with any compensation limitations. For example, some brands prefer to pay first-time collaborators in merchandise. Mentioning this at the very end of your negotiation could frustrate the creator and put them off from working with you.

4. Use digital asset management software

As your influencer marketing partnerships grow, you’ll need an easy way to manage your digital assets and ensure you aren’t violating their usage rights.  

With digital asset management software, you can track usage rights for all of your assets in one place. It will prevent you (and anyone else on your team) from using content with an expired license.

Streamline creator partnerships with Bazaarvoice 

Strategic partnerships with the right creators will put your brand in front of the right audiences. But finding the right creator, securing usage rights, and ensuring they produce on-brand content is a lot to juggle at once. Bazaarvoice’s Creator Partnerships does the heavy lifting for you with our community of trusted creators.

You just need to set content goals and define your audience and messaging. Then, a Bazaarvoice Strategist will take over to find the right creator and negotiate the terms. Any content they create can be repurposed on your other channels so you can make the most out of the partnership and bask in the benefits of influencer marketing.

In essence, influencer marketing is about collaborating with the right individuals who can build awareness of your brand with their audience. It’s important for your brand equity to get these partnerships up and running well from the get-go.

By clearly outlining expectations, brand standards, campaign details, and more before a partnership kicks off, you can attract the best influencers to your project and help them create better, more powerful content.

What is an influencer brief?

An influencer brief is a document that outlines your influencer marketing campaign goals, guidelines, and content deliverables with any influencers you plan to collaborate with. It tells your creators what you need and expect from that in order to have a successful partnership that meets your objectives.

Your brand should have an in-house influencer brief template (accessible to anyone who communicates with creators) that contains basic information like brand guidelines, contact deets, and core values, etc, but that can also be customized to suit each influencer campaign.

Why should I partner with influencers?

The right influencers can help you create a goldmine of user-generated content (UGC) — reviews, photos, and videos created by customers rather than brands.

UGC is the key to earning customer trust and loyalty. 84% of millennials say UGC affects their purchasing decisions, while almost half of Gen Z customers say social media is their top inspiration for buying a product — even more so than recommendations from family and friends.

The six elements of a strong influencer brief

A strong influencer brief helps ensure you and the creators you partner with are on the same page. It’s one thing to say you want winning content — it’s another to show an influencer what winning content actually looks like.

It can also help you attract the right partners to your project. 

Influencers — especially the good ones — are picky. They want to work with brands and retailers that align with their mission and audience. According to a recent Bazaarvoice influencer survey, 62% of content creators said they’ve turned down potential brand partnerships and 35% declined because the brief they received was unclear or not a good fit.

Digital creator Marina Mitrakos says strong influencer briefs are critical to affirming a good fit between brands and creators (and their audiences).

“It helps me decide, ‘Is this something that fits with who I am and my audience? Or is this something that feels off and I can’t produce for?’” Marina said. “Influencer briefs help set clear expectations and ensure both sides of the partnership that the project will work out.”

Creating an influencer brief will also save you time and money. No more going back and forth with creators on revisions or retakes. No more off-brand content that makes you scratch your head and ask, “Where did they get that idea?” No more confusion from partners about what to include in a post.

Here’s six elements to include in an influencer brief to attract the right influencers and create effective content together. 

1. Your brand story

Building brand awareness and maintaining brand loyalty isn’t easy. It’s difficult enough to do this with brand-generated content. But influencer-created content? Even trickier! 

The key to helping influencers create content that generates brand loyalty? Storytelling. After all, research has shown that the human brain is wired for stories. 

A brief that outlines the story you want influencers to tell will help them craft content that goes beyond the product specs. This section gives creators the info they need to paint a bigger picture of your brand. 

• What makes your company unique? 
• Is there a compelling origin story? 
• What’s your brand’s “why”? 

Explain those answers here — so influencers can tell their audience great stories about your brand. This is the kind of information that helps followers more easily connect emotionally with your products.

2. Campaign summary

Influencers will have immediate questions: What do they need to do? What are your goals? 

Answer those questions in your campaign summary. Include an overview of the campaign, deliverables, and overall objectives. With influencer briefs, clarity is the name of the game. Consider starting with a one-sentence, high-level description of the campaign. For example: 

This is our holiday influencer campaign, where you and your followers can get to know our brand and seasonal products better through fun and creative videos.

After the 30,000-foot overview, dive into the logistical details. For example: 

• How many posts does the influencer need to create? 
• What hashtags should they use?
• What products should they promote? 
• What’s the theme of the campaign? 
• What do you hope the campaign will do? (Increase brand awareness, sell more of a specific product, drive X amount of additional UGC like social imagery or product reviews from the influencer’s audience)

When brands and creators disconnect on campaign fundamentals like these, it can lead to confusion, frustration, and ineffective content. That’s the exact opposite of what you want. 

3. Product usage

This section is the instruction manual part of your influencer brief. After reading, an influencer should know exactly how your product works and how to use it. This part of your brief should also outline expectations for how they showcase the product. Should the content show the product in action or do you want an unboxing video? 

For example, say you’re a pet care company. Maybe you want a cute video of a dog wagging its tail and sniffing the box as its human opens it. So much excitement! 

Or maybe you want to show the durability of your new chew-proof dog toy and suggest the influencer record them playing tug-of-war with their pup. 

In this section, you’ll also want to outline how to overcome hesitations users have about the product. What are some common questions that consumers ask about the item? How could an influencer’s content answer those questions? 

For instance, maybe the same pet care company has a product that allows pet owners to give their pups peanut butter as a treat. Great news for dogs — but pet owners might worry it’s hard to clean. An influencer brief could suggest a video showing the creator taking the toy apart and easily wiping off the mess. With influencer marketing, the possibilities are endless.

4. Brand guidelines 

Every piece of content an influencer creates should strengthen your brand and align with your voice or standards. If you have brand guidelines, send them over. If you don’t, here’s a few suggestions to set influencers up for success:

• Words your brand likes to use (and ones you never use)
• Specific colors you want your photos and videos to include
• Existing product descriptions, so the influencer doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel to describe how the item works

These are all helpful tidbits to tell influencers before they create UGC for your brand. Your influencer brief should include details about messaging, tone, content must-dos, etc.

Think of your brand guidelines as guardrails — not total roadblocks. (Remember, allow some space for the influencer to be creative. That’s why you’ve hired them!) Instead, these guidelines are helpful barriers that keep collaborators’ content from straying off course.

5. Content inspiration 

Sometimes, lists of do’s and don’ts can only go so far. Creatives need to see in-the-wild examples of what you have in mind. This is where content inspiration like mood boards come into play. 

If you’ve worked with creators before, this piece of your influencer brief can include links to past work that generated great results. 

However, if you’re new to influencer partnerships, don’t fret. Create a folder or mood board that includes examples of effective work. For example, link to your favorite posts on the company’s Instagram page or in-house videos that were popular on TikTok.

Bonus: Create an “anti” mood board. Can you find examples of content that absolutely doesn’t work for your brand? Seeing “what not to do” can help guide influencers and keep them from creating misaligned content. 

Finally, are there other brands or retailers whose work you want to emulate? These don’t have to be direct competitors. Often, they’re companies in another industry whose content you enjoy. 

Maybe their campaigns always include humor. Or the lighting in their photography and videos always makes the product look amazing. Include all that inspiration here — but be sure to also explain how your campaign will differ.

6. Payment terms 

Many influencers expect to be paid for their brand partnerships. This area of your influencer brief should include: 

• Terms and conditions (for example, do they need to sign an NDA? Is there a cancellation clause?)
• Compensation type (flat rate, commissions, affiliate income)
• Payment method
• Payment dates

While the main goal of an influencer brief is to drive on-brand, impactful content, this section also helps prevent headaches and awkwardness — for all parties. 

You don’t have to talk exact numbers at this stage, but clearly explain the terms of the collaboration up front so you don’t get into messy payment or legal disputes down the road.

Common questions about influencer partnerships

The world of influencer campaigns is still relatively new in the grand scheme of marketing. Understandably, many brands and retailers have questions about how to hire collaborators, when and how to use an influencer brief, and best practices for effective collaboration.

Here are some FAQs we get at Bazaarvoice — with answers to make your journey smoother.

When should I use an influencer brief? 

Any time you partner with an influencer for a campaign, you want to use an influencer brief. It helps produce better content and ensures everyone knows what they’re getting into before the project begins. 

How much should I include in my brief? 

If you’re unsure about what to include or leave out, err on the side of more detail. 

Remember, you’ve enlisted a creator to get the word out about your brand or company. The more they know, the more effective their content will be. 

Alternatively, the less they know — well, the less likely they’ll be able to deliver on expectations. A strong influencer brief can save you from wasted time, wasted money, and the stress and frustration of not getting what you asked for.

How do I know if I’ve chosen the right influencer? 

Unfortunately, it’s hard to be 100% sure without a crystal ball. But there are some best practices to follow. Before you even reach out to a potential collaborator, you want to make sure they’re a good fit for your brand or product. Sift through influencers’ content before contacting them. 

• What kind of content do they usually post?
• Are their feeds video-heavy or photo-heavy? 
• What value do they provide their audience? 
• What’s their skill set? (Injecting humor into content? Explaining complicated concepts in simple terms? Connecting on a personal level with followers?) 

It’s also helpful to clearly establish your own goals before contacting influencers. What kind of audience do you want to reach? For example, Kraft Heinz partnered with the Influenster community to identify key consumers, then matched them with products they would likely enjoy. Thanks to this targeted strategy, Kraft gained 20,000 new reviews and 39 million impressions.

Determining your audience in advance will also prevent bad-fit rejections. According to our influencer research, 49% of creators have turned down a brand partnership because it didn’t align with their values. And sometimes the potential collaboration just doesn’t make sense — like asking an influencer to promote a product they wouldn’t use in their real life.

“I remember when I was asked to partner with a baby toy company,” said Marina Mitrakos. “If they did some more research on me, they’d realize that I don’t have a child or younger siblings, and I’m not expecting soon. So if I said yes to the collaboration, I’d be putting out content that doesn’t make sense.”

Oops! 

Don’t make the same mistake. Do the up-front research to ensure a partnership is aligned before diving into campaign details. It might save you from a little embarrassment.

An influencer brief: Your ticket to authentic, effective content

Influencer collaborations certainly have a lot of moving pieces. But that doesn’t mean the process has to be disorganized or confusing — for either party. 

A strong influencer brief is your key to more effective partnerships. This document streamlines workflow, clearly outlines expectations and standards, eliminates confusion, and helps your brand get the content it needs. 

While it may take some work up front, creating an influencer brief is well worth the time. By including the six sections outlined above, you’ll be able to set any collaborator up for success. 

If you’re ready to partner with reliable, influential creators to amplify your brand, check out Bazaarvoice Creator Partnerships.

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How to update your influencer marketing program for 2024

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Chapters:

1. What is influencer analytics?
2. 7 types of influencer analytics metrics
3. Benefits of using influencer analytics tools
4. The best influencer analytics tools on the market
5. Influencer analytics tools FAQs
6. Getting started with influencer analytics

What is influencer analytics?

Influencer analytics is the process of analyzing performance metrics like audience demographics, engagement rates, reach, impressions, and conversions to evaluate the impact of an influencer. Influencer analysis allows marketers to make data-driven decisions, assess the return on investment (ROI), and make adjustments to achieve better results.

‍Influencer analytics can be carried out using various tools and platforms that provide data and insights, allowing marketers to track and analyze influencers’ performance on social media channels.

Robust influencer analytics tools offer influencer search engine, engagement metrics, audience insights, fraud detection, and more such features to help marketers measure and enhance the success of their influencer campaigns.

7 types of influencer analytics metrics

Having a tool to assist your influencer marketing strategy is all well and good, but it’s a bit pointless if you don’t know the metrics you should be addressing,

1. Reach

The context of reach falls under two categories. First is the number of times social media users view a post or a story on Instagram or Facebook — a higher number indicates higher engagement. You can also gauge reach through the follower base of an influencer.

There’s different types of influencers, ranging from nano to mega, based on their follower count.

2. Impressions

Impressions is a metric highlighting the number of times a particular reel, story or post is displayed on a user’s Instagram feed, indicating the relevance of the content among its followers base.

3. Engagement

Engagement highlights how an influencer’s followers base interacts with the content. It includes clicks, comments, shares, questions and likes. Getting high impressions but low engagement (there’s no comments, likes, or shares) reflects on the influencer’s authenticity. Engagement hints at how people interact with the influencers and want to learn more about the product.

4. Earned media value

Earned media value (EMV) is an overall estimate of the engagement and interaction driven by each post published by an influencer mentioning your product. It measures word-of-mouth generated by the influencer and tells you what kind of content resonates positively well with their audience.

5. Conversions

The consumer journey ends up in a conversion, where the shopper has made their mind to purchase the product. You can track conversions through referral links and customised discount codes. These automated influencer analytics tools help track the interactions done through these links and sales driven by discount codes.

6. Audience demographics

An insight into the influencer’s followers, including their age, gender, location, interests, and other relevant information, helps businesses determine if the audience aligns with their target customers. With such data, you can reach out to influencers who can connect with the brand’s desired customer segment.

7. Competitive Analysis

Metrics like competitive analysis give marketers an edge over their competitors as they can view influencers working with similar brands. You can choose to work or not work with influencers who work with competing companies.

Benefits of using influencer analytics tools

1. Data-driven decision making. Influencer analytics tools remove the guesswork from creator marketing by providing detailed data on influencer profiles. Decisions like which influencers to collaborate with, how to optimize campaigns, and where to allocate the resources for maximum impact become more accurate with data to back them.
2. Recruiting the right creators. Many brands struggle to find relevant influencers to run a campaign. The right analytics tool can easily find the right influencer for you to collab with.
3. Audience Insights. Paint a clear picture of your audience’s interests, sentiments, engagements, and more. Having a clear understanding of your audience helps you create better content that resonates.
4. Evaluate influencer performanceI. Influencer analytics tools allow you to share affiliate links and promo codes that help track creator performance across social media in terms of traffic, leads, and conversions.
5. Budgeting. You save countless man-hours and resources using influencer analytics tools to identify the right influencers aligning with your brand value, preventing you from spending your marketing budget on manual execution.
6. Brand Safety. Ensure brand safety by spotting fake influencers or those using follower bots to show a higher follower count. Tools vet influencers, using several filters, to check negative sentiments found in their posts.

The 9 best influencer analytics tools on the market

Here’s a list of, in our opinion, the best influencer analytics tools on the market.

GRIN

Grin’s creator performance tracks the performance of every post, such as engagement, clicks and conversions. Grin calculates credibility scores based on influencer engagement and other key metrics to confirm a genuine social media account to identify the right talent for a brand. This process helps connect brands with talents having a highly engaged follower base.

Yoloco

Yoloco provides advanced analytical reports by rating the audience base of an influencer. It targets the location of the influencer and its audience. Through their algorithm, they find out the approximate coverage of the post and what the brand’s influencers have already advertised. They have an Instagram analytics app for marketers giving fake or real followers details.

Upfluence

Like other platforms, Upfluence helps you analyse other performance metrics on social media channels by calculating their engagement rates, comments, likes, views, shares and comments. It lets you understand how their engagement has increased or decreased in the last few years.

With their Chrome extension, you can upload a new influencer you might have spotted on social media and easily add them to your list. It also enables you to easily import a list of previous influencers to the platform you have worked with.

Hypeauditor

HypeAuditor conducts influencer analytics for Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Twitch to help you choose the perfect creator. Besides audience demographics like location, age, gender and interest, Hypeauditor uses AI to detect low-quality audiences by analyzing the follower growth and engagement authenticity.

Their influencer marketing analytics tool calculates audience reachability. The engagement analysis checks comments’ authenticity and detects engagement pods. It also looks at suspicious growth patterns and whether influencers use follows/unfollow to grow their audiences.

Keyhole

Keyhole ensures transparency by highlighting fake followers and negative sentiments. It believes in generating credible data and discovering influencers relevant to your industry. Through their tool, you can figure out authentic conversations, engagements and sentiments to find those aligning with your goals.

Their influencer analytics tool unlocks insights about influencers’ social media accounts. You don’t have to take screenshots or update spreadsheets to analyse results. You can easily find out which posts resonate most with your audience and drive impact through data.

Modash

Modash is an influencer analytics tool that helps brands and agencies identify and analyze relevant influencers for their campaigns. With Modash, users can search for influencers based on criteria like audience demographics, engagement rates, and content themes. The platform provides detailed analytics on an influencer’s performance and helps users track the success of their campaigns by monitoring key metrics such as reach, impressions, and engagement.

Some of the platform’s key features include campaign management, audience insights, content management, and competitor analysis. Its user-friendly interface makes it easy for users to navigate and manage their campaigns.

trendHERO

trendHero is another influencer analytics tool helping businesses and agencies find and analyze influencers for their marketing campaigns. trendHero offers a range of features, including influencer comparison, audience insights, data analytics, campaign management, and a customizable dashboard.

The platform’s AI-powered recommendation engine can automatically suggest influencers and content ideas based on a user’s campaign goals and target audience, saving time and effort for users who are new to influencer marketing or looking for fresh ideas.‍

Bazaarvoice affable.ai

Bazaarvoice affable.ai is an all-in-one, AI-powered influencer marketing platform with an in-built technology to vet millions of influencers based on their age, location, gender, language, follower count etc. We use multiple metrics to analyze how influencers can impact your objectives — by spotting fake influencers and those with low-quality audiences.

With Bazaarvoice affable.ai, you’re easily able to find creators, manage your collaborations, track campaign metrics, and measure your performance.

Celisse Ng, Marketing Manager, L’Occitane

Our influencer analytics tools give an estimated engagement, reach and an estimated media value of a content creator by scanning through their posts. You can also check audience interest, influencer’s brand affinity, and the number of branded and non-branded content and get a graphical representation of their followers’ growth.

Influencer analytics tools FAQs

Getting started with influencer analytics

Undoubtedly, identifying the right influencer is the greatest challenge for many brands. Perhaps due to a lack of knowledge about the right influencer analytics tools required to get started.

So, before you strategise for your next influencer marketing campaign, evaluate a tool that will aid your specific needs. Or better yet, try a tool that covers the whole influencer marketing spectrum.

If you’re not sure where to begin, turn to these three influencer marketing case studies to guide your strategy.

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Masterclass: How to update your influencer marketing program for 2024

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Finding these content creators might feel a bit like searching for a needle in a haystack because, let’s face it, they’re everywhere nowadays. And then there’s the challenge of figuring out if they’re legit, if their followers are genuine, and how well they’ll align with your brand values. Not to mention identifying who has the potential to connect with the most significant chunk of your target audience — all crucial factors to consider when you’re looking to find a squad of content creators.

But let’s simplify this whole process of how to find the right content creators, who can weave an outstanding tale around your product or service, all in their authentic storytelling style.

Different methods and tools are available to unearth these influential voices and vet them based on their social presence, audience demographics, brand affinity, and more.

Chapters:

1. What are content creators?
2. Why you need to find content creators for your brand
3. Define your creator marketing goals
4. Where to find content creators
5. How to assess whether a creator is right for you
6. ‍Don’t just find content creators — build long-term collaborations

What are content creators?

Content creators are a small set of individuals who have the potential to let your idea, product or service diffuse through a population. They can make a trend go viral and spark purchase decisions by opening new engagement channels.

Every year, we’re further witnessing this shift toward valuable, authentic content that’s driven by creators. It’s kind of a big deal. The creator economy, valued at $250 billion this year, is expected to almost double, reaching a whopping $480 billion by 2027.

Reason being: research shows that we believe in the recommendations given by our peers before buying a product. For example, 89% of shoppers consult ratings and reviews before making a purchase. Content creators play a similar role because of their objectiveness and authenticity.

Why you need to find content creators for your brand

Content creators are persuasive and organically create word-of-mouth marketing that inspires purchases. They can easily reach out to the most significant number of your interested customers. And here’s the kicker. These content creators are stepping up their game as they emerge as a full-funnel marketing channel. They create a shortcut in the purchase journey that leads shoppers directly to purchase.

What does that mean for you? Your potential customers get to decide on your product in a snap, thanks to the seamless experience of social commerce. 

Define your creator marketing goals

You’re probably wondering where to kick off the journey to find the right content creators to work with. Your broad marketing strategy is the anchor, but it has to trickle down to having well-planned content goals, and good clarity on your target demographics that must match content creators’ follower base. And above all, a budget that gives you enough brand-ready content.   

It all starts with clearly defining your content goals. Content aligning with your objectives is more likely to convey authenticity and build trust, especially when you can pinpoint content creators whose style, voice, and audience align with your goals.

When content creators grasp your content goals, they can craft content that resonates and connects with the specific demographic you’re aiming for. This is because they’ve already built trust with their followers. Also, you can narrow down your options by focusing on content creators with a more specific and engaged audience.

But neglecting to align your target audience with the creator’s content and audience compromises authenticity, and you may not get the desired results. A content goal coupled with a well-defined target audience is particularly crucial if you’re looking to establish a strong brand identity across various channels. 

Determine the content type

Various types of content are like tools in your marketing kit, each serving a specific purpose based on your objectives—be it boosting brand awareness, driving sales, or increasing engagement. The key is to nail down your content goal and then match it with the right content type.

Whether it’s an in-depth educational YouTube video or a quick 30-60-second clip for a product mention, ensuring it aligns with the overarching story narrows down your creator search pool. It saves you time and effort and optimizes your search for creators who excel in crafting the precise content you’re after.

Set budget constraints 

Being clear about your content requirements from the get-go is a game-changer. It’s not just about saving time; it’s about budget efficiency. When you know exactly what you need, you can allocate your budget smartly, making sure your investment aligns perfectly with your goals. 

Why does this matter? Well, different content formats come with different production costs and creator fees. By defining your content needs upfront, you can find influencers whose rates match your budget, steering clear of inflated or unrealistic expectations. 

Where to find content creators

Finding the right content creators largely depends on how you plan to execute a marketing campaign. But whatever your strategy, there’s a number of ways to easily find content creators to work with.

How to assess whether a creator is right for you

Once you’ve tracked down where to find your content creators, don’t just go picking anyone based on flashy follower counts or a perfectly curated Instagram grid. You need more than that — you need creative partners who not only resonate with your brand but also amplify your message effectively.

When choosing these partners, you’ll have to drill down on vetting. It’s like your authenticity check. You ensure these creators have real followers and deliver content that hits your brand standards and gets your message across just right. 

Audience profile analysis 

When you vet audience profiles, you’re ensuring that your creator’s content lands well with folks who are genuinely into your offering. Trust is key here. When a creator’s audience already trusts their content, they’ll trust the recommendations and shout-outs they do, making your influencer marketing campaign a success.

But some influencers may resort to purchasing fake followers to appear more influential than they actually are. Plus, a massive follower count doesn’t necessarily mean the influencer hits your target audience or pulls in genuine engagement.

According to our research, mega influencers (1M+ followers) have an engagement rate of 1.6% whereas nano-influencers (1K-10K followers) have an engagement rate of 8.8% — that’s 5x more!

Their social presence 

While clicks, likes, and comments on posts may seem like ideal vanity metrics, the real question is whether creators ignite genuine conversations and interactions. To truly assess this, you need to look deeper into a creator’s content. Start by questioning their passion for the topics they cover – are they genuinely invested or merely chasing trends? Even if trend-chasing is their forte, does it align with your content goals?

Beyond quantitative metrics, focus on qualitative aspects. Assess their transparency and authenticity, especially in brand collaborations where disclosing sponsored content is crucial. Also, consider the consistency of their posting schedule.

Certain platforms (like Bazaarvoice affable.ai) can offer advanced features to evaluate and monitor these nuanced aspects of social presence. These tools efficiently gather engagement data by scrutinizing comments, emojis, user tags, and other data-centric elements, providing a more comprehensive understanding of an influencer’s impact.

L’OCCITANE, a renowned beauty brand, wanted to showcase their special edition Christmas gift sets of body wash and hand creams in Singapore.

To amplify the visibility of these festive offerings, L’OCCITANE strategically partnered with high-performing micro-influencers in the beauty and lifestyle niche. This collaboration aimed not only to attract more customers but also to enhance L’OCCITANE’s presence in the Asia Pacific region.  

Leveraging Bazaarvoice affable.ai, the brand efficiently discerned between authentic and counterfeit influencers, analyzing profile data, sponsored posts, and other metrics. Subsequently, they identified and engaged 53 micro-influencers for the Christmas campaign which led to an earned media value (EMV) of $23,000.

L’OCCITANE’s success in running an effective influencer marketing campaign was attributed to their evaluation of content creators. By ensuring an authentic social presence aligned with their content goals, the brand unlocked the creator economy pathway. 

Brand affinity 

When we dive into creator marketing, brand affinity is about how much the content creator vibes with your brand or product. It’s like their natural connection in a specific niche. So, the key is figuring out if they’re just in it for the paycheck or if they genuinely dig the industry and know their stuff about the product or service you’re pushing.

One easy way to assess a creator’s brand affinity is to check if they’ve previously worked with similar brands. Keep tabs on how the influencer audience interacts with the content featuring your product or expressing interest in learning more. You can easily find all these details using the right influencer marketing platform. 

Glossier, a prominent US beauty brand, has successfully positioned itself in the competitive billion-dollar market, primarily focusing on skincare and makeup products. A significant aspect of Glossier’s innovative approach lies in its extensive use of creator marketing within its e-commerce setup. 

The brand strategically collaborates with influencers who align with its core values, leveraging their reach and influence to convey messages and promote products to dedicated followers. This approach isn’t merely about marketing but involves capturing an engaged audience that resonates with the brand’s identity.

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A post shared by Kiki Ransom (@kiki.ransom)

Through her static posts and makeup tutorials, beauty content creator Kiki Ransom consistently showcases her affinity for Glossier products, including the latest additions to the brand’s collections. Her genuine endorsement in her makeup tutorial videos on Instagram amplifies Glossier’s reach and contributes to the brand’s goal of expanding its community.

More so, fostering customer engagement goes beyond influencer partnerships. The brand actively promotes user-generated content, encouraging customers to share their experiences and post pictures with Glossier products. Glossier has recognized the power of genuine connections by facilitating a community-driven approach and transformed satisfied customers into passionate advocates. This community-building strategy helps the brand create a strong and loyal customer base.

Aligned content, styles and values

Picture this: enlisting a tech content creator to endorse a beauty product. It might fly if they’ve been loyal to your product, but can it really capture the essence of style and value that a beauty influencer brings to the table? Likely not. Pinning down the ideal content creator boils down to your preferences in style, diversity, sentiments, and values — all of which need to sync up with your marketing KPIs.

For example, Canon’s collaboration with YouTuber Emma Chamberlain. She shared her journey of using Canon cameras during her early days of content creation. Canon chose Chamberlain wisely, aiming to connect with budding content creators as their target audience.

The strategy works because content creators with aligned values and styles are likely to have followers with similar interests and demographics. It ensures that the content reaches the right target audience, boosting the chances of meaningful engagement and conversion.

Expanding beyond their partnership with Chamberlain, Canon recently teamed up with three other creators — Karl Ndieli, Kirsten Titus, and Alisa Marie — to shed light on how each incorporates Canon products into their respective careers.

‍Don’t just find content creators — build long-term collaborations

If you’re a brand willing to run multiple campaigns, time and time again, then starting from scratch every time is certainly not the answer. In the long run, look for creating a talent pool by building long-term relationships with creators. 

Choosing those who genuinely connect with your brand can result in ongoing collaborations with sustained success. Not only that, it will also reduce the overall cost, time, and energy spent finding the content creators. Sustained collabs also increase the speed of campaign execution and reduces the competition from other brands wanting to work with the same creators. 

Now that you know how to find the right content creators for your brand, it’s time to learn how to reach out and get a “yes” in return.

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Masterclass: How to find and activate brand-safe creators

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Instagram’s platform provides the perfect stage for brands to spotlight their products through the lens of trusted influencers. Discover how you can find the perfect cast for your Instagram campaigns to bring big profits from the sea of available talent.

Chapters:

1. How Instagram influencer marketing drives sales
2. How to generate the highest ROI from Instagram influencer marketing
3. Successful Instagram influencer marketing examples
4. Leverage the Influenster app

How Instagram influencer marketing drives sales

Influencers’ grip on the modern shopping culture remains strong and profitable for brands. The global influencer marketing market value tripled since 2019, totaling $21.1 billion as of 2023.

According to a 2023 Sprout Social study, over 80% of social media marketers report that influencer marketing is essential to their strategy and that Instagram is the top influencer marketing platform for 86% of brands.

Influencers are so, well, influential because shoppers want to see content from real people they can trust over self-promotional content from brands. Influencers can range from celebrities with millions of followers to everyday customers with a smaller presence. Either way, consumers are more confident about making purchases when they see how real people experience and enjoy products.

Influencer content provides shoppers with social proof — the persuasive force that is word-of-mouth endorsements. This leads to sales, a lot of which are happening on social media. Our Shopper Experience Index found that 23% of shoppers purchased between one and five products on social platforms in the past year.

In addition to social proof, brands attract more customers and increase their visibility by reaching their influencer partners’ dedicated followings. They’re tapping into a new audience that matches their ideal customer profile.

How to generate the highest ROI from Instagram influencer marketing

There’s hundreds of thousands of Instagram influencers in the U.S. alone. That’s a deep pool of diverse creators in a range of different niches to potentially work with. Follow these best practices to get the most out of your Instagram influencer partners and marketing campaigns. 

Find the right match for your brand

While there’s a lot of influencers out there eager to collaborate, brands have to be discerning when establishing partnerships. To achieve meaningful results, your influencer partners need to be aligned with your brand values and audience interests.

There’s different levels of influencer follower sizes, and bigger doesn’t always mean better. The different influencer categories by audience size include:

• Nano influencers: Under 10,000 followers
• Micro influencers: Between 10,000 and 100,000 followers 
• Major influencers: Between 100,000 and 1,000,000 followers
• Mega influencers: Over 1,000,000 followers

In our survey of over 9,000 global shoppers, 72% said they don’t care how many followers an influencer has. They trust everyday influencers and subject matter experts more than those with massive followings. What matters is that your partners’ audiences are authentic and reflect the qualities of your target demographic. Authentic audiences are made up of real people, not bots or spam accounts, who are engaged with the creator’s content. 

When considering influencers to work with, you also want to evaluate their existing content. Ensure that they post regularly and that their content aligns with your industry and brand personality. It’s a bonus if they’ve already created content about your brand and products. 

Engagement rate is a big factor in selecting influencers to help drive sales. This is where smaller influencers shine. Our same research found that nano influencers earn over five times the engagement rate that mega influencers with over a million followers do.

Negotiate mutually beneficial partnerships

Once you’ve connected with influencer leads, be prepared to set your brand up for success while offering an attractive proposal. Be sure to include important project parameters in a terms-of-agreement document, such as:

• Timeframe: How long will the relationship run for? This could be over the course of a certain amount of Instagram posts, quarterly, or any other duration
• Volume and frequency: Include how much content creation you expect over the contract timeframe
• Usage rights: Clearly communicate how you plan to use, share, or reproduce the influencer’s content and for how long
• Content guidelines: Provide your brand style guide, quality criteria, editorial calendar, products and links to feature, and any other content-specific expectations. Keep in mind these expectations shouldn’t be too restricting or rigid, as creators prefer to have full creative autonomy
• Approval process: Provide instructions for submitting content, including photos, videos, and messaging, ahead of time for approval
• Cancelation clause: Include the option for either party to cancel the engagement before the contract end date with a certain amount of advanced notice

You also need to clearly explain what kind of payment you plan to offer. Many creators already have established rates per post, per hour, or per contract, so it’s up to the brand to approve. Otherwise, brands can offer their own payment details. 

Depending on the creator’s follower size and goals, you may agree to a different type of exchange. That could look like promoting them on any of your relevant channels or having them produce content in exchange for free products. When you’re sending your pitch, tailor your email outreach according to these best practices and templates.

Tailor campaigns to meet marketing goals

Collaborate with influencers on ways you can convert followers into customers to increase sales. Try these approaches to revenue-generating influencer content.

Product-focused user-generated content: Encourage your influencer partners to create authentic user-generated content (UGC) about your products. This can be in the form of product reviews, unboxing videos, product tutorials, product demos, or how products work in everyday scenarios. This is the kind of trusted, relatable content that modern consumers want to see.

Promote special offers and discounts: Work with influencers to share exclusive promo codes that customers can apply to purchases or links to discounted landing pages. These tools also give you a way to track the results of a particular influencer campaign.

Shoppable posts: Enable influencers to tag products directly in their posts using Instagram Shopping features or activate Like2Buy to create an in-app shopping experience. These seamless integrations reduce friction in the customer journey, making it more likely followers will convert into customers.

Collaborative giveaways: Create Instagram collab posts with influencers to host giveaways for your products. You can ask followers to participate by following both your brand and the influencer, tagging friends in the comments, sharing the post, or another call to action. The buzz generated by giveaways and engaging collab posts can significantly increase brand visibility and drive traffic to your product pages.

Share and repurpose influencer content

Amplify the reach and impact of your influencer content by sharing posts as a Story or reposting them to your Feed. This will provide your followers with social proof, and you can tag any posts featuring your products to make them shoppable. 

You can also repurpose your Instagram influencer marketing content outside of the platform on your own product pages or in emails. Enhance your e-commerce product pages with photo and video galleries, including your influencer content, to showcase your products in real life. You could also add relevant influencer content to emails to provide realistic, click-worthy visuals.

Measure performance to optimize your strategy

Evaluate the progress of your overall partnerships and individual campaigns by tracking your results. Find out who your most engaging partners are, what your best-performing content is, what’s generating sales, and the areas of opportunity to focus on. To measure the success of sales-driving campaigns, look at the following metrics:

• Product page link clicks
• Revenue generated per post
• Number of promo codes used
• Number of products tagged

Each of these metrics looks at a different way to view the results of a campaign. By using all four together, you get a holistic view of your campaign’s influence on consumer interest, revenue generated, sales finalized, and how much individual products were promoted.

Successful Instagram influencer marketing examples

Knowing how to create an influencer campaign is a good start, but seeing it in action can help you understand what to expect once your campaigns go live. Use these examples of successful Instagram influencer marketing strategies to prepare yourself and your campaign for success.

L’Occitane en Provence

Their Instagram collab with influencer byemmaleah showcases a successful giveaway campaign. It promoted the release of a limited-time product while garnering over 5,000 likes and over 6,000 comments. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by L'OCCITANE en Provence (@loccitane)

L’Occitane partnered with Bazaarvoice to streamline their influencer marketing program, which resulted in sourcing 53 authentic micro influencers and an earned media value of $23k.

AG1 by Athletic Greens

AG1 partners with a variety of creators who share their brand mission and values, like jiu-jitsu teacher cesagracie. This campaign showcases authentic product placement in a day-in-the-life style video about healthy habits. 

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A post shared by AG1 by Athletic Greens (@drinkag1)

Olive & June

Olive & June collaborates with influencers who have large followings, as well as everyday customers who share great content featuring their products.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Olive & June (@oliveandjune)

This post is a great example of the nail brand sharing a creator’s content, tagging them, and making it shoppable by tagging the featured product.

Leverage the Influenster app

One way to tap into a community of active, authentic consumers ready to create quality content for brands they love is with Influenster. 

Influenster is an online community that connects brands with influencers to get honest reviews and visual content about their products. This eliminates the sourcing and negotiating legwork. You can sit back and wait for the trustworthy content to roll in based on the products you want to promote. Find out more about Influenster and how you can get the most out of it.

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Masterclass: How to update your influencer marketing program for 2024

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• For every dollar spent on influencer marketing, brands can earn $5.78
• 63% of consumers say they trust what influencers say about your products more than what you say about them
• The global influencer marketing industry had a market value of $16.4 billion, as of 2022

Such numbers are possible as consumers continue to engage with influencers on a daily basis, often across multiple platforms. This level of engagement helps brands promote their products and services to consumers faster and more effectively.

Finding the perfect influencers to partner with is the first step, then comes the challenging part of getting in touch with them and ensuring a positive reply that leads to a successful collabaration.

So, how do you do it? There’s two main ways to go about it. Either you or your team can send a personal message on social media or reach out to them through email. The ideal way would be to do both, but email is a far more reliable way of getting a reply. When drafting your outreach emails, remember that an influencer receives dozens of emails daily so your message might get lost.

You need to make sure you cut through the noise by writing an email that immediately catches their attention. With that in mind, we’ve compiled this guide of the best strategies and templates you can use to write influencer outreach emails that elicits a positive response.

Chapters:

1. How to write a perfect influencer outreach email
2. Influencer outreach email templates
3. Save time on your influencer outreach emails with AI

How to write a perfect influencer outreach email

Follow these five simple steps to master your influencer outreach email(s) that guarantee a positive response.

1. Know your goals

What do you expect to achieve from the collaboration? Is it increasing brand engagement and reach or increasing brand awareness? Why do you want to partner with this particular influencer? What do you want the influencer to do for your brand? Give free giveaways, a product review, or post photos or videos of your products?

By answering these questions up front, you’ll be able to articulate your ideas and write an influencer outreach email that encourages your prospect influencer to work with your brand.

2. Write a catchy subject line

Digital celebrities are busy people, who receive multiple emails a day. If you want them to read yours, your outreach email needs to have a catchy subject line that draws attention.

Put across the main idea of your email in one short sentence or phrase. Seven or so words, or around 41 characters, is the ideal length for your subject line. Examples of a punchy subject line for your influencer outreach emails include:

• [Name], we want you as [brand name]’s VIP
• Love your Instagram aesthetic, [name]!
• Looking for a new collab, [name]?

Keep in mind that your subject line is like your “resume,” so to speak. If you don’t make an impression with it, the chances of your email getting opened could be slim — a third of recipients will open an email based on the subject line alone! So don’t underestimate the power of a strong subject line and give it a lot of thought to create a few versions before you finalize one.

3. Personalize your messages

Make sure you tailor every outreach email to each specific influencer you message. Personalization should begin with the subject line itself and should most certainly reflect in the greeting, and then must be spread across your email content where possible. Always use the influencers name to your advantage and these opportunities where you can add a touch of personalization to your outreach emails:

• Express admiration for the content the influencer generates. Be specific and share a link to a post that the influencer has published, and talk about what you love or appreciate about it
• If you or a colleague has met the influencer in person, make it a point to say so in the email
• If anyone from your brand has participated in an event/activity hosted by the influencer, don’t forget to mention this in the email
• If you’re reaching out to an influencer from a different country, try to speak their language. You don’t need to write the whole email in their language, but the greeting, subject line, or a few words here (“Bonjour!” instead of “Hello!”) and there make a strong impression. But make sure the usage is accurate — consult with someone who speaks the language or make sure you verify what you’ve written is accurate

4. Keep your email short and to the point

Influencers have busy schedules and other priorities ahead of reading outreach emails. If you want your email to be read, make it easy for them to scan it. Be concise and to the point. Although personalization in the email is essential, don’t overdo it to a point where it gets too lengthy:

• Introduce yourself and your company: Let them know about the brand and industry you work in, your mission, and the product or service you offer
• Connect your brand values to the values of the influencer: Tell them why they’re a perfect fit for your brand. Use some of their content that resonates with your brand to establish a connection where possible
• Let them know the offer: Give details about what you’ll offer, whether it’s free products, collaboration, or an affiliate program. Only when they show interest in your offer, talk about the monetary compensation

5. Give them creative freedom

Influencers run their business the way they want it and they’re successful at what they do. Give them the freedom to create content the way they like it. Don’t give them strict prerequisites that limit their creativity, as this will likely turn them off and make them not consider associating with you.

Influencer outreach email templates

With the above points in mind, you’re all set to start drafting your own influencer outreach emails. But to help you further, here’s a few influencer outreach email templates for different business scenarios for you to copy and paste.

Example #1: The first outreach email

The first email is to figure out the influencer’s interest in collaborating with you. In this email, state the purpose and make it clear that collaboration is mutually beneficial. Take a look at this example:

Subject line: [name], we love your TikTok content!

Hi [name], I’m [your name] and I work as the [job title] at [brand/business]. I’ve been following your content for quite some time now and I must say that it’s impressive and in line with our brand. Your recent post, [title or description of the post – hyperlinked], was really well done [the reason]. I shared it with our social media followers as well, and they really appreciated it! I’m writing to you because I wanted to discuss if you’d be interested in collaborating with [brand/business] to help us reach your audience. We’d love to send you our products and are open to other forms of collaboration as well.   Is this something you’d be interested in? If so, I’d love to begin the collaboration and bring value to both our followers!  Many thanks, [Your name]

Example #2: Brand ambassador pitch email template

If you want an influencer to work with you for the long term as a brand ambassador, follow this example:  

Subject line: [name], we want you as our new brand VIP

Hi [name], I’m [your name], I’m the [job title] at [brand/business]. I’ve been following your content for a while and I love it — especially your post on [example of a post that resonates with your brand]!  I’m writing to you today as I think you’d be a great fit for our brand so I’d love to start a conversation for us to work together by establishing a long-term association. Would you be interested in an ongoing collaboration with [brand or company name]? We’re [describe what the brand or company does]. Let me know if you’re open to discussing this further and I’ll send over more details to you. Excited to get started! [Your name]

Example #3: A new product launch  

Influencers can generate a huge buzz online for your new products or your latest features. This example is perfect for your prospective influencers:

Subject line: [name] x [your brand name] collab?

Hey [name], I’m [your name] from [brand/company name].  We’re launching a new product, [name of product/feature], this month, which is helpful to [who finds your product useful and why].  I’ve been following your content for a while now and I noticed that you post about similar products. I strongly feel that your audience would benefit from learning about our products, especially our latest launch! Please let me know if you’d be interested in promoting [new product/feature]? You’ll be adequately compensated with [list perks like new features, free samples, the pay rate, etc.] for your time.   Hope to hear from you! Kind regards, [Your name]

Example #4: Free samples template

Influencer outreach emails don’t have to be focused solely on collaborations. It’s also a good idea to reach out to influencers and let them know that you’d be sending your products for them to talk about if they’re interested and like your product. Consider this direct, short email example:

Subject line: Loved your latest Instagram post, [name]

Hey [name], I’m [your name] from [company name]. I loved your latest Instagram post and wanted to let you know that your work is very impressive! I’m reaching out to you because I have a product that I think your niche audience would absolutely love. I hope you’d be keen to test out [product name] and share it with your audience, if you like it. Keep a lookout for free samples too – I’ll also send a few extras in case you want to do a giveaway with them.  Let me know what you think! Thanks for your time, [Your name]

Example #5. The affiliate marketing template

Affiliate programs are payment or commission-based programs that depend on the number of leads the influencers pass on to you. Here’s an excellent template of an email for that purpose:

Subject line: We want you as one of [brand name]’s featured creators!

Hey [name], I’m [your name] from [company name]. I really enjoy the content you create for your audience! I’m reaching out to you because I feel you would be a great ambassador for our brand. With that, I’d love to invite you to join us as an affiliate partner.  We’ll provide you with a number of free samples for you to use and share with your loyal community. We’d also love to offer an affiliate code that you can share with your audience so you can earn commission from your influence.  Would you be interested in joining us as an affiliate partner? Please let me know – we’d love to have you on board! Many thanks, [Your name]

Save time on your influencer outreach emails with AI

These tips and influencer outreach email templates are an easy way for you to get started on your influencer marketing strategy. But there’s an easier way too — letting AI do it for you.

With Bazaarvoice affable.ai, you can reach multiple influencers at once using several ready-to-use influencer outreach email templates, saving you and your team substantial time and effort.

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Masterclass: How to update your influencer marketing program for 2024

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An effective budget is part and parcel of every marketing campaign. Regardless of the size of your department’s budget, it’s always important to justify your marketing spend by determining the ROI of your marketing campaign. In other words, you need more bang for your buck.

The good news is, on average businesses can see an ROI of $6.50 in revenue for every $1 spent on influencer marketing. And it should be noted that according to Influencer Marketing Hub, 49% of brands still pay influencers a flat rate, but now 42% of brands are by paying a percentage of any sales made as a result of the influencer’s content, which obviously differs from their rate cards.

Influencer rates aren’t always transparent and brands can often struggle to find the right influencer to work with. Firstly, you want to make sure that you’re not charged unfairly or paying above market rate.

And secondly, to run a cost-effective campaign it’s not only important to find the right influencer to maximize your marketing spend, but also one that falls within your budget. Which is why influencer rate cards exist.

What is an influencer rate card?

An influencer rate card is a document that calculates the price of all services an influencer provides. Sometimes known as influencer rate sheets, these cards tend to list price per post, the platforms they use, and the types of brands they’re willing to work (or not work) with.

The first thing you should know is how to get the conversation started on price. Similar to traditional advertisers, an influencer will usually have a rate card to indicate what services they offer and how much they charge.

Prices usually vary depending on the number of followers influencers have as well as the type of content they’re expected to produce. Other factors shaping influencer rates include:

• Industry. Prices can vary hugely between apparel and travel and health & beauty, even with the same follower count
• Re-usage rights. Depending on where you plan to use your influencer’s content will affect the price. Re-using an image on your product page might be cheaper than using it on a billboard, for example
• Channel type. Bigger social channels like TikTok and Instagram are (usually) a much different price to smaller channels like Snapchat
• Engagement. Prices will vary based on an influencer’s engagement (more on that to follow)

The basic rate is roughly $100 for every 10,000 followers worldwide and this naturally increases as we go up the influencer tiers. 

Rates are also generally higher and when more time and effort is needed to create quality content, as well as the actual length of the content. Hence, while videos generate impressive results, they inevitably come with a heftier price tag too.

Niche influencers as well as influencers with high engagement rates also command more bargaining power as they have a unique and engaged community of followers. For example, prices for tech and gaming influencers tend to be lower as there are fewer available influencers. 

Factors that affect influencer rate cards

In spite of the figures shown above, keep in mind that there’s no “one size fits all” rate card when it comes to influencer marketing. The beauty of influencer marketing lies in the diverse content formats and channels for brands to choose from. With the rise of multi-channel influencers, you can also choose to promote your brand on more than one channel at the same time.

Influencer package rates  

As well as considering multiple platforms, it’s also worth considering multiple types of content to create a holistic influencer marketing campaign for better engagement rates. 

Most influencers tend to offer package rates for social platforms, like on Instagram. The most popular combination is Instagram Posts together with Stories, while some custom packages also include Instagram Videos. So, should you consider package rates? Absolutely.

Given the popularity of Instagram Stories, brands who can engage consumers via Instagram Stories will stand to have additional touchpoints. Not only so, package rates are just slightly more, or even comparable, to individual posts. For example, a lifestyle influencer with around 19k followers on her Instagram shared her specific rates which includes different package options:

IG Post: $151 – $200

IG Story: $51 – $100

IG Post + IG Story: $151 – $200

FB Post: $151 – $200

IG Post + FB Post: $151 – $200

While it may come as a surprise, the price range doesn’t alter significantly with additional services for some influencers. After all, sharing the same content on other channels just takes a simple click. Hence, brands can try to negotiate a better deal by leveraging on other channels offered by an influencer and reach a wider target audience at the same time.

Social channel

Speaking of channels and rates, specific channels have an influence on how much an influencer costs. The same influencer may charge different prices for posts on different platforms. But another influencer may charge the same amount per platform, regardless of follower count.

Work with the right influencers 

The rule of thumb generally is that “The lower the influencer tier, the higher your marketing ROI.” When it comes to the size of the influencer you should approach, micro-influencers are a dominant force driving influencer marketing and serve as key opinion leaders in their community. Nano- and micro-influencers have proven they can engage audiences and deliver high ROI, allowing businesses with smaller budgets to run influencer marketing campaigns.

According to Instagram research of over 800,000 accounts, the engagement rate for mega influencers is 1.6% whereas for nano-influencers is 8.8%.

Nano-influencers are actually the most popular tier of influencers and have the highest engagement rate. With a well-defined niche and real influence in their community, they’re a great option to work despite lower follower counts. 

Moreover, they are also more likely to accept in-kind influencer campaigns which can help to increase your brand awareness by offering your products or services to them for free. For smaller businesses, working with nano-influencers can help to save costs and reach your target audience more effectively.

How to find an influencer within your budget

Not sure where to start or confused by the numbers? Influencer rate cards have the answers you need. But if that’s daunting or you don’t have the time to handle it, Bazaarvoice affable.ai can help you to simplify things. Get price estimates for influencers around the world and determine your campaign’s effectiveness by knowing the earned media value. 

More importantly, we all know how important it is to work with the right influencers who can deliver results. With an AI-driven Instagram analytics platform, you can now choose the right influencers based on audience demographics and engagement rate who will deliver you the best possible ROI. Read more about it here or get in touch below to learn more.

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1. They wield the power to impact the purchasing decisions of their followers due to their authenticity, credibility, knowledge, and relationship with their audience
2. They have followers in a specific niche with whom they actively engage

This yearning for more finding authentic and influential social media voices makes it all the more important to recognize different types of influencers, categorized based on their follower count, which can be further segmented based on their content/niche. 

Breaking down influencer categories opens up distinctive avenues, allowing you to engage with demographics using contextually relevant content. 

For example, when you categorize influencers based on their niches, you’re crafting a personalized strategy, ensuring your content resonates with your audience’s interests and preferences. Similarly, it’s essential to consider factors like follower count, content format, reach, and visibility to fine-tune influencer screening and make it more effective.

Chapters:

1. Types of influencers based on follower count 
2. Types of influencers based on niche 
3. Types of influencers based on brand affinity
4. Types of influencers based on channel format 
5. What to look for in influencers before collaboration 

Types of influencers based on follower count 

The ideal way to get started with influencers is by looking into their follower count (though it’s important to note that a higher follower count doesn’t guarantee a higher engagement rate). It’s the most straightforward measurable way to assess how a creator’s reach and visibility aligns with your goals.

Let’s break down the different types of influencers and make it a breeze for you to sort through and streamline your selection process.

Types of influencers based on their niche 

Fashion influencers

Bet you’ve come across #GetReadyWithMe or #GRWM — it’s like the ultimate trend showcasing how fashion influencers are owning the creator marketing scene. They’re not just throwing together outfit ideas and style tips but diving deep into the world of trending clothes, accessories, and all things fashion.

And they are not just talking about products, they’re showcasing them. Picture this: stunning posts, engaging personal stories, and killer videos, all seamlessly featuring the latest and greatest from various brands. It’s not your typical ad. It’s like your fashionable friend casually sharing their favourite finds. 

Many fast fashion brands like Shein have effortlessly connected with their target audience using these micro or mid-tier fashion influencers. And it’s not just fashion brands jumping on this train – even beauty and skincare labels are sliding into the DMs of these fashion influencers for some prime product placement.

Example: Romee Strijd x Naetur 

Naetur, the US-based clothing and jewelry brand, has driven enormous success with fashion influencer Romee Strijd. The brand collaborated with the influencer for over two years to promote their products, which has helped them build credibility with the audience. By consistently posting about the brand, the influencer created a positive and reliable brand image. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Romee Strijd (@romeestrijd)

This partnership enabled the brand to reach over a million consumers. Their strategy extends beyond social media posts and videos. Naetur leverages the influencer’s content to enhance its website, featuring Strijd’s images prominently on the brand’s homepage and product pages to attract customers at the bottom of the sales funnel.

Technology 

Technology influencers specialize in reviewing gadgets, spanning from smartphones and cameras to computers. They have established a thriving community. And if you utilize their experience and expertise, they can serve as a solid bridge between your brand and their dedicated followers.

But collaboration with them goes beyond sending samples and sponsoring a post on their social media account. Many brands like Apple invite these influencers to product launches so they can start a buzz about it on social media and get the audience interested.

Their popularity has led them to move beyond long-form content on YouTube to short-form videos. They share tech hacks, quick tutorials, unboxing content, and more on Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and TikTok. 

Unbox Therapy x Shark Clean 

The French tech brand Shark Clean teamed up with tech influencers on YouTube and Instagram to showcase their products to a wider audience. One of their recent collaborations was with Unbox Therapy, the tech YouTube channel owned by Lewis Hilsentger. He crafted in-depth tutorials about Shark Clean’s latest vacuum cleaner, delving into its advanced features.

Highlighting the product in action is key when dealing with tech products, providing consumers with insights into how their purchase will play out. The video not only listed the benefits but also demonstrated the level of convenience achievable with the cleaner, grabbing the attention of 298,000 users.

Food and beverage 

Be it Chipotle, Dunkin’ Donuts, or McDonald’s, these fast food chains are totally in sync with influencers. They go all out, even dropping dishes on the menu that influencers rave about, enticing customers to give them a try and finally boost their sales. 

Food and beverage influencers have a serious sway over what we think about recipes, restaurant reviews, food products, diet tips, and more. And it’s not just the cooking pros or food bloggers. We’re talking about anyone from the mid-tier to mega influencers. They’ve got the goods to make us crave those influencer-approved bites!

Emelie Hebert x HelloFresh 

HelloFresh is a direct-to-consumer brand that sends meal prep boxes to customers’ homes. To promote their services, HelloFresh collaborates with food bloggers and different types of influencers who share images and videos of the prepared meals.

Their content highlights the convenience of subscribing to their services, appealing to the brand’s target audience — customers with a busy lifestyle desiring a healthy meal. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pooja Verma | PEEK A POO (@peekapooxo)

For their latest campaign, HelloFresh collaborated with multiple nano and micro-influencers in the food and nutrition niche to talk about their products and build hype around the holiday season. The campaign helped the brand leverage the connection these influencers have with their audience to build credibility for its services. 

Health and beauty 

In the post-pandemic world, putting ourselves first with a bit of self-care has become a must, and health and beauty influencers are stealing the spotlight. It’s not just about perfecting that smokey eye or sharing beauty hacks anymore. These influencers are the real deal when it comes to clean beauty products, self-care routines, and all things beauty and makeup. 

But they are not just beauty enthusiasts, they are also the go-to peeps for promoting cool lifestyle products and giving the lowdown on healthy food items. They’re like our personal gurus for living our best lives—inside and out!

L’OCCITANE 

L’OCCITANE, a renowned brand in organic hair care, body care, and skin care strategically partnered with high-performing micro-influencers in the beauty and lifestyle niche to promote special edition Christmas gift sets in Singapore.

Using Bazaarvoice affable.ai they identified and engaged 53 micro-influencers for the campaign, who generated: 

• 80 stories and seven posts on Instagram
• An estimated reach of 418.10k
• Earned media value totaling USD 22.75k

L’OCCITANE nailed it with their influencer marketing game by pre-vetting content creators. They ensured these different types of influencers onboard had a legit social vibe that matched their content goals. 

Home and improvement 

All those mommy bloggers, interior designers, architects, and craft influencers you see are so popular because they aren’t just selling products — they’re selling a whole lifestyle! They’re all about sharing cool DIYs, giving you the lowdown on how-to tips, dishing out styling advice, and recommending awesome home furnishings.

It’s like they’re on a mission to inspire everyone to step up their home game. Their best tips come in handy when you want homes to look more festive around Halloween and Christmas. 

Julia Berolzheimer x Pottery Barn

In August 2023, Pottery Barn, the U.S.-based furniture retailer, teamed up with Julia Berolzheimer to showcase its kid’s product line. With a whopping one million Instagram followers, Julia wields influence over millennial moms, designers, and folks keen on home decor. Exactly the audience Pottery Barn aimed for.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pottery Barn Kids (@potterybarnkids)

Julia’s aesthetic videos and images on Instagram, combined with some cool product giveaways, got her followers hyped up and engaged. The campaign was such a hit that it prompted the brand to dive into a second collaboration with Julia, hitting an even larger audience this time. One of her posts raked in over 13k likes from her followers.

Parenting influencers

Curious about what it’s like to get advice from someone who’s navigated the parenting mayhem you’re currently diving into? That’s where moms and dads step in. Your go-to influencers dropping nuggets of wisdom on tackling the parenting game, easing your workload, and juggling the whole work-life gig.

Interestingly, these parenting influencers are everywhere in travel, fashion, finance, or any sector targeting millennials. 

Tabitha Brown x Target 

Target, a chain of discount department stores and hypermarkets, collaborated with parenting influencer Tabitha Brown to reach out to a female audience, primarily moms, to promote their products like kitchenware, home essentials, and more. Brown boasts over four million followers on Instagram and is a big hit among moms.

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A post shared by Tabitha Brown (@iamtabithabrown)

As a part of the collaboration, Brown would pop into Target from time to time to meet the customers, sign products, and create content to build online buzz. She even launched her product collections, including outdoor furniture, candles, vegan food items, and more, and promoted them through this partnership.  

Sports and fitness 

From sports brands to diet plans, workout programs, and all things health and wellness – social media is currently dominated by sports and fitness influencers. It’s a crazy competitive scene, and brands are going the extra mile, reaching out to health-conscious folks and running clubs to spread the word from the ground up.

These influencers are highly effective in promoting fitness products as their audience mimics everything they do to look fitter. Whether it’s what they eat, the exercise routines they swear by, their workout outfits, or even simple hacks that make gym life easier. You’ll see their followers want to know everything. 

Asics X Michelle Pillepich

Asics strategically joined forces with micro-influencer Michelle Pillepich, an intuitive eating dietitian for runners. Michelle curates compelling content, sharing everything from nutritious lunch ideas to pre and post-run snacks tailored for early-morning runners and insights on why individuals shouldn’t stress about food during the holidays.

While Asics has historically been synonymous with athletes, the brand is undergoing a transformative shift, recognizing the contemporary fusion of sports and fitness into our daily lives.

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A post shared by Michelle | Intuitive Eating Dietitian for Runners (@michellepillepichnutrition)

Beyond that, Michelle offers valuable insights for those navigating mental health challenges, advocating for the transformative impact of small, consistent actions. She seamlessly integrates Asics into this narrative, portraying the brand as an embodiment of holistic well-being.

Types of influencers based on their affinity with brand 

Everyday shoppers 

Everyday shoppers are the people who love to share their opinions about their favourite products and services. They can be your family, peers, or existing customers who talk about their genuine experience after using a product. 

What makes them stand out? They are authentic as they are truly interested in your brand and have been buying your product for a long time, compared to professional influencers introduced to your brand at the time of collaboration. They might not have a zillion followers, but people rely on their product reviews and ratings. 

Everyday shoppers x Kraft Heinz

The multinational food company Kraft Heinz taps into the community of everyday shoppers to generate authentic product reviews. In 2020, the brand sent samples of its eight newly launched dressings to the shoppers on Bazaarvoice’s Influenster and asked them to share their experience. The brand knew getting customers to talk about the product was the best way to gain traction. 

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A post shared by Stephany J | Dallas Beauty + Lifestyle (@its.stephj)

By doing so, the brand created massive awareness, reviews, visual content and social buzz for its new dressings. The result: 

• 20,000 reviews 
• 369,000 social posts 
• 98,000 pieces of UGC
• 39 million impression 

“Hearing directly from consumers about their experiences is a powerful way for us to identify specific attributes that people enjoy about our products and to make changes and improvements based on their feedback,” said Elizabeth Northrup, Associate Brand Manager for the three brands — Kraft Dressings Vinaigrettes, Twisted Ranch and Bitten. 

Employees 

Turning your employees into influencers is like having your team step up right in front of the brand logo. Because people trust human-to-human connections more than just dealing with a logo. Plus, when you add up all your employees’ social media reach, it’s likely way bigger than the brand on its own.

When your employees are out there boosting engagement on social media, it’s all about authenticity and credibility. That can set you apart from the competition because the real people behind it are making waves

Fitness instructors x Peloton 

At-home-fitness brand Peloton doesn’t spend on influencer marketing, technically. Instead, they leverage the influence of their fitness instructors to build hype on social media. The Peloton instructors are no less than influencers, as they have a significant following on social media to promote Peloton at-home fitness classes and online coaching to build solid customer relationships.

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A post shared by Jessica King (@jesskingnyc)

“It’s a very important way to connect with our members in real-time,” Alex Toussaint, a senior Peloton cycling instructor, told BusinessInsider. “For certain rides where you have thousands of members, it’s hard to give shout-outs to everyone. Social media is another way you can connect with those members.”

Product collaborators

Product collaborators are influencers that partner with your brand to launch products. They give their insights on packaging, design, and production of the product so you can create products your audience would be interested in. 

Take Dunkin’ Donuts, for example. They’re bringing in these different types of influencers to get the expert scoop on what products would hit the sweet spot with the audience. Whether it’s a fresh new drink, a menu game-changer, or something that’s already an influencer favorite, these collaborators are the real deal.

Molly Mae x Beauty Works 

Molly Mae, a prominent beauty influencer, initially served as the brand ambassador for Beauty Works, a UK-based hair extension company. Later, she was elevated to the role of a product collaborator. With a substantial follower count exceeding seven million, Molly Mae effectively connects Beauty Works with a specific audience passionate about beauty and haircare. 

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A post shared by Molly-Mae Hague (@mollymae)

Leveraging her extensive following, she furnishes the brand with valuable audience insights, allowing Beauty Works to tailor products precisely to customer preferences. A single post by Molly Mae generated over 100k engagements, showcasing her significant impact on the brand’s reach and engagement.

Types of influencers based on channel format 

Game streamers 

Gaming influencers are an obvious choice for gaming brands selling products like gaming chairs, laptops, consoles, etc. But non-gaming folks like GrubHub, Domino’s, Spotify, and Samsung are also jumping on the gaming bandwagon, teaming up with gamers to spread the word about their products.

Hershey x Ninja and DrLupo

Let’s take Hershey’s, for instance. They’re not your typical gaming company, but they got clever at Twitchcon, a big gaming sports event. They partnered with top gaming creators Ninja and DrLupo to hype up their Reese’s Pieces chocolate bars. As part of the partnership, both the creators did a collaborative live stream where they played games together. The live stream was to share the message that Ninja and DrLupo are amazing duos, just like Hershey’s and Reese’s. 

Source: YouTube

Podcasters 

Unlike your usual influencers, podcasters dive deep into specific topics, giving you a real talk experience. They have a tight-knit community of folks who love audio content, a prime spot for brands to shine.

Podcasts aren’t restricted to having big names on the show but are also about laid-back chats with other types of influencers or experts in the field, forming real connections with the audience that’s totally into it. 

The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast x Fabletics 

Febletics, the yoga wear brand founded by Kate Hudson, sponsors episodes by The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Show. The podcast, founded by lifestyle blogger and influencer Lauryn Evarts Bosstick and her husband, Michael Bosstick, covers various topics including business development, wellness and more.

Fabletics sponsors the episodes and offers exclusive offers to podcast listeners to boost its sales. The brand’s partnership with the podcast helped it tap into the community of 183k listeners on Instagram alone. 

Key opinion leaders (KOLs) 

Cchefs, doctors, nutritionists, authors, and journalists. These aren’t your average Joe’s. They’re the go-to experts, the Key opinion eaders (KOLs) in their game. They are good at what they do and have a solid fan base backing them up.

Think about tapping into that goldmine of credibility and positive vibes they’ve got going on. It’s about turning their expertise into a powerful connection with customers.

Journalists x Squigs Beauty 

Squigs Beauty rolled into the scene in 2023 with their beauty products. Founder and CEO Nikita Charuza pitched the brand to influential beauty editors and journalists who are also social media stars. Beauty editor Phoebe Bain joined forces with Squigs Beauty, dropping an article and featuring the brand on her socials.

If you haven't read @notnotphoebe's series on Challenger Brands for AdAge you are missing out!

This installment features a cool brand and a cool expert, my friend and colleague, the one and only @emcho41. https://t.co/dinul6EpJj

— Natalie Sportelli (@N_Sportelli) February 15, 2023

The move took Squigs Beauty to the top of the DTC (direct-to-consumer) beauty space.  

What to look for in influencers before collaborating

With a sea of influencers out there, how do you pick the right one? Here’s the scoop: check their core audience, past collaborations, real and ghost followers, engagement, brand affinity, audience distribution, follower growth, and what falls within your budget.

Better still, AI-driven influencer marketing platforms like Bazaarvoice affable.ai give you detailed insights about these different types of influencers, letting you know if they’d be a good fit for your brand.

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