Video marketing has played a big role in the social media landscape. This trend has been accelerating in the past few years.
In 2021, 42% of people reported that they were more active on social media during the Covid-19 pandemic. This changing marketing trend allowed businesses to experiment with their video marketing game using new marketing tactics.
One such tactic is influencer video marketing.
1. What is an influencer video?
An influencer video is created by any influencer who is active on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, or any other social media platform as part of sponsored content.
The influencers control the creative side of the business while keeping in mind their own relatability and authenticity with the audience and the brand image of the company they are working with.
2. The ongoing trend of influencer video marketing
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A rise in the use of IGTV
Instagram Television (IGTV) is one of the most popular Instagram features used by influencers.
While the Instagram videos displayed in posts and stories have to be short, IGTV relieves this restriction. Thus, it is suitable for long-form content, allowing influencers to have extensive interactions with their followers.
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An increase in the popularity of TikTok videos
TikTok has gained huge momentum as a social media app in recent years.
In the US, a user opens TikTok on an average of 8 times a day. Brands are offered multiple advertising campaign options for promotions.
With the right kind of influencers, they can create fantastic influencer marketing campaigns.
Read more: A Beginner’s Guide to TikTok for Business
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The higher reach of Facebook stories
With its 2.8 billion monthly active users in 2021, there is no doubt that Facebook is a great marketing platform for businesses.
The newly introduced Facebook Watch allows users to discover the latest videos posted by the pages and people they follow. It also allows a sharing option, making it a goldmine for influencers.
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Use of new tech and business metrics
Businesses are now becoming increasingly aware of how well their influencer marketing campaigns are working.
They are incorporating influencer videos in their email campaigns and measuring the success with click rates.
Apart from that, video influencer marketing is on the rise with modern technologies such as virtual reality, 360-degree videos, artificial intelligence, etc.
3. Is influencer video marketing worth it?
There is an ongoing debate about influencers getting paid in six-figures—where some are arguing that it’s way higher than what it’s worth.
But think about the amount of money you are spending to pay for ads and sponsored posts on social platforms and then compare the impact those ads have with the video marketing done by social media influencers.
There is a higher probability that the impact of the marketing done by YouTubers or other social media influencers would be bigger because of the close relationship they share with their followers.
This is also backed by Amelia Neate, who is an expert from the Influencer Matchmaker agency.
“Influencers can understand their audiences on a deeper level through polls and constant communication. Their followers don’t feel like they are being ‘sold’ to – they feel connected with and valued by that influencer and therefore are more likely to buy a product on their recommendation,”— making it worth it.
4. How can influencer videos be used for marketing?
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Video tutorials
Video tutorials by influencers show the audience how to use a product and answer general queries related to it.
The video is usually sponsored by a brand featuring its product.
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Unboxing videos
In unboxing videos, the influencer samples the product usually sent by the brand.
The influencer markets the product by unwrapping the product and showing the audience its components and what it looks like.
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Product placement
In a product placement video, the influencers feature the product in their videos and show how to work it!
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Sending gifts
A brand usually sends a gift sample to the influencer through a sponsored partnership, who then uses it to create content and promote the brand.
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Brand takeovers
In brand takeovers, the influencer takes over the brand’s social media account to create content and post on behalf of the company, usually leading to an increase in viewership.
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5. Choosing the right influencer for business collaborations
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Do a thorough background check
It’s important to choose influencers who share the same social values as your brand does.
So, take out time to check out their social media accounts, comments, and followings to ensure that the influencer’s vibe aligns with your brand image.
This will prevent you from any unforeseen situation where your brand gets affiliated with a wrong influencer—putting your company in jeopardy.
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Explore their content
Before you partner up with an influencer, check out their videos, content, style of communication.
This is important because that influencer will represent your brand through their social interaction, tone, video quality, etc.
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Evaluate their audience engagement
Audience engagement is a crucial aspect of influencer video marketing.
The impact that the influencers have is directly proportional to the relationship they share with their audiences.
To analyze audience engagement, see the comments, likes, and shares under the influencer’s posts.
6. Tools to find the right influencer
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Tool #1: BuzzSumo
BuzzSumo is a cloud-based platform where you can discover and search for new keywords, trending stories, content success, etc.
This paid tool allows you to find the relevant influencers for a specific topic. You just have to enter the subject, and the tool will produce a list of influencers with their bios, posts, interactions, etc.
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Tool #2: Followerwonk
Followerwonk is a Twitter analytics tool through which the user can search for Twitter bios and do advanced drop-down research. It also provides a comparison between different influencers by analyzing data, tracking, and sorting followers.
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Tool #3: Heepsy
Heepsy is an influencer marketing platform with over 11 million influencers worldwide. Brands can find the right influencers using filters for location, category, engagement, or audience demographics. It also allows a deep analysis of the quality score, brand mentions, etc.
7. Examples of brand-influencer collaboration
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Morphe x James Charles
James Charles a makeup artist and influencer with over 25 million subscribers on YouTube, launched his eye shadow palette in collaboration with the makeup giant Morphe.
The collaboration paid off as the product was sold out four times in the market. Charles’s slogan #UnleashYourInnerArtist soon became a hit in the makeup community.
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Razer Nari Ultimate PEWDIEPIE Edition Headset
PewDiePie is YouTube’s most famous gamer with more than 100 million subscribers.
He partnered with Razer to launch the PEWDIEPIE Edition Headset for his “Bro Army,” claiming that “you can hear audio and feel it too!”
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Double Oreo by Chiara Ferragni
With 23 million Instagram followers, Chiara Ferragni, a popular female digital entrepreneur, teamed up with Oreo to create the delicious Double Oreo cookie along with Chiara Ferragni x Oreo Capsule Collection.
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The end
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