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How to Build Long-Term Relationships with Influencers
Brands stand out from their competitors through their partnerships with influencers. Just like influencers build long-term relationships with their followers, brands need to create strong, lasting connections for an effective marketing strategy. Influencers want brand collaborations, especially long-term relationships that give brands access to influencer’s creative content and loyal audience.
Influencer marketing is the key to brand awareness, growth, and sustainable success. It allows you to get in front of audiences that are likely to be interested in what you do. But first, you need to connect with influencers and build a relationship with them. That’s where an influencer management strategy comes in. To help clarify things and help you decide which influencer arrangement is right for you and your business FOR® has highlighted the strategies of long-term influencer relationships.
6 Ways to Build Long-Term Relationships with Influencers
You already know the benefits of building long-term relationships with influencers. Now it’s time to get started. A long-lasting collaboration is key to an authentic and effective influencer marketing campaign. Below are six ways to create and maintain long-lasting connections with influencers.
Get to Know Influencers Better
How well you know your partner is the foundation of any strong long-term relationship. Brands that treat influencer collaborations as business deals will only get short-term results. Influencers will only value the brand for the compensation. But a brand’s genuine interest in working with influencers will result to genuine and long term relationships.
Brands should take time to get to know influencers even before they start working with them. Follow their social media accounts and take time to view their content by reading their blog posts or watching their YouTube videos. Know their interests, know the causes they support and leave a comment on their posts if possible. Knowing your influencers will help your brand decide which influencers align with your organization’s goals and values.
Getting to know your influencers before working with them also gives brands ideas on how to approach them. A warm and genuine introduction helps create strong personal connections that can lead to long-term relationships.
Partner with Relevant Influencers
Working with influencers that don’t fit your brand is like wearing a shoe that’s one size too small, resulting in poor results. If you want to build long-term relationships with those who represent your brand, you must partner only with relevant influencers. A study by Crowdtap found that relevance is the top motivator for influencers when working with brands. Among the participants of the research, 44% of the influencers wanted to work with brands that offer products and services relevant to their audience. Many influencers also wanted to work with brands that have suitable offerings more than once.
Relevance is a key to a long term brand and influencer relationship. Brands need to capture audiences that fit their products while influencers want to provide content relevant to their niche followers. Most audiences follow influencers who have similar interests and are relatable. So influencers want to partner with brands that will appeal to their engaged audience to stay authentic. Influencers who develop interest and appreciation for the product will be genuine with their endorsements and will continue to promote the product for a long time.
Give Influencers Creative Freedom
According to the research, influencers top reason for working with influencers long term is creative freedom. Almost 50% of the survey said they don’t want to work with brands that have strict and limiting guidelines on content creation.
Influencer’s creativity is what makes them different from other brand ambassadors and appeals to their audience in the first place. Too many restrictions will limit an influencer’s creativity in producing engaging and artistic content which may affect their relationship with their audience and the brand. Though it’s important for brands to convey campaign rules and expectations, influencers should be free to come up with ideas for the brand’s projects that are true to the influencer and the brand. Social media creators know how to engage their followers. Giving them the freedom to be creative shows that brands trust them to engage their audience without losing authenticity. When influencers feel that brands trust them, they would want to work with them for a long time.
Engage with your Influencers
Regular interaction with influencers solidifies partnerships and is a key factor in long-term relationships. Involve influencers in your campaigns even for a small presence shows that they are important to the brand. Content makers will partner with brands for a longer time if they feel valued.
Even after campaigns are over, brands should stay in touch with influencers. Keeping communication open by following and engaging with the influencer’s content even after the project is done is key to maintaining a relationship. Brands should comment on influencer’s social media posts occasionally, invite content creators to brand events and be influencer’s supporter and fan.
Pay Influencers Fairly
Another way brands show they value influencers is by paying them fairly. Same with other employees, influencers are more motivated to work if they are paid equally. Though money is not the only reason why influencers work with a brand, it certainly affects curator’s decision to partner with brands long term.
Unfortunately, some brands fail to recognize the importance of fair pay. The biggest misconception brands have when working with influencers is that they work for free or for samples alone. Even if some influencers accept payment in the form of free samples or other incentives, that doesn’t guarantee long-term partnerships. Paying fairly also shows how brands value influencers, including their time and work.
Value Influencers
To build long term relationships, brands must see bloggers and YouTubers as brand ambassadors and not just promotional tools. A brand’s treatment of content creators affects the quality of their work. When influencers feel valued, they will produce great content and create higher audience engagement which will benefit the brand.
Aside from campaign opportunities, brands can make influencers feel valued by giving them free vacations or inviting them to brand shows and events. Sending influencers exclusive gifts will also make them feel special when it comes to building long-term relationships, being genuine matters. Brands must take time to know brand ambassador’s interests and build personal and friendly connections. Personalized messages and addressing influencers by their names will make your brand stand out from other generic partners.
Brands also acknowledge influencer’s value by getting creators involved. Brands show that influencer’s voices matter when influencers are allowed to share their opinions on content creation and product development. Most influencers have direct access to their audience and know the latest trends. Influencers can provide valuable feedback and new ideas that can benefit the brand. Allowing influencers to share their opinions helps build trust and keeps communication open for long-term relationships.
Final Thoughts
When you’re thinking of working with an influencer remember it’s not just about putting in the work but also your heart and a bit of creativity into it. Like many companies have found when done right partnerships last and become stories of mutual success.
Long-term relationships with influencers are key to a successful influencer marketing strategy. Strong influencer relations result in authenticity, brand loyalty, quality content, and long-term value. If you want to Boost your online presence by building long-term relationships with influencers, you can contact Toni Hukkanen, the head of FOR®’s Digital Marketing Agency.
