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Influencer marketing took off across all industries in 2016, attracting 86% of U.S.marketers, according to recent research. More than 70% of marketers surveyed indicated they will maintain or grow their budgets in the next year, making influencer marketing one of the fastest-growing strategies of 2017.

Having worked with top fashion and lifestyle brands on wide-ranging collaborations over the last year, from events to product-driven initiatives, we have seen first-hand the impact of different approaches to influencer marketing, giving us a template of best practices for different objectives. Based on our experience, here are five goals that influencer marketing can help you achieve this year and the strategies we have found that work best:  

Data Capture 

Influencers can be remarkably effective for helping you capture valuable data about your target customers. Starting with a strong incentive like a contest or exclusive gift for offering information, you can reach potential new shoppers through multiple mediums, including blog posts, Instagram, Facebook and even Snapchat. Although it might seem counter-intuitive, we recommend working with several smaller influencers rather than one or two with a widespread reach. “Micro-influencers” are proven to have more engaged audiences, so while you might have more views with an influencer sporting a million followers, you’re likely to have more new subscribers if you engage 20 influencers with audiences of 50k. 

Finally, when it comes to data capture, remember that less is more. To get a high response rate, ask no more than three questions and offer dropdown answers where you can. The easier it is for users to respond, the more responses you will see. 

Bonus tip: Looking for more data on your customers? Start using our Collaborations Results Page, now available for free trial. Our new service shows even greater insight into how each collaboration has performed by demonstrating the social media impact, web analytics and the sales data for each influencer appointed across all major social platforms.  

Product Feedback 

Influencers are the voices of your target audience, making collaborations a particularly effective way to solicit product feedback, whether you’re introducing a new look or want to gauge style preferences ahead of a new season. The value of influencer feedback is one of many reasons we encourage direct relationships between influencers and brands on Shopping Links. Allowing influencers to test new products and offer their honest input can be enormously valuable. An easy way to initiate this feedback is through gifting, which is also the most cost-effective option. Hosting an influencer event can provide even greater results if budget allows, since you can interact directly with bloggers and glean the kinds of insights that come only through conversation.    

Immediate Sales

If you’re looking to boost sales of a particular product or need ideas for a late-season push, influencer marketing can be a great option, especially when paired with affiliate marketing. As one of the first influencer marketing platforms to combine these strategies, using our Shopping Links Affiliate Links (SLINKS), we have seen significant successes for brands, even for campaigns run on short notice. With SLINKS, brands can offer commission alongside paid and gifted collaborations, giving them the awareness and brand messaging of a traditional influencer marketing campaign with the direct revenue potential and tracking of an affiliate marketing campaign. 

Another effective way to boost immediate sales with influencer marketing is by planning your collaborations around the retail calendar. We recommend posting campaigns 4-6 weeks ahead of a shopping event, like Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day, so you can reach consumers just as they’re thinking of gifts and purchases for these occasions.  

Brand Awareness 

When it comes to making qualified potential customers aware of your brand, no strategy can equal the power of influencer marketing. With many top influencers now commanding audiences in the hundreds of thousands or even millions of followers across their social channels, a single collaboration can eclipse the reach of a major magazine advertisement. You also have the benefit of engagement, allowing you to gauge interest in your brand in real-time through likes and comments. Aside from multi-channel campaigns with top influencers, events are another effective way to strengthen your brand awareness by engaging multiple influencers with a single initiative.  

Enter New Markets 

If you’re looking to gain a foothold in a new market, influencer marketing allows you to speak directly to consumers through the voices they trust the most. Rather than trying to sell your brand through advertisements or even press campaigns, which can sound contrite or promotional, influencer marketing gives you a sense of validity and credibility among local shoppers. We recommend hosting an influencer event to personally meet bloggers in your target region so you can share your brand story and values in a way that feels genuine. 

MARKS & SPENCER saw great success with this strategy when they hosted an event for Australian influencers to coincide with the launch of their Australian e-commerce site. Having met key brand figures at M&S and learned about the iconic retailer’s history, several influencers posted not only about products they saw featured at the event, but their affinity for the brand itself.   

These are just a few of the ways we have seen brands successfully reach specific goals using influencer marketing. As the strategy progresses, we are always discovering more! Whether you’re launching your first influencer collaboration or seeking new ways to leverage your blogger relationships, we are always happy to help. Get in touch at hello@shoppinglinks.com to talk about your next influencer marketing campaign.