For a long time, building meaningful relationships has been a big part of growing a successful business. Relationship management has had a big step in the right direction since the time before technology was around and many have written about why relationships are essential for a successful business. So, why would it be any different when it comes to influencer marketing? Of course, marketing is all about people, right? On that note, let’s take a look at the importance of a trusted long-term influencer collaboration for your next marketing campaign.
When is a one-off campaign useful?
Although the idea here is to highlight the importance of building a long-term relationship with influencers, it’s important to note when a short term or ‘one-off campaign’ can come in handy. Quite often, you will see one-off campaigns being most popular amongst start-ups. This is for a few reasons that may seem fairly apparent.
- Fewer resources and investment necessary.
We would usually argue that the resources and investment are undeniably worth it for the longer-term results. However, there are small businesses that simply do not have the labor force to manage this area of their marketing, and also cannot afford the investment required. In this instance, a one-off campaign may be their only option until the business expands.
- To trial different influencer types.
For companies, small or large, a one-off campaign is frequently used as a sort of ‘trial’. I mean think about it, if you’re buying a new sweater – you’re going to want to try it on to know it fits, right? The same goes for influencer marketing. Brands could hire several influencers within different fields, and of different sizes, to determine the type that will achieve the best results for the brand.
- Engaging a diverse mix of audiences.
Similarly to our last point, brands may choose to continue down the route of constant one-off campaigns due to the wide-range consumers that could be gained. Long-term campaigns will inevitably mean that the same audience is targeted the whole time – great for customer loyalty. But, if the business’s aim is to increase brand awareness through a diverse range of audiences, then regularly changing the group of consumers seeing brand promotions can work.
Long term collaboration for the win…
When it comes to a long-term collaboration, it is usually more desirable for several reasons that we believe outweigh those of a short-term deal. However, it’s important to remember that your brand’s objectives could be more suited to a one-off campaign, so don’t completely disregard them. A lasting partnership will be more time-consuming and require that extra bit of effort – but, the rewards are worth it.
To create a healthy partnership, you will need to really put your mind to finding influencers that definitely align with your values and aims. Something to think about is looking for influencers that already follow your brand. This way, you know that they are already a fan and would likely jump at the idea of working with you. However, to make this process a little easier, we would recommend that you find influencers with a platform like Heepsy. You’ll be able to narrow down your search with dedicated filters, without needing to scroll for hours to find Instagram influencers that are suitable. Of course, you may also choose to work with YouTube influencers, TikTokers, Twitchers, or another social media platform that works for you.
What boxes are being ticked with a long-term collaboration?
So, getting down to the real benefits that you will find from building a relationship with influencers for a long-term collaboration. Other than the biggest one – maximizing ROI over a prolonged period of time – let’s look at the next three key benefits.
- Expectations and campaign objectives are clearly outlined.
By partnering with an influencer for a long-term campaign, you will have regular correspondence with them and will have set up a contract with defined content expectations. Although it’s best to leave influencers to be creative with their content, if you will be working with them for a while then a clear understanding of your aims will be beneficial.
Long-term influencer collaborations can also help establish brand ambassadors who not only promote a brand but also embody its values and become a part of its identity. By working closely with influencers who share your brand's mission and vision, you can build strong relationships that lead to authentic and impactful content creation. These brand ambassadors can then become a valuable asset to your marketing strategy, as they can help you reach new audiences and build trust and loyalty among existing ones.
- Trusting relationships that lead to consumer loyalty and extended brand awareness.
When influencers are regularly posting about your brand over a prolonged period of time, their audience will be getting frequent exposure to it, increasing their chances of one day purchasing from you. If the influencer’s audience trusts their recommendations, then seeing a partnership with your brand will encourage them to think the influencer must really like it! By being a loyal influencer to your brand, their audience may then become loyal customers.
- Valuable content and insights.
Choosing to build a partnership with influencers will require thorough research into the best ones for your brand. When you have taken your time to find influencers perfect for your brand, then the content can become more valuable. If your brand is boosting the influencer’s profile, and they like your products, then it’s likely that more of an effort will be put towards content creation – benefitting you both. You will also be able to analyze over a substantial period of time, what’s working and what’s not.
Tips for making long-term collaborations work
So, when you’re ready to get started on your search for influencers to build a partnership with, there’s a few tips that we would recommend for success. Of course, we would suggest using an influencer marketing platform like Heepsy, to find influencers that could represent your brand well. But, here are a few extra tips to get you on your way to an effective collaboration:
- Ensure effective and regular communication – keep in regular contact with your influencers! Let them know that you’re keeping up to date with their content and be clear when it comes to business discussions.
- Regularly analyze campaign results and influencer profile insights. Keep track of how well your campaign is doing, so that you can address any issues and figure out what works best. Also, note any changes in your influencers’ profiles such as changes in content, engagement, or audience. For a little help with this, Heepsy has put together a post about how to measure success of influencer marketing campaigns.
- Allow creativity! There’s nothing worse than seeing forced promotions on Instagram. Influencers know their audience best, so allow them to be creative with content. As a result, viewers will acknowledge that the promotion is genuine and be more interested because of this.
Conclusion
To sum up, we believe that the benefits of a long-term collaboration would ultimately outweigh those of a short-term, for most brands. However, that’s not to say that a one-off campaign should be totally ruled out, as it is suitable for some brands in certain situations.
Want to see how brands can use both types of campaigns to their advantage? Check out our case study, How Agencies Helped HelloFresh Achieve Growth Goals in The UK.
We would recommend taking the time to ensure you have the right team and resources to help build and maintain longstanding influencer relationships. Don’t forget, Heepsy can help with your search to find the perfect influencers for your brand!
