In traditional business settings, brands create a product and, after production, start searching for customers to sell to.

This form of marketing is common in countries like Nigeria, but it often doesn’t generate enough returns because many businesses follow the same conventional path: “create a product, find a space to sell it, put up billboards, distribute fliers, and hope customers will come.”

However, times have changed, and businesses must adapt to this change. Influencer marketing, both in Nigeria and globally, is gaining significant attention.

Goldman Sachs predicts that the creator economy will be worth $500 billion by 2027, a significant increase from its current valuation of $250 billion.

Before we go any further, what exactly is influencer marketing? To break it down, let’s start with what the term “influencer” is.

An influencer is someone who can affect decisions, behaviours, or opinions.

Now, when we add this definition to marketing which we have defined in our previous articles as the activities a business undertakes to draw attention to its product, we can define influencer marketing as leveraging individuals with influence to create a desired effect on a brand, product, or service.

In modern times, marketers have discovered that one of the key strategies to making a great sale is to create a community and then find a product to sell to the community. This approach ensures that you already have a group of engaged buyers ready to patronize your brand.

For instance, one of the strategies we use here at CMP Media Agency is creating a community around the digital marketing services we offer. We have a premium WhatsApp channel where we provide businesses with valuable insights on branding, marketing, and more.

When these businesses need digital marketing services, they naturally turn to us because we’ve already built trust.

Influencers use a similar technique. They cultivate a community by educating, entertaining, or informing their audience on specific subjects, making it easier to sell to that community because their audience knows, likes, and trusts them.

So, as a business, how do you identify and partner with the right influencers?

Influencer marketing is undoubtedly a powerful strategy, but it won’t work effectively unless you know how to leverage it properly. Below are some critical checkpoints to consider before going into influencer marketing:

1. Define Your Goals

Before approaching any influencer, you must have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, boost sales, or grow your social media following? Having well-defined goals will help you choose influencers who align with your objectives.

2. Research Influencers in Your Niche

Not every influencer will be the right fit for your brand. It’s important to focus on influencers whose content aligns with your industry or product. An influencer with millions of followers may not be as effective if their audience doesn’t match your target market. Just as you ensure product-market fit when launching a product, you must also ensure the influencer you choose aligns with your product and shares the same audience with you.

3. Choose Engagement Over Follower Count

It’s easy to get caught up in an influencer’s follower count, but engagement is a far better indicator of success. You must also know followers can be bought. An influencer with a smaller but highly engaged audience can generate better results than one with a large but passive following. Look at the quality of comments, likes, shares, and overall interaction on their posts.

4. Authenticity and Originality Matters

The most successful influencers are those who genuinely connect with their audience and have a passion for their craft. If an influencer constantly promotes products in a way that feels forced or inauthentic, their followers will notice, and the partnership could fail. People generally don’t like being sold to because they want to feel in control and make their own decisions. They also don’t want to feel like they’ve been tricked or trapped into buying something.

People enjoy being sold to when it is about them. Seek influencers who promote products naturally, and genuinely and make it about your target audience. Choose an influencer who uses your product and can speak from personal experience.

5. Review Past Collaborations

Look at the influencer’s past brand partnerships to see how they’ve handled previous collaborations. Did they deliver value? Did they engage their audience effectively? Reviewing their history can give you insights into how well they’ll work with your brand.

6. Create a Mutually Beneficial Relationship

A successful influencer partnership should be beneficial for both parties. Instead of just paying for a post or shoutout, consider how you can create long-term relationships where the influencer becomes a true advocate for your brand. This can include exclusive deals, co-branded content, or even ambassador programs.

Conclusion

There is a saying, “Borrow brilliance, and build on the shoulders of giants”. Influencer marketing is a form of borrowing brilliance, and as a business, you must know when and how to do it. By taking these factors into account, your business will be in a better position to partner with influencers who can truly make an impact.

When done right, influencer marketing can amplify your brand’s reach, build stronger customer relationships, and drive significant growth in the Nigerian market.