Let us guess.
You’re thinking about using influencer marketing for events, right?
Great idea! But…
You are still not sure if it is worth it, and even less how to use it for a successful event promotion.
Well, you’re in the right place.
In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know about influencer marketing.
From what it is and why it works to how to find and engage the right influencers. On top of this, we'll also go over how to create content for them, and how to leverage technology for an even bigger impact. Plus, we’ll cover how to compensate influencers and how to track your success.
Ready?
Let's get right into it.
Influencer Marketing for Events: Overview
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, it's important to understand influencer marketing as a whole.
Influencer marketing is a powerful tool, but to use it well, you need to know what it is and how it works.
So, let's start with the basics.
What is Influencer Marketing and How Does it Work?
Influencer marketing is a marketing strategy where brands collaborate with individuals who have a strong online presence to promote their products, services, or in our case, events.
These individuals, known as influencers, have the power to affect purchasing decisions, shape opinions, and drive actions among others because of their authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with their audience.
The goal of an influencer marketing strategy is to leverage the influencer’s reach, credibility, and power to drive awareness, engagement, and sales for your business and its offerings.
Now, here’s how influencer marketing for events typically works:
1. Identify the Right Influencers: Brands look for influencers whose values and audience align with their target market. This means finding people who are respected in their niche and have followers who would be interested in the event.
2. Establish a Partnership: Once the right influencers are identified, brands reach out to them to discuss potential collaborations. This could be through direct messages, emails, or influencer marketing platforms.
3. Create and Share Content: Brands then work with the influencer to develop a content plan and create engaging content. This can include social media posts, blog articles, videos, or live streams.
4. Engage with the Audience: After the content is published, both the influencer and the brand engage with the audience. This includes responding to comments, sharing user-generated content, and continuing the conversation.
5. Measure Impact: Brands track the performance of influencer campaigns through metrics like reach, engagement, and conversions. This helps to understand the ROI and adjust future strategies accordingly.
This type of marketing primarily takes place on digital platforms, especially social media sites like Instagram and TikTok.
By tapping into the credibility and reach of influencers, brands can create buzz around their events, engage potential attendees, and ultimately drive more ticket sales and participation.
Now that you know what influencer marketing is and how it works, let’s take a more detailed look at its benefits.
Why Should You Use Influencer Marketing For Events?
People are tired of traditional ads.
Everywhere you look, there’s a banner, a pop-up, or a video trying to sell you something.
In fact, the average person sees from 4,000 to 10,000 ads per day.
That’s a TON of ads!
This constant bombardment has led to what's known as "ad fatigue", a phenomenon that occurs when audiences become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of advertisements and start to tune them out.
And it’s easy to see why that happened. No one can process that much information.
Now, here are a couple more stats that show how tired of ads people get:
➡️ 91% of people believe ads are more intrusive now than they were two years ago
➡️ 74% of people feel bombarded by constant online ads
➡️ 44% of users find the ads irrelevant to their wants and needs
➡️ 32.8% of internet users now use ad blockers
This means that traditional hard-sell marketing tactics and intrusive ads are losing their impact.
In contrast, influencer marketing offers a fresh approach.
Instead of pushing products directly, it relies on trusted individuals to share their genuine experiences.
This feels more authentic and less intrusive to the audience.
But, even more importantly, people trust influencers.
A survey by Nielsen found that 92% of consumers trust recommendations from individuals over brands.
This means that, when influencers promote your event, their followers are more likely to pay attention and take action as it feels more like a friend sharing something cool rather than a brand pushing a sale.
Now that you understand why influencer marketing is so effective, let’s explore the specific benefits it brings to you and your event.
1. Bigger Brand Awareness
Influencer marketing is one of the best and fastest ways to build brand awareness.
When an influencer shares your event with their followers, it reaches a much wider audience than you could achieve on your own.
This is particularly true for influencers with large followings who can expose your event to thousands, if not millions, of potential event attendees.
That kind of exposure is hard to achieve with any other marketing tactic.
Moreover, influencers often have a niche audience that matches your target market.
This means that the people seeing the promotion are already interested in similar events or topics, making them more likely to be interested in your event as well.
But it doesn’t stop there.
When influencers share content about your event, it often creates a ripple effect.
Their followers engage with the content by liking, commenting, and sharing.
This organic reach extends the visibility of your event even further.
In essence, influencer marketing doesn’t just increase the number of people who know about your event. It also ensures that the right people are hearing about it.
This targeted approach can lead to higher engagement rates and a more enthusiastic audience.
By leveraging the power of influencers, you can significantly expand your brand’s reach and ensure that your event gets the attention it deserves.
2. Increased Trust and Credibility
Would you rather trust a recommendation from a friend or a direct ad from a brand?
Most people would choose a friend.
Well, influencers act like trusted friends to their followers.
Their recommendations carry weight because they’ve built a relationship based on trust and authenticity.
When an influencer promotes your event, it feels genuine.
They are seen as experts or enthusiasts in their field, and their followers value their opinions.
This trust translates into credibility for your event.
If an influencer says your event is worth attending, their audience is more likely to believe it.
Moreover, influencers provide social proof.
When people see someone they admire attending or endorsing your event, it validates your event’s value.
This can significantly influence their decision to attend.
The content created by influencers also tends to be more engaging and relatable as it’s not just an advertisement - it’s a story or experience that followers connect with.
This connection can make your event seem more appealing and trustworthy.
3. Reduced Cost and Bigger ROI
One of the major benefits of influencer marketing is its cost-effectiveness.
Paid marketing methods like social media ads, Google ads, and Google display ads can quickly add up in cost.
In contrast, working with influencers often requires a smaller budget but can yield a higher return on investment (ROI).
When you partner with influencers, you are tapping into an already engaged audience.
This means you can reach potential event attendees without spending a fortune on paid advertising campaigns. Influencers’ followers are often more receptive and interested in their content, making your marketing efforts more efficient.
In fact, according to a study by Influencer Marketing Hub, businesses earn an average of $5.20 for every $1 spent on influencer marketing. This impressive ROI shows how effective this strategy can be compared to other paid marketing methods.
Additionally, influencers can create high-quality content at a fraction of the cost of professional production.
This includes photos, videos, and blog posts that showcase your event in a compelling way.
The authentic nature of this content can lead to higher engagement and conversion rates.
Influencer marketing also offers flexibility.
You can choose to work with different types of influencers - mega, macro, micro, or nano - depending on your budget and goals.
Each type of influencer offers unique advantages, allowing you to tailor your strategy for maximum impact. (More on this in a bit…)
4. More Attendees, Exhibitors and Sponsors
At the end of the day, it all comes down to numbers.
You want more attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors at your event.
Influencer marketing can help you achieve just that.
When influencers promote your event, they do more than just raise awareness.
They generate genuine interest and excitement. Their followers trust their recommendations, which can lead to a higher turnout. And, people are more likely to attend an event if they see someone they admire talking about it enthusiastically.
Exhibitors and sponsors also take notice of this buzz.
An event with strong influencer backing appears more credible and appealing.
Exhibitors want to showcase their products where there’s a lot of foot traffic and engagement. Sponsors look for events with high visibility and a targeted audience.
Influencer marketing can provide both.
Furthermore, influencers often attend the events they promote.
This adds an extra layer of attraction for attendees who want to meet their favorite influencers in person. It creates a unique opportunity for direct interaction, making the event more memorable and special.
In short, influencer marketing not only boosts attendance but also enhances the overall appeal of your event.
It attracts exhibitors and sponsors, creating a win-win situation for everyone involved.
By leveraging influencers, you ensure your event is well-attended, well-supported, and ultimately more successful.
The Influencer Marketing Ecosystem
To effectively use influencer marketing for your events, it's important to understand its ecosystem.
As you know, influencer marketing isn't one-size-fits-all.
It involves different types of influencers, each with their own strengths and audience.
Knowing these differences can help you choose the right influencers for your event and maximize your impact.
Types of Influencers by Size
Influencers are often categorized based on the size of their following. Each category has its own strengths and can be effective in different ways.
Mega Influencer
Mega influencers have over a million followers.
They are often celebrities or well-known personalities with a broad reach.
These influencers are great for mass awareness campaigns however, they come with a hefty price tag.
Mega influencers can quickly put your event in front of millions, but their engagement rates can be lower compared to smaller influencers. A recent study found that mega influencers have an average engagement rate of around 1.6%.
Macro Influencer
Macro influencers have between 100,000 and 1 million followers.
They are often industry experts, social media personalities, or YouTube stars.
Macro influencers have a broad reach but tend to be more affordable than mega influencers.
They strike a balance between reach and engagement, making them ideal for events that need substantial exposure without breaking the bank. Influencers with 100,000 followers tend to have engagement rates of around 3%, which is higher than those of mega influencers.
Micro-Influencer
Micro-influencers have between 10,000 and 100,000 followers.
They are often niche experts or everyday individuals with a dedicated following.
Micro-influencers are known for their high engagement rates, which can be as high as 6%.
Their audiences tend to be more engaged and trust their recommendations more. Micro-influencers are ideal for targeting specific communities and can provide a more personalized touch to your event promotion.
Nano Influencer
Nano influencers have less than 10,000 followers.
They might not have the massive reach of mega or macro influencers, but their engagement rates can be incredibly high.
Their followers often see them as friends or peers, which means their recommendations can be very influential.
This category is perfect for hyper-local events or when you want to reach a very specific audience.
Despite their smaller following, nano influencers can drive strong word-of-mouth promotion.
Understanding these categories can help you choose the right type of influencer for your event.
Whether you're looking to reach a broad new audience quickly or engage deeply with a niche market, there's an influencer out there who can help you achieve your goals.
Types of Influencers by Industry
Influencers can also be categorized by the industries they focus on. This classification helps you align your event with influencers who have the right audience and expertise. Here are the main types of influencers by industry:
B2C Influencers
B2C influencers are typically found in industries like fashion, beauty, lifestyle, travel, and entertainment. They create content that appeals to the general public and have followers who are consumers of various products and services.
Celebrities: These are well-known personalities who have a massive reach. They can quickly amplify your event's visibility. However, they are usually expensive to work with and may not always have the highest engagement rates. Celebrities are well-suited for high-profile events like product launches, fashion shows, or charity galas.
Lifestyle Bloggers: These influencers share content about everyday life, fashion, food, and travel. They are relatable and can create engaging content that resonates well with their followers. Lifestyle bloggers are great for promoting events like food festivals, travel expos, or lifestyle conventions.
Social Media Personalities: Influencers who have gained popularity on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. They often have a dedicated and engaged following. Social influencers are effective for events targeting younger demographics, such as music festivals, tech conferences, or pop culture conventions.
Micro (Niche) Influencers: These influencers focus on specific interests or hobbies, such as fitness, tech, or DIY projects. They have a smaller but highly engaged audience. Micro-influencers are ideal for targeting niche markets and are perfect for events like health and wellness expos, tech meetups, or craft fairs.
Brand Advocates: These are regular consumers who love your brand and promote it without formal agreements. They have genuine passion and credibility, which can be very persuasive to their followers. Brand advocates are great for grassroots events, community gatherings, or local brand activations.
B2B Influencers
B2B influencers are typically found in industries like technology, finance, healthcare, and professional services. They focus on creating content that appeals to business professionals and decision-makers.
Thought Leaders: These influencers are respected experts in their fields. They share insights, trends, and advice that help shape industry standards. Thought leaders are excellent for conferences, industry summits, or professional development workshops where valuable knowledge and networking opportunities are key.
Industry Experts: These influencers have in-depth knowledge of specific industries. They provide detailed analyses, reviews, and recommendations. Industry experts are great for technical or specialized events such as trade shows, industry-specific expos, or professional seminars where attendees seek expert insights.
Niche Specialists: These are influencers who focus on very specific aspects of an industry. For example, a niche specialist in the tech industry might focus solely on cybersecurity. They have a highly targeted following, making them perfect for events like cybersecurity conferences, specialized training sessions, or targeted industry roundtables.
Understanding the types of influencers by industry can help you choose those who best align with your event's goals. Whether you're targeting consumers or professionals, there's an influencer out there who can help you connect with your ideal audience.
How to Identify, Engage, and Work with B2B Influencers
Finding and working with the right influencer can make a big difference in your event's success, as you’ve seen so far.
However, identifying, engaging, and collaborating with them effectively is not as easy as we’d like, especially if you've never had experience with it.
Now, as most guides cover how to do this with B2C influencers, there's not much info on how to do so effectively with B2B ones.
So, in this article, we'll focus on the strategies and best practices for working with B2B influencers.
How to Identify the Right Influencers
The first step is to identify the right influencers, and this is not just about finding someone with a large following, but someone whose audience aligns with your event’s goals and who has genuine influence in your industry. Here’s how to do it:
1. Define Your Goals
Before you start looking for influencers, you need to clearly define your marketing goals.
What do you want to achieve with your marketing? Are you aiming to increase brand awareness, generate leads, or boost attendance?
Having a clear objective will help you find influencers who can help you meet these goals.
For example, if your goal is to increase brand awareness, you might look for influencers with a broad reach who can get your event in front of as many eyes as possible. If you’re looking to generate leads, you might prioritize influencers who have a highly engaged audience within your target market.
Additionally, consider the type of partnership that will best serve your marketing goals. Do you want to work with a smaller influencer over the long term to build a sustained relationship, or do you prefer a one-off partnership with a larger influencer for a big splash?
Also, think about the style of promotion that will resonate most with your audience. Do you want the influencer to subtly integrate your event into their content, or do you prefer a more direct and explicit recommendation?
Defining your goals helps narrow down the type of influencer you need.
It sets the direction for your search and ensures that your collaboration is aligned with your event’s objectives.
Take time to outline your goals and be specific about what you want to achieve.
This clarity will guide the entire marketing plan and process and help you measure success later on.
2. Know Your Audience
To find the right influencer, you need to know more than just who your audience is. You need to understand where they spend their time online, what kind of content they consume, and who they admire. Here’s how to get a clear picture:
➡️ Identify Online Hangouts: Determine which social media platforms and online communities your audience frequents. Are they more active on LinkedIn, Twitter, or industry-specific forums? Knowing this will help you find influencers who are active in those spaces.
➡️ Content Preferences: Understand what types of content your audience enjoys. Do they prefer video content, blog posts, podcasts, or social media updates? Look at the content that gets the most engagement from your audience and find influencers who excel in creating that type of content.
➡️ Topics of Interest: Pay attention to the topics your audience is most interested in. What discussions are they participating in? What issues or trends are they currently focused on? This will help you find influencers who are knowledgeable and influential in those areas.
➡️ Pain Points and Interests: Identify the common problems and interests of your audience. What challenges are they facing? What are they passionate about? Influencers who address these pain points and share similar interests will resonate more with your audience.
➡️ Past Engagement: Analyze what types of content and promotions have previously resonated with your audience. This includes looking at past event promotions, social media campaigns, and any other content that has seen high engagement. This can provide valuable insights into what works.
➡️ Influencers They Follow: Look at who your audience already follows and engages with. These influencers are already trusted and respected by your audience, making them ideal candidates for promoting your event.
By thoroughly understanding your audience’s online behavior and preferences, you can identify influencers who align well with their interests and habits. This alignment ensures that your event promotion feels natural and engaging, increasing the likelihood of a successful collaboration.
3. Research and Evaluate Influencers in Your Industry
Once you know your goals and understand your audience, it's time to find influencers who can help you reach them.
If you've been active on platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter, chances are you already have some people in mind. However, if you don't have anyone in mind or you want to find others, here’s how to conduct thorough research:
1️. Research Influencers
First and most obvious thing you can do is, well, research.
Use social media platforms and search engines to find influencers in your industry. Look for blog posts, articles, and social media content that mention your industry or similar events.
Platforms like BuzzSumo, Traackr, and LinkedIn’s Advanced Search can help you find influencers based on specific criteria and provide detailed analytics on engagement, reach, and audience demographics.
Check who’s speaking at industry conferences, webinars, and other events, as these individuals are often respected experts with a strong following. Engage with industry-specific groups on LinkedIn, Twitter chats, and online forums to see who the key voices are.
Also, see who your competitors are working with. If an influencer has successfully collaborated with a competitor, they might be a good fit for your event too.
As you find influencers that are interesting to you and have potential, make sure to note them down.
Create a spreadsheet or a document where you can keep track of their profiles, engagement rates, content styles, and any other relevant information.
This will help you stay organized and make the evaluation process easier.
2️. Evaluate Influencers
Once you have a list of potential influencers, it's time to evaluate them to ensure they are the right fit for your event.
➡️ Engagement and Reach: Don’t just look at the number of followers an influencer has. Check their engagement rates too. How many likes, comments, and shares do their posts receive? An influencer with a smaller but highly engaged audience can be more valuable than one with a large but disengaged following.
➡️ Content Quality and Relevance: Review the influencer’s content to ensure it aligns with your event’s message and quality standards. Look for consistency, professionalism, and relevance to your industry. Their content should reflect the tone and values you want to associate with your event.
➡️ Professional Network: Influencers with strong professional networks can provide additional value. They can help you connect with other key players in your industry, expanding your reach even further. Look for influencers who actively engage with other professionals and thought leaders in your field.
➡️ Credibility: Credibility is crucial in B2B influencer marketing. Check their background, expertise, and track record. Have they worked with reputable brands before? Do they have a history of providing valuable insights and content? Their credibility will directly impact how their audience perceives your event.
By carefully researching and evaluating influencers, you can find the right partners who will help you reach your event goals and resonate with your audience. This thorough approach ensures you collaborate with influencers who truly add value to your event promotion.
Engaging B2B Influencers: Strategies and Best Practices
Alright, now you've found B2B influencers you want to work with. The next question is, how do you engage with them?
Building a relationship with influencers requires a thoughtful approach.
Here’s how to do it:
- Personalize Your Outreach
When reaching out to influencers, avoid generic messages.
Personalize your outreach by mentioning specific things you admire about their work.
Highlight how their content aligns with your event and why you believe they would be a great fit.
This shows that you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in a collaboration.
- Offer Value
Influencers receive many collaboration requests, so it’s important to stand out.
Offer something of value in return for their participation. This could be access to exclusive content, opportunities to network with industry leaders, or even the chance to co-host a session at your event.
Think about what would be most appealing to them and tailor your offer accordingly.
- Be Clear and Professional
When you make your proposal, be clear about your expectations and what you’re offering in return.
Provide details about the event, including the date, location, and target audience.
Clearly outline what you’re asking the influencer to do, whether it’s creating content, promoting the event on social media, or speaking at a session.
This transparency helps build trust and sets the stage for a smooth collaboration.
- Build a Relationship
Engagement doesn’t end with the initial outreach.
Continue to build a relationship with the influencer by engaging with their content.
Comment on their posts, share their articles, and participate in discussions they start.
Building a genuine relationship can lead to long-term collaborations and mutual support.
- Be Respectful of Their Time
Influencers are busy professionals.
Be respectful of their time by being concise in your communications and flexible with your requests.
Make it easy for them to say yes by providing all the information they need upfront and being accommodating to their schedule.
- Follow Up
If you don’t hear back immediately, don’t be discouraged.
Influencers often have packed schedules.
A polite follow-up message can keep the conversation going.
Show appreciation for their time and reiterate why you believe the collaboration would be beneficial.
By taking these steps, you can effectively engage B2B influencers and build strong, productive relationships. This thoughtful approach ensures that your collaboration is beneficial for both parties and helps you achieve your event goals.
Compensating Influencers: What You Need to Know
When it comes to compensating influencers, financial incentives are often the first thing that comes to mind.
However, there are other ways to reward influencers for their time and effort, especially if you have a tight marketing budget.
Here’s a look at different ways to compensate influencers:
- Financial Compensation
Paying influencers directly for their services is the most straightforward approach.
The amount can vary widely depending on the influencer's reach, engagement rates, and industry reputation.
High-profile influencers with a large following and significant influence will naturally command higher fees.
- Free Access to Events
Offering free tickets or VIP passes to your event can be a great incentive.
This is especially appealing if your event is prestigious or offers exclusive experiences.
It gives influencers a firsthand look at your event, which can enhance their content and make their promotion more genuine.
- Products or Services
If your company offers products or services, consider providing these as compensation.
This could include free trials, samples, or exclusive access to new products.
Influencers can review and showcase these products to their audience, creating a win-win situation.
- Exposure and Networking Opportunities
Influencers value opportunities to grow their own brand and network with other industry professionals.
Offer them a chance to speak at your event, host a panel, or participate in exclusive networking sessions.
This can be particularly appealing for influencers looking to establish themselves further in their industry.
- Revenue Sharing or Affiliate Programs
Consider setting up an affiliate program where influencers earn a commission based on the ticket sales they generate.
This can be an attractive option for both parties, as it aligns the influencer's compensation with the success of your event.
- Content Collaboration
Collaborate with influencers on content creation.
This could involve co-hosting webinars, writing guest blog posts, or creating joint social media content. This not only compensates the influencer through exposure but also enriches your content with their expertise and reach.
It’s important to remember that the bigger the influencer and the more recognition and brand authority they have, the more they’ll want in return for their collaboration.
High-profile influencers often expect substantial financial compensation or significant perks to justify their involvement.
When deciding how to compensate influencers, consider your budget, the value the influencer can bring, and what would be most appealing to them. A thoughtful approach to compensation ensures a mutually beneficial partnership and helps you get the most out of your influencer marketing strategy.
Building Long-Term Relationships with Influencers
The best influencer partnerships go beyond one-off collaborations.
While there’s nothing wrong with a single collaboration, especially with a high-profile influencer who might be too expensive for ongoing work, long-term relationships offer more value.
Long-term partnerships build trust and authenticity.
When an influencer consistently promotes your events, their followers recognize and trust the endorsement more. It also allows for deeper integration of your brand into their content, creating more meaningful and impactful promotions.
Moreover, ongoing collaborations help both parties grow together.
The influencer gets to know your brand better and can provide more genuine and effective endorsements.
In return, you can support the influencer’s growth and offer consistent value.
To build these relationships, keep the communication open and show appreciation for their work.
Engage with their content regularly, provide them with exclusive updates and opportunities, and always deliver on your promises. This approach ensures a strong, lasting partnership that benefits both you and the influencer.
Creating Effective Content for Event Promotion
Content is at the heart of any successful influencer marketing campaign.
To make your event stand out, you need content that captures attention and drives engagement.
This section will guide you in creating content that resonates with your audience and leverages the strengths of your influencers.
Types of Content Influencers Should Share
To maximize the impact of your influencer marketing efforts, it's important to choose the right types of content. Here are some effective content formats that influencers can use to promote your event:
👉 Social Media Posts
Social media posts are quick and impactful.
Influencers can share posts on platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to announce your event, share updates, or provide sneak peeks.
High-quality images, catchy captions, and relevant hashtags can amplify reach and engagement
👉 Stories and Reels
Platforms like Instagram offer Stories and Reels, which are perfect for short, engaging content.
Influencers can use these features to provide behind-the-scenes looks, highlight event preparations, or share real-time updates during the event.
The temporary nature of Stories and the dynamic appeal of Reels can drive immediate interest and interaction.
👉 Blog Posts
Long-form content like blog posts allows influencers to delve deeper into the details of your event.
They can share comprehensive reviews, previews, or personal experiences related to the event.
Blog posts are excellent for providing valuable information and building anticipation among readers.
👉 Videos
Video content is highly engaging and can capture the essence of your event more vividly than text or images.
Influencers can create promotional videos, vlogs, interviews, or live streams to showcase different aspects of your event. Videos can be shared on YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, and other platforms to reach a broad audience.
👉 Webinars and Live Streams
Hosting webinars or live streams is a great way to interact with your audience in real time.
Influencers can host sessions to discuss the event’s topics, interview key speakers, or provide live coverage of the event.
This interactive format allows for direct engagement and creates a sense of community among viewers.
👉 Giveaways and Contests
Engage your audience by organizing giveaways or contests in collaboration with influencers.
This can involve offering free tickets, merchandise, or exclusive access to parts of your event.
Such activities not only generate buzz but also encourage followers to participate and share the content, increasing overall visibility.
👉 Email Newsletters
Influencers with a strong email subscriber base can include your event promotion in their newsletters.
This direct communication channel can effectively reach dedicated followers who are more likely to be interested in attending your event.
Choosing the right content types and formats ensures that your event promotion is dynamic and engaging, leveraging the unique strengths of each influencer to reach and captivate your target audience.
Balancing Corporate Guidelines and Creative Freedom
Collaborating with influencers requires finding the right balance between maintaining your brand’s integrity and allowing influencers the creative freedom to connect with their audience.
Here’s how to strike that balance:
1️. Set Clear Expectations
At the outset, provide influencers with a clear understanding of your brand guidelines.
This includes your brand voice, key messages, visual style, and any specific do’s and don’ts.
Having these guidelines helps ensure that the content remains consistent with your brand’s image.
2️. Provide a Creative Brief
Create a detailed brief that outlines your goals, key points to cover, and any mandatory elements (like hashtags, logos, or links).
While the brief should be comprehensive, it should also leave room for the influencer to add their personal touch.
Remember, influencers know their audience best and can create content that resonates with them.
3️. Collaborate on Content Ideas
Work together with influencers to brainstorm content ideas.
This collaborative approach ensures that both your brand’s needs and the influencer’s creativity are taken into account.
Influencers are more likely to be enthusiastic and committed when they have a say in the content creation process.
4️. Review and Approve Content
Establish a review process to ensure that the content aligns with your brand guidelines before it goes live.
While you should check for compliance with key messages and branding, avoid micromanaging the creative aspects.
Aim for a balance where the content meets your standards but still feels authentic and engaging.
5️. Be Flexible and Open to Feedback
Be open to feedback from influencers about what works best with their audience.
Flexibility can lead to more effective content that achieves your promotional goals.
If an influencer suggests a different approach that aligns with their audience’s preferences, consider adapting your guidelines to accommodate it.
By balancing corporate guidelines with creative freedom, you can create a collaborative environment that produces authentic, engaging, and brand-aligned content. This approach ensures that both your brand and the influencer can shine, leading to more effective event promotion.
Leveraging Technology to Boost Influencer Engagement
In 2024, technology has reached an unimaginable level, touching every part of our lives and making them easier and more effective.
That’s also the case with influencer marketing.
Using the right tools and platforms can significantly enhance how you engage with influencers and maximize the impact of your campaigns.
Platforms for B2C Campaigns
For large-scale B2C influencer campaigns, using the right platforms can make a significant difference.
These platforms help you streamline the process of finding, managing, and analyzing influencers, ensuring your campaign is effective and efficient.
One such platform is Upfluence.
Upfluence offers a vast database of influencers and advanced search filters to help you find the right match for your campaign.
It simplifies campaign management by organizing communications and tracking progress, and it provides detailed analytics to measure success.
Platforms like Upfluence can help you scale your B2C influencer campaigns, reach the right audience, and maximize your marketing impact.
Word-of-Mouth Marketing Tools
Word-of-mouth marketing tools can significantly enhance your event promotion efforts by leveraging the power of personal recommendations. These tools help mobilize your event’s attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, and speakers into powerful brand advocates.
A prime example of such a tool is Snöball. Snöball is designed to amplify your event's reach through word-of-mouth marketing. It empowers everyone involved with your event to share personalized content about the event with their networks, driving organic and authentic promotion.
Snöball works by creating unique, shareable content for each advocate, making it easy for them to promote your event across social media, email, and other channels.
This approach not only increases visibility but also builds trust and credibility as recommendations come from trusted sources within their own networks.
Using platforms like Snöball can help you turn your event participants into active promoters, enhancing your marketing efforts and driving higher engagement and attendance.
Community Referral Platforms
Community referral platforms can transform your event registrants into powerful influencers, leveraging their networks to drive more registrations and engagement.
These platforms enable your attendees to share their excitement and encourage their peers to join, creating a ripple effect that extends your event’s reach.
A notable example is Ingo.
Ingo integrates with your event registration process, allowing attendees to invite their contacts directly through social media and email. This personalized invitation process increases the likelihood of new registrations, as people are more inclined to attend events recommended by someone they know and trust.
Another effective platform is Gleanin.
Gleanin simplifies the referral process by providing easy-to-use tools for attendees to share their event participation.
By turning registrants into advocates, Gleanin helps increase your event’s visibility and attract a larger, more engaged audience.
Accelevents & Snowball: A Powerful Partnership
Snöball is a great tool and will definitely amplify your event’s reach.
However, the benefits multiply when you integrate it with a robust event management platform like Accelevents.
Accelevents is an enterprise-level event marketing platform that is easy to set up, use, and customize. It helps event organizers manage virtual, hybrid, and in-person events from start to finish.
With Accelevents, you can build event landing pages, set up and customize advanced ticketing and registration flows, check attendees in virtually and in person, and design and print badges.
The platform also offers a broadcasting studio to live stream events online and supports a variety of session formats, including workshops, round tables, keynotes, speaker sessions, 1-on-1 speed networking, and user-generated lounges.
Additionally, Accelevents enables you to capture leads both onsite and online, and track event metrics in real-time.
By integrating Snöball with Accelevents, you can take your event promotion to the next level.
By combining the strengths of both platforms, you can create a seamless and effective marketing strategy that drives higher attendance and greater success for your next event.
Measuring the Success of Influencer Campaigns
To understand the impact of your influencer marketing efforts, it’s crucial to measure the success of your campaigns. Tracking and analyzing key metrics will help you determine what works, what doesn’t, and where improvements are needed.
Here we’ll be looking at 3 different types of metrics:
👉 Awareness metrics
👉 Engagement metrics
👉 Conversion metrics
Awareness metrics help you understand how well your campaign is increasing visibility and reaching your target audience. These include:
- Impressions: The number of times content is displayed.
- Reach: Total number of unique users who have seen influencer posts.
- Brand Mentions: The number of times your event or brand is mentioned online.
- Share of Voice (SOV): Your brand awareness compared to your competitors
- Followers Growth: The increase in your social media followers during and after the campaign.
Engagement metrics help you measure how well your audience is interacting with the content shared by influencers. These metrics indicate the level of interest and involvement from your target audience. Key engagement metrics are:
- Likes: The number of likes on influencer posts related to your event.
- Comments: The number of comments on those posts, indicating audience interaction and interest.
- Shares: How often the content is shared by viewers, expanding your reach even further.
- Clicks: The number of times users click on links within the influencer’s posts, directing traffic to your event page.
- Engagement Rate: The percentage of the audience that interacts with the content, calculated by dividing the total engagement (likes, comments, shares) by the number of followers.
Conversion metrics help you measure the tangible results of your influencer marketing campaign. These metrics indicate how well your efforts are translating into actionable outcomes. Here are some of the key conversion metrics you can track:
- Referral Traffic: The number of visitors coming to your event page from influencer links.
- Leads Generated: The number of potential customers who have shown interest in your event.
- Registrations: The number of people who have signed up for your event.
- Ticket Sales: The number of tickets sold through influencer promotion.
- Revenue: The total income generated from ticket sales and other event-related purchases.
To sum up, by consistently tracking these awareness, engagement, and conversion metrics, you can gain a comprehensive understanding of your event influencer marketing campaign's performance.
This data-driven approach allows you to refine your strategies, optimize your efforts, and ultimately ensure the success of your event.
Tracking Success with Event Software
As we already said, it's crucial to measure the success of your campaigns.
However, you can't do that without solid software in place.
While using a platform like Snöball will give you insight into your word-of-mouth marketing performance, it won’t provide analytics for all your other marketing campaigns.
That’s why having an event management software in place, that allows integration with marketing strategy-specific platforms, is smart.
This way, you have analytics from every campaign you are pushing, so you can get a comprehensive view of your marketing efforts.
For example, Accelevents integrates with Snöball and allows you to nail event attribution by using tracking links to determine which marketing campaigns, channels, and influencers are driving the highest event website traffic and conversion rates. You can:
- Create and assign individual links to each marketing campaign, channel, or influencer.
- Display the new links in emails, on your website, or on social media channels.
- Append UTM codes for more in-depth insights.
- Monitor event page views, registrations, and ticket sales by campaign, channel, and influencer in real time.
Aside from these metrics that help you measure the effectiveness of your overall marketing initiatives, an event management platform like Accelevents gives you many other important insights and analytics.
For instance, once the event is underway, Accelevents helps you gather detailed event engagement data.
This allows you to identify which sessions, exhibitors, sponsors, and speakers have the greatest impact on your attendees.
You can monitor attendee engagement overall and by session, measuring user actions and behavior to gauge how much attendees are chatting, meeting, and networking with each other.
This allows you to see which parts of your event are the most engaging and make real-time adjustments if needed.
But that's not all!
After the event, Accelevents provides effortless access to your event reporting metrics.
You can instantly access information about registration and ticket sales through the event dashboard, and download lists of registrants as a CSV spreadsheet to plan targeted engagement campaigns.
The platform also empowers exhibitors with lead reports for both virtual and in-person events, enabling them to efficiently gather, categorize, and evaluate leads.
On top of that, Accelevents provides a clear picture of your event ROI by capturing detailed data at all stages of the event lifecycle, from pre-registrations to post-event surveys.
So, when you integrate influencer marketing tools with an event management platform like Accelevents, you get a full spectrum of analytics that covers every aspect of your event. This holistic approach ensures you have all the data you need to refine your strategies, optimize your efforts, and ensure the success of your future events.
Ready to take your event game to the next level?
Sign up for a free trial or book a demo with Accelevents and start transforming your events today!
