How to choose an Instagram influencer?

Instagram is one of the fastest-growing social networking sites today. Millions of people log on every day, and if you own a business, you need to know how to leverage this powerful platform to grow your brand. Influencers are people who can help you promote your business and get it noticed by your target audience. Today, we're going to take a look at some useful tips that will help you make the right choice between different Instagram influencer profiles. 

Choose your influencer profile

To choose an influencer, we recommend a mix of quantitative and qualitative research. Now, you can also go by feel, but we can't guarantee the result. Our method has been tested and validated with numerous brands. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. 

Quantitative study of influencers

Market research techniques can be used to identify influencers, using predefined criteria such as the number of subscribers on the social photo network. This is a fairly simple and crude way of choosing between a campaign aimed at high-profile opinion leaders or nano-influencers with a strong foothold in a niche sector. 

If you know the rates of the Instagram influencers you're targeting, this can also be a good selection lever. Refining your choice between several Instagrammers obviously depends on your marketing campaign budget. Nevertheless, this last criterion is often overlooked by companies wishing to embark on influencer marketing. That's why 18h08 exists: we support you with our extensive network of influencers, so you can easily reach your target audience. 

But quantitative criteria aren't everything: we recommend that you first select your influencer profile. To do this, you need to ask yourself what the objective of your influencer marketing campaign is.

Typical Instagram influencer profile

There are many different types of Instagram influencer. We'll list them for you to understand the differences between them. Once you've understood them, you'll be able to choose the influencers that best suit your marketing campaign. 

• Authoritative influencers are trusted by their audience. 
• Influencers known as "active minds" have a wide range of interests. 
• Trend-setters are the first to adopt (or leave) markets. 

Here's a first classification. If you want to promote a niche product to a niche audience, you'll need to distribute your product to influencers who are authorities in their field. Conversely, if your niche product has already managed to conquer its core target audience, and you therefore logically wish to broaden your commercial horizon, you'll be targeting more active minds who are keen to discover and introduce their subscribers to new subjects. Finally, if your niche product is not at all well-known, and not very complex, perhaps you could entrust its launch to a trend-setter?

Companies like yours are often looking for people who aim to reduce their ad consumption. They are willing to pay more for their influencers than for ads, because unlike display or SEA, influencers convey a more natural message that often generates much more impact than traditional ads. . Targeting influencers is seen as increasing the reach of marketing, counteracting the growing tendency of potential customers to ignore marketing.

Match between influencers and product

Several researchers have found that influencer selection extends to product personality. This match between products and benefits is key. For a shampoo, you need to use an influencer with good hair. Similarly, a flashy product can use bright colors to convey its brand. If an influencer isn't flashy, they'll clash with the brand. It's important to match an influencer with the product's purpose and mood.

The idea is to make product placement seem as natural as possible. If it's forced, the influencer 's followers will understand that he's been paid to promote this product, and this will create mistrust towards your brand, which goes from unknown, to bad reputation.

On top of that, if you choose the wrong influencer, their followers probably won't be in your marketing target. We therefore recommend that you spend most of your time targeting the Instagram influencers you want to work with.

But how does it work in practice?

How to get in touch with an Instagram influencer

Consider how influential these influencers are. Is their opinion important to you? Are there other ways of getting their attention without them feeling obliged to buy one of your products? Influencers get a lot of attention, so you need to make sure yours is important too.

Once you've found the right influencers to work with, start communicating with them on a regular basis. Ask them what they want to promote on their page, where they want to do it next and anything else they might be interested in. Be careful not to oversell. Just let them know you want to see what they have to offer.

They're human beings like you and me. Their brand is often their business and their main source of income. So beware of micro-influencers, some of whom are prepared to accept many partnerships, even outside their chosen sector.