As technologies and regulatory policies have evolved, there have been fundamental changes to the data marketers have to work with for advertising and measurement.
As a result, across the industry, digital advertisers have found that it may be more challenging to drive performance and that attribution is becoming increasingly complex.
Today, many advertisers are relying on broader ad targeting and the power of machine learning to help them reach new customers. Consumers are also likely to build relationships with brands when they feel personally connected to them—so it shouldn’t be a surprise that creators can play a crucial role in reaching new audiences.
Not only can creators help your brand reach new audiences, but they may also drive consumer action—the “Discovery-Led Shopping Study” by GFK in 2020 found that 58% of consumers surveyed bought a new product in the prior six months because of a creator’s recommendation
In Meta’s webinar series “Marketing Strategies for the New Era of Advertising,” I sat down with colleagues from Meta Creative Shop, partner solutions and Meta Business Partners to uncover how brands can build a successful creator strategy for their businesses. Here are three key insights that can help you get started.
1. Choose creators who align with your brand’s objectives and strategies
Similar to how your marketing team tailors creative and messaging to drive specific outcomes, it is essential to align your work with creators to these same objectives. For example, if you are looking to refresh your brand or expand your audience, choose a creator that your new audience can relate to, as creators can help build a bridge to this new set of customers.
Or, if your objective is to drive sales of a new product, you could pick a creator that can bring excitement and entertainment value to what you are selling. And as a final example, if you are looking to make your brand or a complex product more relatable, look for a creator whose superpower is explaining things in simple, clear terms or is a subject matter expert in the category.
2. Both macro and micro influencers can drive results
When building a creator strategy, don’t shy away from creators with fewer followers. Research has shown that large follower sizes don’t necessarily lead to higher conversions.
What’s more important is finding a creator who can collaborate with you to build inspiring content. In the “Impact of influencer marketing on brand building and shopping” study conducted by YouGov, 40% of respondents in the U.S. stated they followed a mix of both social media stars and micro-creators.
3. Plan to amplify your creator content across paid media channels
Brands should plan to extend the reach of their creator’s content as part of their media strategy. In addition to reaching the creator’s own audience, brands should consider integrating the creator’s content into their other paid media channels.
Meta’s branded content ads are a powerful conversion tool for creator content that can drive incremental results. Meta research across 15 advertiser tests in multiple verticals from June 2021 to January 2022 across the Norther American and APAC regions showed that adding branded content ads to a brand’s “business as usual” direct response campaigns drove a 19% reduction in cost per acquisitions (CPAs).
Creators can play a crucial role in driving performance and can be used across the entire consumer journey. As you explore how creators can fit into your marketing strategy, these considerations can help you get your program off to the right start.
