It’s more important than ever that organisations are strategic with their use of digital channels to achieve cut-through, raise awareness and drive behaviour change with local audiences. Partnering with the right influencers can help you do this, but what are the main things you need to consider when choosing which influencers to work with?
1. Your budget
Influencer marketing campaigns can vary significantly in scope, scale, and cost. One of the primary determinants of your influencer marketing strategy is the budget at your disposal. Your budget allocation will not only influence the influencers you can collaborate with but also shape the nature and scale of your campaigns.
The first decision you'll face is whether to engage with several smaller, hyper-local influencers or one high-profile influencer aka micro or macro influencers. While influencers with massive followings may offer broader reach, those with smaller but highly engaged audiences can deliver more meaningful interactions.
When working in the public sector, hyper-local influencers can be more effective – although their audience (and reach) may be smaller, their followers are more likely to be in your target area, which can foster better community engagement. Sometimes, a smaller, more engaged following can yield better results than a larger but less engaged one.
Finding the right balance
Your budget will also dictate the type of influencer marketing campaign you can run. Paid campaigns require you to pay a fee in return for the content. With this method, provided you get your contract agreement right, you will have more control over the content the influencer creates, which will ensure what you get back is usable.
In contrast, gifted campaigns entail offering influencers free products or experiences in exchange for promotion, often resulting in less control over content quality and messaging. At the end of the day, influencers invest time and effort into creating content and engaging with their audience. Therefore, it's crucial to offer fair compensation for their partnership.
Your agreement should reflect the value they bring to your campaign, considering factors such as audience size, engagement rate, and content quality. Negotiate transparently and respectfully to ensure a mutually beneficial partnership.
2. Resonance
When deciding which influencer to partner with it’s really important to consider their resonance with your target audience. Beyond follower counts or flashy aesthetics, resonance encapsulates the affinity an influencer cultivates with their audience – a connection rooted in shared values, genuine authenticity, and meaningful engagement.
Look for influencers who align with your values and have established a real rapport with their followers; a relationship built on trust and relatability. Engagement metrics serve as a litmus test for resonance in influencer marketing. High engagement rates signify an active, attentive audience genuinely interested in and engaged with the influencer's content
Analyse metrics (likes, comments, shares, and saves) to gauge the resonance of an influencer's content. Look for influencers with consistently high engagement rates relative to their follower counts. Meaningful engagement signifies active participation, genuine interest, and emotional connection – an essential ingredient for a successful partnership.
3. The contract
Getting your contract right is so important. A well-crafted agreement is the linchpin of successful influencer collaborations, providing clarity, alignment, and accountability for both parties. Without clear agreements, even the most well-intentioned collaborations can encounter pitfalls and misunderstandings.
A clear and robust creative brief that sets out your requirements and guidelines for content creation, i.e., what messaging needs to be included (or omitted). This ensures that what you get back is usable. The creative brief establishes your expectations and outlines deliverables. It should also include provisions for usage rights, licensing agreements, or exclusivity clauses to prevent conflicts.
In addition to content deliverables, your contract should also address evaluation expectations. What data do you expect them to share with you so you can evaluate the effectiveness of your influencer marketing activity? Whether it’s engagement metrics, reach demographics, or campaign performance insights, be clear about what you need.
How to get influencer marketing right
Influencer marketing holds immense potential for public sector organisations to connect with target audiences, amplify reach, inspire action, and drive meaningful results. To unlock the full potential of influencer collaborations, remember to pay attention to your budget, the influencer’s resonance, and your contractual agreement. These three things are the foundation for successful, mutually beneficial collaborations.
Finally, if you want to run more effective and impactful influencer campaigns, we run influencer marketing training through Westco Academy. Get in touch today to enrol in our next course.
Author:
Lynette Dixon is Westco’s Senior Digital Communications Manager. She started her career in global media and events centred around sustainable development. During her time at Westco, she has specialised in using digital communications to engage with different audiences. Lynette focusses on strategic digital campaigns, social media management, content strategy and email marketing/automation.
