Why Longer-Term Influencer Partnerships Matter

At digitalPR we believe that influencer marketing should be an integral part of any individual campaign, but working with influencers should also form a part of your long-term PR and marketing strategy. 

A typical influencer marketing campaign might involve selecting a group of relevant creators for a one-off activation or perhaps a series of posts in the run-up to a launch. And while this is a valid approach, having an influencer promote a product for a short period, but then not mention it or be seen to use it again can come across as inauthentic. If the goal was a burst of awareness then this sort of campaign can certainly be effective, but a week or a month after the campaign has run, will the influencer’s audience still remember it? 

Howdy, partner

In order for your brand and products to remain front-of-mind within your target audience, it is increasingly important to build lasting partnerships with influencers who are aligned with your brand’s image, and have engaged audiences that are relevant to your product or service. An influencer who values and uses your product or service every day is more powerful than one who promotes it for a short period, largely just because they’ve been paid to do so. Partnering with an influencer longer-term means that your brand and product is regularly exposed to the influencer’s fanbase in a way that is often more organic and authentic than one-shot campaigns.

Sphere of influence

A counter-argument to establishing longer-term partnerships could be that by focusing resources on a limited number of influencers, you are limiting your total audience. Each influencer, no matter how big, has a limited fanbase that perhaps doesn’t change radically from month to month, and so by constantly working with new influencers, you are expanding your total audience. This is true, however, it shouldn’t be viewed as a negative, because by prompting your brand to a regular audience, you increase the chances that they will remember you and your brand’s core values and USPs. But, more importantly, the audience’s perception of your brand is also enhanced.

Hunting goodwill

By nurturing longer-term partnerships, you are also fostering goodwill within the influencer’s community. Sometimes, influencers worry that by participating in a sponsored campaign, their fans could see as them ‘selling out’ and losing integrity. But, a well-implemented partnership actually has the opposite effect, because as a brand you are seen as supporting the influencer long-term and enabling them to create the content that the community loves. In return, the influencer becomes a natural and authentic advocate and ambassador for your brand – it’s a win-win.

Patience is a virtue

As with most marketing endeavours there is pressure to demonstrate an instant conversion, but a fundamental part of influencer marketing is developing a lasting awareness and brand affinity amongst your target audience. So, whether it’s one week, one month or one year down the line that a potential customer reaches the point of purchase, the investment that both you and your partnered influencer have made in the community will mean that your brand is front-of-mind.

To find out how digitalPR can drive your influencer marketing strategy, please get in touch.