YouTube is one of the top social media platforms for influencers to offer content services to brands. A significant increase in the consumption of online videos coupled with access to higher internet speeds has brought YouTube into the limelight for influencer marketing. In addition, more extended and in-depth videos of product reviews, product unboxing, comparisons, and expert advice on various topics make this platform an ideal place for brands and influencers. As it takes more effort to create content on YouTube, the compensation offered to influencers is also on the higher side. But not all content created on YouTube works well for the brands or their influencer marketing activity. This blog will discuss the key points that need to be considered while designing the influencer campaign on YouTube so that it turns out engaging and achieves the objectives of the brands undertaking it.
Set Clear Campaign Goals
Setting clear goals for your campaign is one of the most crucial elements for brands to deliver a successful YouTube influencer marketing campaign. Before getting into the nitty-gritty of the campaign, the kind of content to be produced, the influencers you would like to onboard, and any other details, everyone in the team should be 100% clear about the objectives and goals that need to be achieved by the said influencer campaign. Whether the idea of the activity is to improve brand awareness, create a positive brand image or improve sales by reaching a new set of potential audiences has to be decided beforehand. This planning will set the tone for the rest of the campaign production and execution. Additionally, brands must ensure that once they have finalized the campaigns’ goals, it is effectively communicated and discussed with the influencer at the helm of the content creation. Clear communication with the influencer will directly impact the content of the video, and the outcome will be more aligned with the objectives of the brands, which will drastically reduce the back and forth at the later stage, saving precious time. Furthermore, once the goal is set, it will be easier for the marketers to select the right influencer for the campaign.
Select Right YouTube Influencer
The second most crucial step to creating an engaging and winning YouTube influencer marketing campaign for the brands is to identify and onboard the right YouTube content creator that resonates well with your brand’s ideology and persona. Next, determine the YouTube channels where your audiences are most likely to spend time or spend most of their time online. These are the channels brands should approach to take ahead with their influencer marketing campaign. But a lot will also depend on your budget. Just identifying the right influencer and the right channel is only the job half done. Identifying them within your budget will be a vital thing. For example, you are a lifestyle brand that caters to the teenage population. And the most prominent influencers who are creating video content on YouTube in the same space look like an excellent fit for your brand. But that does not mean you can afford their services. Also, don’t take the bait of going with only the most famous content creators in your niche. It is no guarantee that they will be a good fit for your brand campaign. As a brand marketer, you have to assess the YouTube influencer’s fan following and determine whether they are your potential audience. iConnect from ArabyAds helps brands in the MENA region find the right influencer for their campaigns and allows them to manage their influencer marketing activity efficiently.
Also Read: What makes product seeding an integral part of influencer marketing?
Give YouTube Influencers Creative Freedom
Various researches have found that around 40 percent of influencers are not allowed creative freedom by the brands. Instead, the brands are rigid on how the content should look and ask influencers to adhere to the strict guidelines. This scenario, in turn, leads to mediocre content creation by the influencers who take it as any other campaign which needs to be delivered under specific guidelines. However, another influencer marketing research report showed that more than 70 percent of influencers are likely to work again with brands that allow them creative freedom and demonstrate trust in their skills. To maintain a healthy relationship with influencers and get the best content out of them, brands must be flexible in their approach to content creation. They should be ready to listen to the influencer’s idea of the kind of video content that they think will work best with their audience. They are the one who knows their followers better than anyone and also understands the consumer behavior of their audience. Hence, brands should be prepared to explore deeper collaboration with the influencers on their campaigns and not shoot the influencers’ ideas down. On the other hand, marketers still need to monitor that the content guidelines and briefs are well followed while designing the content for the campaign. Moreover, creating video content for YouTube is a time-consuming process compared to other social media channels, and thus brands should give ample time to the creators to come out with a winning campaign rather than just rushing to get the content completed.
Monitor Your YouTube Campaign
Creating the campaign and taking it live on YouTube will not be sufficient for brands to get the best out of the activity. To make the campaign perform to its potential and achieve the desired goals and objectives, marketers must monitor the YouTube campaign actively and rigorously. First, look at the key metrics to determine how your campaign is faring. Next, check the campaign’s reach, engagement, and user interaction. Is it working in the right direction? If not, take the necessary steps to get the campaign back on the right track. If things are not going according to the plan, brands should quickly look for an alternative plan. If required, revamp your strategy, try different video content formats, look for other YouTube channels, and replace the influencer if there is a disconnect with the audience. As a brand, you have invested much time and resources to make this campaign work, and it is for the marketers to get the best return on investment from the activity. Hence, keeping a close watch during the entire duration of the campaign and improvising to make the best of the situation is key to the success of your Youtube campaign.
Engage With Influencer’s Audience
Once the influencer marketing campaign on YouTube is live, brand marketers should start engaging with the influencer’s followers, as they are potentially your next paying customers and can increase your activity’s reach through word-of-mouth promotions. Talk to them about your products and offerings and encourage them to try out your goods. Always make it a point to interact with the comments posted below the video post and participate in the discussion. Moreover, engaging with the user-generated content through comments, likes, and shares will encourage your audience to talk more about your products and increase your reach exponentially. Finally, make sure to thank the audience if they are praising your products or even if they are sharing negative feedback about your brand. Once you start making them feel like an integral part of the brand journey, they will become loyal to your organization, which every company aspires to achieve.
Influencer marketing on YouTube has become a mainstay for brands looking to reach out to a broader audience with in-depth videos of their products and services as it commands a very sticky user base. However, creating content for YouTube takes a lot of effort and is a time-consuming process. Hence it becomes imperative for the marketers to ensure that their influence marketing campaign on YouTube is a winner. The tips mentioned above will surely help the marketers create campaigns that will help them achieve their goals.
