Thousands of brands worldwide have benefited from influencer marketing in recent years. This helps them achieve various goals such as increasing sales or boosting brand awareness. Using influencer marketing has become an absolute necessity, especially in hypercompetitive niche markets. However, it needs to be combined with other forms of advertising and marketing. In this post, we’ll share some of the best influencer marketing examples. This can help you get ideas on how to use influencers in business. We’ll also share more about the different types of influencer marketing campaigns and which goals they help brands achieve. If you’re interested in the latest marketing strategies and techniques, make sure to check out our post on eCommerce marketing as well.
Key takeaway: Virtually every business can create an influencer marketing campaign. Some of the best influencer marketing examples include clever combinations between different marketing techniques which are aimed at creating a viral effect on social media platforms.
Influencer Marketing Examples
There are hundreds of campaigns that can be used as examples of successful collaborations with influencers. You will not find campaigns of small brands that partner with a few micro and nano-influencers in the influencer marketing examples below. But that doesn’t mean this approach can’t be part of the eCommerce marketing strategy of small companies. Let’s examine how some of the well-known brands have used influencer marketing to their advantage.
Daniel Wellington
Although the company was created in 2011, its watches and other products quickly gained a reputation. That’s because of a campaign in which Daniel Wellington gave free watches to micro-influencers in exchange for stylish posts. This was followed by a viral effect on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. The successful implementation of this user-generated campaign led to a massive increase in brand awareness and sales.
Gymshark
Another influencer marketing example that has led to excellent results is Gymshark’s 66-day challenge. The reason for its success was that it was community-driven and encouraged participation and socialization between both influencers and social media users. Leveraging omnichannel marketing and partnerships with influencers has helped Gymshark become one of the most recognizable brands in the hypercompetitive apparel industry.
Barbie
The movie Barbie is one of the most successful influencer marketing examples. The marketing campaign combined celebrities and mega influencers who used the “This Barbie is” selfie template. This led to over 1.5 million mentions of the campaign hashtags across social media platforms. The campaign was started early and this made the movie release one of the most anticipated events throughout the year. This influencer marketing example shows that this strategy is not only a major eCommerce trend but can also be used to promote events and services.
GoPro
The company has completely revolutionized the action camera sector thanks to combining clever influencer and social media marketing. GoPro encourages users and influencers to share action footage using its products. This makes them brand ambassadors for GoPro. This approach has allowed the company to be associated with fun and action activities instead of electronics.
Dunkin’
The annual National Donut Day is celebrated on the first Friday of June. During this holiday, Dunkin’ offers various specials to its customers. They range from special deals, bundles, and a free donut for every beverage purchased. This campaign is often reinforced with strong influencer-generated content. That’s why many associate the National Donut Day with Dunkin’s brand. This is a great influencer marketing example of how food service establishments can use influencers as part of their overall restaurant marketing strategy.
NordVPN
People who follow different YouTube channels have undoubtedly noticed their partnership with NordVPN. This VPN service provider partners with a wide range of YouTube channels. Their business’s marketing strategy also includes creating discount codes for different influencers and YouTubers in order to track their performance and give their audience additional value. Not only has their campaign boosted sales, but it has made their brand the primary association to VPN services.
Types of Influencer Marketing Campaigns
- Sponsored post. This is the most popular and typical influencer marketing campaign. It’s also the easiest to execute. It includes paying (or giving free products) to an influencer to create a post, blog, or video about a product or brand.
- Product review. In this format, influencers will receive the product, try it, and give an honest review of its features and characteristics.
- Affiliate marketing. By using discount codes, brands can track the performance of their partnership with influencers. Affiliate marketing is used by various companies to boost their social commerce, eCommerce revenue, or B2B sales.
- Brand ambassador. Some brands prefer to establish long-term partnerships with influencers or celebrities. This gives them a consistent promotion that is not limited to a single campaign and makes the influencer a “face” of the brand.
- Campaign or event promotion. Companies that want to promote their sustainable practices or a special event at their brick-and-mortar store might also combine that with influencer marketing.
- Giveaway. These campaigns are commonly associated with nano or micro-influencers. They drive engagement and can be an excellent brand awareness campaign.
Frequently Asked Questions about Influencer Marketing Examples
From tips on how to market a restaurant to advice on eCommerce marketing automation, you’ll find various resources on BlueCart’s website. Below are the answers to popular questions regarding influencer marketing examples.
What Businesses Use Influencer Marketing?
Influencer marketing is suitable for all types of businesses. However, they need to set proper goals and choose the right influencers to partner with. Nevertheless, some industries can benefit from this strategy more than others. Here are a few examples of sectors where partnering with influencers works very well.
- Beauty, fashion, and lifestyle;
- Health, sport, and fitness;
- Electronics and gadgets;
- Personal finance, insurance, and investments;
- Entertainment and gaming.
International brands in these fields usually partner with mega influencers and celebrities. Small or local brands use the services of nano and micro-influencers in order to achieve high ROI.
What Are the Pros of Influencer Marketing?
The high return on investment combined with the potential of viral effects on social media is one of the reasons why a growing number of business owners use influencer marketing campaigns. Furthermore, since influencers are trusted by their audience, companies can use influencer marketing as a bridge between consumers and their brands. Another benefit of influencer marketing is the fact that it combines well with other forms of advertising. For example, it can be used to promote other campaigns, generate visibility on social media, or achieve media presence.
How to Start an Influencer Marketing Campaign?
The first step in starting an influencer marketing campaign is setting proper goals that align with your company’s size and objectives. Once done, you should create guidelines for content creators and start reaching out to them. For example, an eCommerce store that sells various types of specialty coffee nationwide can partner with influencers from every corner of the US. It’s preferable to focus on nano and micro-influencers as they might agree to partner with your brand in exchange for free products. Make sure to also prepare for the increased demand that often comes with such campaigns.
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