3 Influencer Secrets That No one told You about
Are there really influencer secrets?
How do I know?
A. Influencers all over IG are posting about it?
B. I received 15 emails about it?
C. I have an app that notified me?
D. All of the above.
It’s D. And yep, that hype is real.
How to watch for influencer secrets…
Have you ever noticed that you see a single skincare product or a special sale promotion in your social media feeds all at once from multiple influencers?
Is it because they all just suddenly fell in love with Wal-mart’s new delivery service? Or maybe the Nordstrom sale is THAT amazing?
Sure, there’s the Baader–Meinhof phenomenon, or the frequency illusion, that once you become aware of an object or an idea, you suddenly see it everywhere.
But there’s also the Influencer Phenomenon, or the fact that all of the influencers in your feed actually ARE posting about that same product at the same time.
Let me add here that I’m considered a micro-influencer. I have an Amazon Storefront and a LTK profile, and affiliate links with several beauty and fashion brands that I use and love.
Influencers can be really helpful reviewers of products and we do everything from tip you off about the sizing of a dress to share special discount codes on cookware to help you learn how your bra should REALLY fit. (That last one is important!)
But you should also know that there’s more to the Influencer gig than just picking up a new sundress at a local store and taking a pretty photo. There’s an entire industry behind the scenes loaded with marketing calendars, payment platforms, best practices, and contracts.
Here’s are 3 influencer secrets that often drive influencers to share a particular product or brand at a certain time:
- A brand temporarily increases the commissions or bounty that they pay for sales to influencers through an app (think Amazon storefront, or the LTK app.) For example, the brand raises a product category payout rate on a sale from 4% to 8%, usually for a limited window of time. (I predict you’ll see a lot of kitchen products around Amazon Prime Day for just this reason. Report back and let me know!)
- A store shares promotional material or previews a product to influencers in advance, so that the influencer has time to create content (take photos, film videos, write blog posts) BEFORE the sale is announced or the product is released to the public.
- Influencer marketing platforms, like LTK or ShopStyle, share the search terms that shoppers are using on their platforms. Then, influencers create more content and share more items in that category. Think “4th of July Outfit” or “Porch Decor”.
At their essence, social media influencers are useful product reviewers with a splash of color and personality. Your job is to take their suggestions into consideration, and filter their advice in a way that helps you make decisions that are right for you and your lifestyle.
It’s a win/win!
Have an influencer secrets story to share? Drop a comment and tell me about it!
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