As you place that final blueberry on top of your porridge and the tub of cocoa powder on the counter ‘accidentally’ spills, perfectly framing your best china bowl, you lift your camera – poised and ready to get the perfect shot of your creation. You get a snap that fits your Instagram feed perfectly, a masterpiece that would rival the work of Salvador Dali… well maybe not, but one that will get you a lot of likes!
Thanks to this platform we have all become Instagram artists, it allows us as individuals to become creative directors of our own online brand. Ultimately you can be as creative, commercial, comical or artistic as you like and for the marketing and PR industries, working with influencers is a gamechanger in bringing campaigns to life.
Influencer led campaigns can work with those who have a large number of followers, known as macro influencers, or those with a smaller group of followers, between 3,000 – 10,000, which we classify as micro influencers. Campaigns can incorporate influencers in several ways including personal appearances, content creation, brand ambassador partnerships and influencer gifting.
I’ve pulled together three of our top tips on generating beautiful and effective user-generated content through Instagram influencer gifting, which can perfectly complement your campaign.
Be reactive!
With Instagram Stories now boasting 400 million daily users, keeping an eye on your Instagram feed can prove very helpful when scoping out macro influencers who you think will like your product. A speedy message to the influencer is a must. If someone puts a story up saying their favourite snack is pitta bread, and you happen to have a large box of them in the office, send them a personalised box, like we did with Lucy Mecklenburgh and Tiffany Watson for our client, The Food Doctor.
It’s not all about numbers
As great as it is to engage macro influencers, sometimes they just aren’t the right fit for the brand. It’s all about doing your research and getting your product into the hands of the right people. Identifying influencers with a smaller following, who will truly love the brand and the message is just as beneficial. By gifting your product to micro influencers, and forming strong relationships with them, you’re likely to generate amazing and authentic content that will deliver meaningful engagements.
Think about the bigger picture
When you think about your mail out, imagine the journey your box will go on. From the agency, to the post office, to the talent agent and beyond. The challenge is getting your product to its final destination in excellent condition and packaged perfectly to entice the influencer to take the Insta worthy image. Pack your mail out how you want it to be opened and remember that little details make a big difference. For example, if you’re sending out a bottle of alcohol, why not include a cocktail recipe card?
And, above all else, don’t forget your compliment slip where you can include your hashtags, social handles and a personal thank you. An influencer who gets countless packages each week is likely to remember a gift that stands out and will be more likely to share it with their followers.