How Retail Brands Can Leverage Influencer Marketing

Given how hypercompetitive the retail sector is, retail brands are always looking for innovative ways to boost sales and acquire new customers. One strategy that many retail brands are using to gain a competitive edge is influencer marketing.
A study found that influencer marketing can generate 11X as much ROI as that from traditional forms of marketing.
If you’re still trying to figure out how to use influencer marketing to grow your business, we’ve got you covered. Here are some of the most effective ways retail brands can leverage influencer marketing.

1. Offer Discounts Codes

One very effective way to boost conversions using influencer marketing is to use discount codes. Share unique discount codes with each influencer you work with and ask them to feature those codes in their sponsored content.

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​This way, not only can you tap into an influencer’s audience, but also encourage them to make a purchase. Discount coupons provide a win-win situation for brands as well as influencers.
 
Influencers get a chance to give something back to their loyal followers as well as stand a chance to earn commissions. On the other hand, your brand can get a revenue boost out of it.

2. Share Affiliate Links

When you ask influencers to promote your products, you can provide them with unique affiliate links too. This works in the same way as discount codes. When someone makes a purchase using that link, they’ll get a discount and the influencer earns a commission.
 
These links can give your brand more visibility and drive more traffic to your product pages. A great idea is to combine them with a product review by the influencer. This provides their followers more encouragement to buy the product.
Influencers can add clickable links with ease on YouTube and in blog posts. However, if you collaborate with an Instagram influencer, you’ll need to use a different strategy. For most accounts, Instagram allows clickable links to be added only in the profile bio.
 
So you’ll need to ask your Instagram influencers to add a call-to-action in their captions that directs them to your link. Affiliate links work great if you want to keep a track of revenue earnings.

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3. Showcase Influencer Testimonials

If influencers promote your products, their followers are likely to perceive your brand more favorably. This is because their followers trust their recommendations immensely.
 
You can leverage this trust dynamic to your advantage even after your campaign has ended. Showcase influencer testimonials on your website and social media accounts. Social proof makes your brand more credible.

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For best results, place testimonials on the homepage of your website. Also, do not shy away from sharing influencer testimonials multiple times on social media.

4. Invite Influencers to Events

Another easy way to leverage the popularity of influencers is to invite them to your events. Whether you’re launching a new product or just celebrating your brand’s success, make sure to invite your influencers. 

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Influencers are likely to post photos or videos from such events which can give you some good publicity. Not only is this a great way to get more media coverage, but also to build lasting relationships with your influencers. When influencers feel valued, they are likely to be more invested in your campaigns.

5. Ask Influencers to Take Over Your Social Accounts

You can also ask influencers to take over your social media accounts and create engaging content. Make sure that the takeover is publicized well on their social media accounts as well as your own. This way you can drive traffic and get leads directly from it.

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The best social media takeovers are those that allow influencers to get as creative as they want. Let them experiment with different storytelling styles and let them showcase their personalities. Also encourage them to respond to comments and engage with your followers to provide a more personalized touch.
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Along with the above-mentioned ways, you can also use other effective influencer marketing strategies to promote your retail brand. 

​Final Thoughts

For retail businesses, influencer marketing can open up a world of new opportunities. It can help you get greater visibility and be seen by your target audiences. Genuine reviews and recommendations from influencers coupled with suitable incentives like discount codes can help you drive traffic and conversions.
 
However, you must make sure that you collaborate with influencers who belong to your niche. If not, their followers won’t be relevant to your business. No matter how much you spend on your campaigns, they’re likely to be doomed if you partner with the wrong influencers. So make sure that you choose the right influencers to make you campaigns successful.
 
Can you think of any other ways that retail brands can leverage influencer marketing? Let us know in the comments below.