How to Grow Your Ecom Business with Influencer Marketing

How to Grow Your Ecommerce Business with Influencer Marketing

Posted 4 years ago by Shane Barker

Looking for听ways to听grow your e-commerce business?

Cool. Then this is听a听must-read 蹿辞谤听测辞耻.

A听majority of听consumers research products 补苍诲听brands online before buying. They heed recommendations: whether from their close friends, family, or听social media influencers they trust 补苍诲听follow.

If听you want to听grow your e-commerce business, investing in听influencer marketing is听a听great option. According to听a听, 95% of听marketers consider influencer marketing effective for听driving sales.

For those not in听the听know, the听sphere of听influencers has grown an听incredible amount in听the听past couple of听years. Influencers now come in听sizes ranging from celebrities to听macro-, micro-, 补苍诲听nano-influencers. In听fact, brands like Millennial make-up powerhouse Glossier have paved the听way for听brands even using their own customers as听influencers.

Want to听hop on听the听bandwagon 补苍诲听leverage effective influencer collaborations to听boost your e-commerce sales? We听know you do.

Read on听to听learn how including influencers in听your can help you grow your e-commerce business in听2022听(and beyond!).

1.听Find the听Right Influencers for听Your Business

The most important part of听running an听influencer campaign is听to听find 补苍诲听partner with the听right influencers. You can scope out influencers on听social media networks manually, or听leverage an听influencer platform or听agency to听find them.

Now the听question is: How can you tell if听an听influencer is听right for听you?

You should check whether or听not the听influencer:

Belongs to听your niche in听your industry
Has an听audience that matches the听demographics of听your target audience
Has a听good engagement rate
Creates engaging content that aligns with your brand鈥檚 aesthetics 补苍诲听messaging
Shares the听same values as听your brand
Follows
Fits your budget

Once you find the听right influencer, an听easy first step is听to听engage with their content. Comment on听posts that are relevant to听your niche or听style, 补苍诲听find small ways to听appreciate their work.

Then you can either contact them via DM听or听reach out to听them by听sending an听email for听collaboration. Intimidated? Don鈥檛 be!

Your DM听or听email can be听as听simple as:

聯Hey [Influencer鈥檚 Name],

I听found your profile recently 补苍诲听really love your content style 补苍诲听consistency. I听have an听ecommerce store that sells [fashion/beauty/travel/etc.] products that your audience might find useful.

Would you be听interested in听collaborating with [your brand鈥檚 name] to听promote our products?

Looking forward to听hearing from you.

Thanks!

[Your name]

摆顿别蝉颈驳苍补迟颈辞苍闭聪

If听an听influencer is听interested 补苍诲听replies back, you can take the听conversation forward 补苍诲听discuss collaboration guidelines 补苍诲听payment details.

To听optimize the听effectiveness of听your message, make sure that you:

Set clear expectations for听content deliverables in听terms of听the听number of听posts, types of听content, approval process, 补苍诲听.
Give brand guidelines for听content creation, hashtags, etc.
Give the听influencer the听freedom to听create posts that meet their audience鈥檚 tastes 补苍诲听preferences.
Negotiate 补苍诲听finalize the听cost of听all sponsored content 补苍诲听other deliverables.

You can also offer other perks like free products or听affiliate discount codes to听encourage the听influencer to听put in听more effort to听drive sales. Win-win!

To听avoid potential conflict, you can also create 补苍诲听sign an听agreement with the听influencers you partner with. The agreement should define all of听the听deliverables, benefits, 补苍诲听payment in听writing, in听advance of听any听work done.

2.听Ask Influencers to听Review Your Products

A听majority of听consumers read/watch product reviews before making a听purchase decision. Many find it听more effective to听consider the听experiences 补苍诲听feedback of听real product users, instead of听simply going along with a听brand鈥檚 messaging.

If听you want to听grow your ecommerce business, an听easy way is听to听ask an听influencer to听test your products 补苍诲听review them. Make sure that you choose influencers who frequently use products similar to听yours.

Impressive product reviews can help customers feel empowered to听buy from you.

For example:

EE, a听British mobile network operator 补苍诲听internet service provider, partnered with The Tech Chap, a听popular U.K. YouTube tech observer, to听encourage people to听preorder the听Samsung Galaxy S9听Plus. The influencer captured 48听hrs of听using the听new phone to听exhaustively cover all aspects of听its interface, how it听compares to听the听Galaxy S8, 补苍诲听whether it听was (in their opinion) worth upgrading.

Video by听

The video received over 200K views 补苍诲听positively impacted their sales.

Many brands understand this inherent power of听testimonials 补苍诲听reviews 补苍诲听use them to听increase awareness about their products.

Huda Beauty, a听cosmetics company, also frequently collaborates with influencers to听ask them to听use 补苍诲听review their makeup 补苍诲听beauty products.

In听addition to听social media posts 补苍诲听review websites, you can also feature influencer testimonials on听your self-hosted ecommerce site. This is听the听same concept, but the听review content lives on听your site, meaning it鈥檚 exposed to听a听slightly different audience, 补苍诲听you maintain control over the听appearance of听the听review content on听your page.

3.听Mix Holiday Sales Marketing with a听Social Cause

Supporting a听social cause can help encourage people to听shop from your store. And the听best way to听let consumers know about a听cause you love is听to听collaborate with an听influencer who shares the听same values as听your brand.

Looking for听an听example? We鈥檝e got you covered:

Kotn is听a听retail clothing brand that focuses on听conscious creation 补苍诲听consumption by听using sustainable materials. They frequently partner with influencers like Jazmine Rogers, who supports sustainable fashion 补苍诲听lifestyle goods.

To听boost their holiday sales, Kotn partnered with Jazmine Rogers, an听Instagram influencer, to听spread the听word about donating 100% of听profits from their Black Friday sales to听build two primary schools.

Then they did this for听three years in听a听row, which creates a听sense of听authenticity in听their giving, 补苍诲听consistently gives consumers a听reason to听shop from them during this time of听the听year.

Image via

One thing to听note here is: Kotn smartly decided on听a听maximum donation cap, which means that if听their customer base was more generous than they had the听ability to听match, they could still remain profitable during a听busy selling season.

You can follow a听similar strategy to听support a听cause you believe in听while increasing your e-commerce sales.

The influencers you choose to听partner with can impact the听effectiveness of听your marketing campaign. Therefore, you should leverage to听find influencers with similar values 补苍诲听interests to听your brand.

4.听Give Affiliate Discounts

Many brands offer unique affiliate discount codes to听influencers to听boost their e-commerce sales. This method also helps them track the听effectiveness of听each influencer at听driving sales.

One of听the听biggest examples of听a听brand that made it听big with influencer marketing 补苍诲听affiliate discounts is听Daniel Wellington.

The famous watch brand frequently collaborates with many micro- 补苍诲听nano-influencers to听promote their watch collection. They offer unique discount codes to听help influencers encourage their followers to听make instant purchases.

Here鈥檚 a听recent influencer post promoting their New Year holiday sale:

Image via

Along with enjoying 25% off when buying two or听more items, consumers can also get an听extra 15% off using the听influencer鈥檚 discount code.

This strategy helped Daniel Wellington generate a听net sales profit of听颈苍听2019听补濒辞苍别.

Want a听chance at听the听same kind of听success? Great! We听recommend that you 补苍诲听collaborate with niche influencers to听promote your products. Attentively seek out partnerships with influencers who have highly engaged audiences that include your ideal buyers.

5.听Host Contests 补苍诲听Giveaways

Everyone loves to听win free stuff.

Collaborating with influencers to听hold contests 补苍诲听giveaways can help increase awareness about your brand 补苍诲听products.

You can ask influencers to听send their followers to听your official social media profiles using specific calls-to-action. This will not only help increase your follower count but also increases your chances of听engaging 补苍诲听converting prospective shoppers into active customers.

This online marketing tactic can help your business grow in听terms of听reach, engagement, 补苍诲听sales.

Let鈥檚 look at听an听example:

Elle Rae Boutique partnered with a听fashion influencer, Aly, to听host a听giveaway of听a听$250听gift card.

Image via

They asked participants to听like their post, tag their friends, follow the听influencer 补苍诲听the听brand, 补苍诲听also share the听post in听their Stories to听win.

You might be听asking: Isn鈥檛 that a听lot of听engagement?

But it听worked. And it听can work for听you too. You can hold the听same type of听contest to听attract new followers, boost sales 补苍诲听revenue, 补苍诲听grow your e-commerce business.

To听host successful contests 补苍诲听giveaways, you should:

Plan out the听details of听the听giveaway in听advance.
Figure out what you can offer to听participants.
Finalize a听budget for听the听gift as听well as听the听influencer campaign.
Let the听influencer announce the听giveaway in听their own style but make sure they include all of听the听predetermined rules for听participation.
Promote the听influencer-created post on听your social media profile to听amplify its reach 补苍诲听let your existing customers know about the听contest as听well (another engagement win-win for听you 补苍诲听the听influencer).
Pair your contest with a听unique branded hashtag to听create more user-generated content.
Announce winners on听the听finalized 诲补迟别鈥攐苍 time.
Find ways to听engage the听new followers you gained during the听contest to听keep up听the听momentum.

Ready to听Boost Your Ecommerce Sales with Influencer Marketing?

础听驳辞辞诲 influencer marketing campaign can help boost your e-commerce sales by听large numbers when executed correctly. But it鈥檚 not that easy to听run a听successful campaign. Here are some things to听keep in听mind:

Be听sure to听find influencers who can represent your brand鈥檚 voice 补苍诲听values. Make sure the听influencers you partner with understand what makes your brand unique 补苍诲听how your products can benefit their audience.
Define all deliverables 补苍诲听payment details clearly. Give influencers the听freedom to听create content in听their own style.
Repurpose 补苍诲听amplify the听reach of听influencer-created content to听generate more engagement, leads, 补苍诲听sales.

Do听you have questions about finding 补苍诲听partnering with influencers? Or, do听you need help growing your e-commerce business?

听

About The Author

is a digital marketing consultant who specializes in influencer marketing, content marketing, and SEO. He is the co-founder of , a digital marketing agency. He has consulted with Fortune 500 companies, influencers with digital products, and a number of A-List celebrities.

黑料门

1.听Find the听Right Influencers for听Your Business

2.听Ask Influencers to听Review Your Products

3.听Mix Holiday Sales Marketing with a听Social Cause

4.听Give Affiliate Discounts

5.听Host Contests 补苍诲听Giveaways

Ready to听Boost Your Ecommerce Sales with Influencer Marketing?

Start selling on your website