Consumers with the environment and social responsibility on their mind tend to move toward conscious consumption. This involves being attentive to how the products and services you buy can affect society and nature, and then making smarter purchases.
As a marketer, you also have a role to play in this movement. The vast majority of people want companies to take steps to improve the environment. So, it’s up to you to spread the word about your brand’s eco-friendly offerings.
You don’t have to handle this task alone though. By working with an influencer, you can introduce your brand to a wider audience and engage with conscious consumers. Here are some tips on running a successful conscious consumption campaign via social media.
Partner With the Right Influencer
The influencer you choose to work with is just as important as the campaign strategy itself. For this campaign, look for the following traits in an influencer:
Long-Standing Values
Look for a partner who has a well-established passion for and commitment to sustainability efforts. Take a look at their past content to ensure they have held consistent values when it comes to environmentalism and social responsibility.
Credibility
Work with an influencer who is knowledgeable about the subject. Many people show a casual interest in conscious consumption, but you should partner with someone who can serve as an educator and fact checker. Maybe you’ll even find an influencer who has a degree in sustainability or a related field.
Flexibility
Depending on your audience and content needs, consider partnering with an influencer who is active on multiple platforms. This allows you to repurpose content and reach various demographics. For example, members of generation Z tend to prefer Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat. However, a flexible influencer knows how to link content in such a way that it reaches gen Z as well as older demographics on Facebook.
Campaign Ideas
Once you form a partnership with the right influencer, they’ll probably have some campaign ideas to share. Of course, as the marketer, you should already have some ideas in mind as well. Here are a few to consider:
Get Thrifty
If an influencer is skilled at do-it-yourself projects, you can recruit them to engage audiences with thrifty craft ideas. YouTube videos or Instagram infographics on how to create zero-waste gifts and décor can quickly go viral. Make sure the items in the tutorial somehow relate to your brand. Some examples:
- An influencer for a landscaping business can create a video about how to make solar lights.
- An influencer for a home décor brand can share Instagram images that show them crafting coasters and wall art from recycled material.
- An influencer for a wedding planning brand can offer Pinterest collections that revolve around eco-friendly dresses.
- A compelling influencer can even convince followers to share their own creations. A hashtag brings all the user-generated content together, and then you can highlight those creations on your brand’s social media page or blog.
Challenge Your Audience
An influencer can kick off a conscious consumption challenge that has that potential to go viral. The challenge might involve reducing your carbon footprint by temporarily avoiding a certain type of product or activity. For example, in 2016 TerraCycle and Tom’s of Maine challenged followers to reduce waste in their own lives and share their experiences on social media. The result was good for the environment and good for brand awareness.
Share Results
Ask the influencer to share the results of the challenge. Your brand itself can also use social media posts to highlight followers who have gone above and beyond during the challenge.
Or you can simply focus on how many people got involved. That alone can spark additional attention and engagement. A social proof concept called “wisdom of the crowd” suggests that people are more likely to join in when they see a trend spreading. Use that to your advantage here.
Try Out Conscious Consumption Messaging
This next idea involves using an influencer to test new messaging efforts. An influencer can test out new slogans and messaging techniques on their accounts before your brand officially adopts the language (or some version of it). You might discover that some messages work better with specific consumers than with others.
What kind of messaging typically appeals to conscious consumers? Focusing on the idea of “oneness” is a good start. These consumers are interested in the ways that one person’s decision can cause ripples throughout a community or start positive chain reactions. With that philosophy in mind, get to work on tweaking your brand’s language.
Conscious consumers also value transparency from brands. Without that transparency, consumers have a harder time making eco-friendly decisions. Don’t be afraid to try out messaging that discusses environmental problems posed by your industry and offers ways to solve those problems.
How an Influencer Marketplace Can Help
You should be able to execute some of these campaigns without an influencer. However, allowing a charismatic figure to serve as a bridge between your brand and consumers can boost your credibility and stir up excitement. As you look for a reliable influencer consider using an influencer marketplace. A database of skilled social media talent can make your search faster and easier.
