Ebook Influencer marketing campaigns have a lot of moving parts. From finding influencers to making sure they get paid on time, and from creating campaigns with them to measuring the results of those campaigns, you have a lot of things to keep tabs on. Enter influencer management software, which can help to keep your campaigns organized, and help you gauge whether or not the influencer programs you’ve launched are paying off.
Whether you’re new to the influencer marketing scene or are just looking for something to take the stress and hassle out of each campaign, software can be worth your while.
What You Can Do With Influencer Management Software
As you might guess from its name, influencer management software can help you manage all aspects of an influencer marketing campaign. Although not all software programs are created equally, here are a few of the things you should be able to do with the best influencer management software programs:
Find and evaluate influencers.
One of the major challenges influencer marketers face, according to eConsultancy, is finding the right influencer to work with. Instead of leaving you to search for a needle in a haystack, influencer management software can simplify the search process by showing you how influencers on the platform stack up, what they are interested in, and what campaigns they’ve worked on.
Connect with influencers.
Cold calls and emails can only take marketers so far. Influencer management software should include a feature that lets you contact the influencers you’re interested in working with through the platform. Initiating contact through the software itself sends the influencer the message that you’re serious and legitimate. It also makes it more likely that the influencer will respond to your messages.
Manage content creation.
Influencer management software should let you manage the content creation process. The best programs will give you a range of content options, from Instagram posts to long-form videos. You should be able specify what you expect from the influencer in the content, and should have the ability to approve or reject content that’s not up to snuff. Some programs also let you verify that the content created ticks all the compliance boxes.
Pay influencers.
Negotiating with and paying influencers on time is a hassle. Software helps to reduce the hassle involved by holding payments for influencers in escrow until the content is approved, and by offering tracking so that you can see what influencers are charging you for and how much each item costs. Some platforms also handle tax compliance for you, so you don’t have to track down influencers at year end to get them 1099s.
Distribute and promote influencer content.
Your influencer management software should include features that let you distribute content through various channels. Ideally, the software will give you opportunities for promoting or boosting content, such as by having other influencers share it with their followers, or by using promoted post features on platforms such as Facebook.
Measure and track content performance.
Finally, influencer software should help you manage campaigns by measuring the results of your influencer content, and by tracking how each piece of content is performing so that you can get a sense of what works and what’s less successful, then make adjustments for your next campaign.
Benefits of Influencer Management Software
Influencer management software offers brands multiple benefits, which can explain why brands large and small use it. Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of the software is that it’s scalable.
Your brand might be a startup. And, you might not have a huge budget. Your budget might even be best described as “non-existent.” There are still software options available to you, most notably budget-friendly, pay-per-click options that let you set an upper limit.
As your brand grows, influencer software can grow with you. You might not need full campaign management today. But, if you do someday, you’ll know there’s a influencer marketing software package that fits your needs.
Another benefit of influencer management software is very similar to the benefits involved with any other type of software: It make things easier for the people who use it.
With influencer software, every aspect of a campaign is in one spot. No more hunting around for that one email that has the details of the project laid out in it. Nor do you have to maintain long email conversations or threads with multiple people. Imagine everything about your campaign right there in the program.
That also means that if things get off track, you have the ability to see where things went wrong. Then you can get back on course quickly.
How to Choose Influencer Management Software
When it comes to choosing influencer management software, you want to consider three things.
Your budget/the scope of your campaign.
The needs of an enterprise-level company are going to be considerably different from the needs of a small mom-and-pop business. You want a program that speaks to you, and that works with your budget.
The reputation of the software company.
Reputation and experience matter when it comes to choosing a software platform. You want to work with a company with a track record of success and years of influencer marketing experience. Influencer marketing continues to rise popularity and that means more and more platforms continue pop up. Some claim to be the solution to your problems. Make sure to confirm the company you choose has the know-how and experience to back up any claims it makes.
The features included in the software.
In some cases, influencer management software means just a database someone slapped together. That kind of software does little more than what you could do yourself with an hour and a Google search. Be sure to evaluate how in-depth the software is. Then determine how much contact it actually has with the influencers it claims to put you into contact with.
Ready for Influencer Management Software? What to Do Next:
If you’re ready to go ahead and invest in influencer management software, here’s what you need to do next. Make a list of the features you need. Then determine your budget range. And, finally, start contacting platforms that offer influencer marketing services.
You’ll likely find that it’s easy to cross a few platforms off of your list right away. Some just won’t have what you need. Once you get down to a short list, ask for a demonstration. That way you can see what each platform can do for your IRL.
