Are you selling products on Amazon? If so, you know that simply listing your products on the site and running an ad or two isn’t enough to drive sales. You need several marketing efforts working together to drive product awareness and sales. Part of your marketing efforts should include influencer marketing. By working with influencers, you can connect with a target audience and ask these trusted niche creators to endorse your product. Besides asking creators to include links to your products in their website content, you can also launch a campaign.
Steps to take to launch an influencer marketing campaign
Every marketing campaign starts with a goal. Whether you want to drive brand awareness or sales to your Amazon store, identify the goal and list the KPIs you’ll measure. With a goal in mind, you should follow these steps to launch an influencer campaign to promote your Amazon products:
1. Identify the kind of influencer you’d like to use
If you’re an Amazon seller, you have some choices when it comes to influencers. You can:
- Find influencers in your product niche to collaborate with
- Work with influencers who share content about Amazon finds
- Find influencers that are part of the Amazon Influencer program
- Work with a variety of creators
Niche influencers
You can look for influencers that align with your product. For instance, if you sell rodeo gear, you need to look for someone in that environment, like a cowboy, saddle bronc rider, or barrelman. He or she needs a social audience, a solid reputation, and consistent posts.
You can find influencers by:
- Searching for the type of influencer you’re looking for on social channels.
- Searching hashtags that are relevant to your industry or product.
- Using an influencer marketing platform like IZEA Marketplace to search for influencers and review profiles.
Amazon-specific influencers
You can also work specifically with Amazon influencers through the Amazon Influencer Program. Creators apply to join the program and, if selected, are given their own storefront. They earn commission from the products that they recommend and sell.
These influencers often work in a niche, too, like fashion or home decor, but they can leverage Amazon-specific promotion tools. One of them is Amazon Live, a streaming channel where influencers can schedule what looks like their own TV shows.
To find these influencers, can you can:
- Watch Amazon Live or browse the Amazon Live gallery for active influencers.
- Search common hashtags like #Amazonhaul, #Amazonfinds, #FoundItOnAmazon, #AmazonInfluencer, or #AmazonMustHaves.
- Search for Amazon influencers on IZEA Marketplace.
- Search social channels for Amazon influencers.
- Run a Google search for Amazon influencers.
Pro tip: Here’s a list of Amazon influencers you can work with today.
Which is better? Niche influencers or Amazon influencers?
It’s best to work with both. Collaborate with influencers who work outside the Amazon realm and collaborate with those inside it. See which influencer your customers respond to, and make decisions based on sound data from influencer campaigns.
When considering potential partners, go beyond the follower count to assess whether the audience is engaged and features the intended audience for the product. When in doubt, ask the creator for any analytics to show they have effectively promoted Amazon products.
2. Reach out to the influencer
With a small list of influencers, you can ask them to endorse your product. Typically, you’ll reach out via email or by DM.
- Send an email
In your email, complement the influencer’s work, explain your product and its benefits, and ask if he or she would like to collaborate. Be specific about whether you are offering commission on sales via affiliate links, payment for a sponsored post, free products and more.
- Send a DM
Direct messages sent via social channels are shorter than emails, but you should still explain your product and ask them to reach out if they want to promote it.
Use this influencer outreach template for more detailed communication tips.
3. Create a campaign
Work with the influencer to brainstorm a campaign. It could be as simple as an influencer sharing a picture on social and providing a link to buy the product on Amazon. Think about the type of campaign that works best for your online product, such as a product demo, an unboxing video, or an influencer-hosted giveaway.
You could also sponsor a gift guide on the influencer’s social media platforms or blog. The guide could link to their Amazon Storefront, generating income for the creator while boosting sales.
A possible tactic for Amazon sellers is to pay for influencer-created content, like product videos, to feature in their listings. These videos can enhance the listing’s effectiveness by answering shoppers’ questions or showing how to install or use the item.
Once you select a campaign type, you should create an influencer brief.
As a brand, create an influencer brief that contains the campaign’s goals, deliverables, deadlines, approval process, and compensation. The brief provides guidance but leaves room for the influencer to be creative. Include the SEO keywords you target for your product to enhance the content’s effectiveness.
Another way to do this is to create a Casting Call that lists these details in simple terms. Creators can then pitch themselves for your project and will know the expectations.
Here’s an example of a Casting Call for a product sold on Amazon.
- Provide tracking elements
If you’re working with multiple influencers, consider giving each one their own coupon code so you can monitor ROI on the backend of the campaign.
- Review and approve content
With a detailed influencer brief, the approval process should be short. Once your team is happy with it, give the green light for the influencer to publish it.
If you’re working with an Amazon influencer who will promote your product on Amazon Live, there might not be an approval process. Since it’s live-streamed, the influencer will review your brief and endorse the product based on the information you’ve provided and their own personal experience with the product.
4. Track your results
Take a look at the campaign KPIs that gauge your success. If you’re working with different influencers, compare the campaigns. Which did customers respond to? Make notes for your next campaign.
Influencer marketing can certainly benefit Amazon sellers. With the right collaboration, your product gets in front of a new audience, which presents new possibilities to build brand loyalists and boost sales.
5. Ask for influencer marketing help
If you lack the time or resources or you’d like to expand your marketing efforts, it could be time to ask for help. Whether you need Managed Services support or a self-service option like IZEA Flex, our experts can help.
Influencers:
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Marketers:
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