As the air fills with the scent of freshly baked goods and twinkling lights, businesses find a prime opportunity in influencer marketing to boost brand awareness, engagement, and conversions during the holiday season. This seasonal period, marked by key shopping events from Halloween to last-minute holiday gift buying, sees a spike in global consumer activity. People look for quality gifts and often turn to influencers for trustworthy recommendations.
Whether you’re a small enterprise aiming for holiday success or an established brand enhancing your marketing, holiday influencer marketing is a vital strategy. It enables businesses to engage and captivate their audience effectively.
Below, we explore how to craft successful campaigns and collaborations that leave your audience wanting more, leveraging the holiday spirit to enrich your influencer marketing endeavors.
Table of Contents
Holiday Influencer Marketing for Businesses Big or Small
Last week, we talked about influencer marketing during the holidays and gave some examples of what success can look like with this technique. We showed how some commonly known brands, like Coca-Cola and AirBnB, found a great fit for presenting their message and promotions in a way that was in alignment for both company and influencer.
While these campaigns were welcomed like good tidings, they were funded by deep pockets and a lot of resources, and are already well-known across the globe. But what about us common folk? In today’s dynamic marketing landscape, influencer marketing has emerged as a powerful strategy for businesses of all sizes, including small and independent ones.
What looks like success for independent companies may feel like looking for peanuts to the big dogs. But it isn’t about the size of the splash you make in return, but the scalable results that are meaningful for where you’re at. By understanding and implementing the ensuing strategies, businesses can achieve meaningful outcomes and a triumphantly tasty holiday influencer marketing campaign in 2023.
Measuring the Feast of Success
Just like the gentle chilly hum that fills the air during the greatest season of all, the exploration of the impact of your campaigns on various fronts lies before you. From tantalizing impressions to engaging interactions, from the delectable delights of website traffic to the sweet satisfaction of conversions and sales, let’s dive into this gastronomic adventure and discover the true essence of your influencer marketing efforts.Â
Reach and Impressions
Get ready to drool over the tantalizing number of impressions your campaign whips up. Just like the aroma of a perfectly roasted bird wafting through the air, these impressions reflect the potential exposure your campaign has among your target audience.
Engagement Metrics
Likes, comments, shares, and saves – the juicy tidbits that spark the taste buds of interaction. Just like the delightful crackling of a fire in the hearth, these engagement metrics reveal how well your content resonates with your audience. Sit back, grab a festive treat, and revel in the level of engagement your campaign ignites.
Website Traffic
While your audience noms on influencer content, there are also the appetizing treats on your website to see. Unwrap the metrics of unique visitors, session duration, page views, and bounce rates as you observe the impact of your campaign on driving audience interest. It’s time to see how your campaign sweetens up the traffic online
Conversions & Sales
Ah, the sweet satisfaction of converting audience interest into tangible results. Leads, email sign-ups, purchases – these are the scrumptious morsels that showcase the true success of your campaign. Learn about the correlation between your influencer efforts and the conversions and sales they generate.
Brand Awareness & Sentiment
By tracking mentions, hashtags, and sentiment analysis, you can uncover the true impact of your campaign on brand awareness. Are your customers singing carols of praise for your brand?
Influencer-Audience Alignment
A successful campaign lies in finding a mellifluous pairing between your brand, the influencers you collaborate with, and your intended audience. Just like the harmony of flavors in a holiday feast, strong alignment creates a symphony of success.
Return on Investment (ROI)
Calculating the ROI is like measuring the perfect balance of flavors in a holiday dish. By comparing costs, influencer fees, content creation, and promotion with the revenue generated, you can determine the financial success and profitability of your promotion.
Additional Trimmings for Small Businesses to Chew On
When it comes to serving a delightful holiday influencer marketing feast, remember that it’s not just the big brands who can dine on remarkable results. Small businesses, it’s time to take a seat at the table and relish in your own unique strategy. So grab a plate, fill it with festive ideas, and let’s dig in!
As a small business, you may face challenges as difficult as replicating grandma’s secret stuffing without a recipe. Limited resources, smaller budgets, and less brand recognition might make you feel like a forgotten side dish on a table full of well-loved favorite entrees. However, with a strategic and focused approach, you can still create a mouthwatering holiday influencer marketing campaign that leaves a lasting taste in your customers’ minds. Mm mm!
Instead of aiming for the biggest turkey in town, consider working with micro- or nano-influencers who are like the aromatic hints of spice that perfectly complements your brand. These influencers have a highly engaged audience that’s as loyal as a family gathering around the table. By leveraging their authenticity and personal connections, you can create a rich bond with your audience, making them crave your brand’s offerings like a warm slice of apple pie. (Crumble top for me, please!)
While the big brands might have the budget for a royal lavish banquet, you can turn your limited resources into a spread fit for a holiday Cheermeister. Focus on specific objectives that make your taste buds tingle, such as driving immediate conversions like giving gifts or increasing local brand awareness like a snowflake gently falling on every doorstep.Â
The Meat of It
Measuring the success of an influencer marketing campaign for small and independent businesses follows similar principles as for larger companies. However, it’s important to tailor your strategy to your unique needs and resources, like a chef crafting a recipe with the finest ingredients. Just as you need a perfectly cooked roast beast for a feast, you need careful planning, clear communication with influencers, and metrics that leave you licking your lips.Â
Have Clear Objectives
Now, let’s talk about the secret sauce to a successful holiday influencer marketing campaign. Set clear goals, like knowing how many mouths you want to feed with brand awareness or how many seconds it takes for customers to scoop up your irresistible offers. Whether it’s increasing brand awareness, driving website traffic, boosting sales, or gaining social media followers, establishing specific and measurable objectives will guide your cooking methods. Having this deliciously set vision on your plate means you’ve got a well-anticipated direction you’re looking forward to that benefits your company best right now.
Track Influencer Metrics
Like a skilled chef monitoring the temperature of a simmering gravy, keep an eye on influencer metrics as the campaign runs. Look at the number of followers, engagement rates (likes, comments, shares), and audience growth during the campaign. Find influencers that function as sous chefs that will naturally work in sync with aligned ideals to turn their dedicated fan base into your own.
Monitor Campaign-Specific Metrics.
As any inventory clerk worth their salt knows, preparing to serve an elaborate meal means taking consistent stock of supplies in the pantry. Record campaign-specific metrics like website traffic, conversion rates, and customer actions to stay in the know. Use tracking tools like UTM parameters and analytics platforms to gauge the impact of your campaign. Just like checking to make sure you have all of the ingredients to bake the perfect gingerbread cookies, these metrics will guide you to a succulent success.
Consider Qualitative Feedback
Keep your pointy ears perked for qualitative feedback, listening to the sentiments of your customers and followers. Pay attention to the comments and feedback related to the campaign, and unwrap the insights they hold. Find the pain points and joy points expressed on the personality’s platform about their sponsorship of your product. If you close your eyes real tight and imagine hard enough, it’s like finding the hidden surprise inside a holiday cracker!
Track Long-Term Effects
Now for the hard part… having patience. Especially for young cooks in a new kitchen, results take time. Monitor the impact beyond the immediate results, like a seasoned chef patiently waiting for the flavors to meld together. Assess whether there’s a sustained increase in brand awareness, engagement, or customer loyalty even after the campaign concludes. These long-term effects are like the leftovers that you get to use to make turkey and cranberry sauce sandwiches that seem to last forever.
Now that you’re equipped with the knowledge, you can use these measurements to create a spectacular smorgasbord of influencer excellence metrics that will leave everyone asking for seconds!
Don’t Forget the Garnish
But here’s the true recipe for success – it’s not just about the numbers. For small and independent businesses, building brand awareness, generating positive word-of-mouth, and establishing meaningful relationships with customers and influencers alike are the real holiday gems. And when you select the right influencers and platforms that perfectly complement the flavors of your brand, it’s like pairing your culinary effort with a complimentary mulled wine. So ensure your influencer selection aligns with your brand’s essence and that the chosen platforms provide the optimal stage for their tailored content and hungry audience.
Remember, influencer marketing isn’t a quick snack; it’s a sumptuous, long-term feast. To truly dazzle and captivate, brands must continuously stir up engaging campaigns that tantalize their audience and entice new followers to join the party. You have the power to create a social media affair that leaves everyone craving for more.
Cheers!
Gobbling up success in holiday influencer marketing is not limited to the big brands with hefty budgets. Small and independent businesses can indulge in the feast of success by implementing the right strategies. By finding the perfect influencers, planning meticulously, and measuring the impact, businesses can achieve meaningful outcomes that will have you raising a glass of cheer to your triumphant holiday influencer marketing strategy.
No matter the size of your kitchen, we believe in your ability to whip up an amazing campaign. If you need further guidance or have any questions, the Fullmoon team is ready to help provide you with the yeast to make your marketing rise up. Grab your apron, sharpen your knives, and get ready to savor the taste of victory. Let’s cook up success together!
