By: Patricia Rodriguez
In modern business strategies, influencer marketing is essential, providing brands with a direct and authentic means to engage their target audience and boost sales through collaboration with bloggers and media personalities, who have become powerful assets.
We spoke with Gleb Ryzhkov, the CEO of the communication agency SWIPE Agency, about how to effectively work with influencers.
In recent years, Gleb Ryzhkov made big moves to expand his business internationally. He is the CEO and head of the agency SWIPE Agency, one of the creators of the U STORY clothing brand, a speaker on a few educational projects, and a producer collaborating with companies across Europe and the USA.
Over the years, he has elevated SWIPE AG to the level of a full-service agency for comprehensive marketing. PR, developing promo strategies, producing creatives, managing brands in the digital sphere, and, of course, targeted influencer marketing – Ryzhkov has built a system capable of creating significant projects with iconic corporations and personalities in the shortest time frames. SWIPE Agency’s portfolio includes cases for Bentley, Nobel Design, Louis Vuitton, Audemars Piguet, Sephora and other well-known companies and brands.
From the conversation with Gleb, we’ve distilled six key steps that, when followed, will allow you to establish effective communication with influencers and achieve the desired results through influencer marketing.
Structured Approach
Creating systems is key to achieving goals. By breaking tasks down into manageable steps, you gain clarity and efficiency, saving time for both yourself and your client. When tasked with shooting a campaign for Lady & Gentleman, Gleb recognized that success relied on collaborating with international fashion photographer Amer Mohamad and celebrity costume designer Alina German. Despite challenges and tight deadlines, he navigated negotiations and executed a successful campaign shoot, emphasizing the importance of having a structured approach.
Relationship Building
In today’s marketing landscape, building lasting relationships with influencers is essential. One-time campaigns may create temporary buzz, but deep interaction, ambassadorship, and long-term sponsorship offer far greater benefits.
Engaging deeply with influencers allows brands to understand their audience better, crafting tailored strategies that resonate more profoundly. Ambassadorship leverages an influencer’s credibility to endorse products authentically, fostering trust and loyalty among consumers.
Long-term sponsorship ensures ongoing brand visibility and message reinforcement, driving sustained engagement and conversion.
Focus on Creativity
Relying on the influencer you select to comprehend its audience, its preferences, and the content it favors can determine the outcome of the campaign, whether it be success or failure.
Hence, offering the influencer a precise and detailed brief, creative freedom, and fostering collaborative creativity becomes crucial. Collaborating with the agency’s team to experiment and find a middle ground ensures resonance with the audience and aligns efforts with your goals.
Size Isn’t Everything
Mega, nano, and micro-influencers have been considered on par in marketing lately. Sometimes, smaller bloggers with audiences of up to 10K followers even outweigh the others in their engagement with their followers. Some allow raising brand awareness, while others raise trust in the brand. Utilize people from all categories and the following sizes that fit your campaign, and you’ll hit the jackpot.
Pay Attention to the Basics
Study the key KPIs and metrics, such as CPM, CPC, CPA, CPI, and ER, and use them wisely.
Plan for Unforeseeable Circumstances
Given the human-centric nature of influencer marketing, it is nearly impossible to account for any potential hiccups, where factors like equipment malfunctions are unpredictable.
Nonetheless, by keeping the concept of “unforeseeable circumstances” in mind, one can be better equipped to handle unexpected events and save valuable time typically lost to panic.
All the above points form a simple yet highly effective basis for operating in influencer marketing, as emphasized by Gleb Ryzhkov, who further underscores:
“Implementing long-playing strategies and integrating them into the DNA of the surrounding marketing world is possible if you approach each process with the utmost attention, seriousness, and drive.”
Published by: Holy Minoza
