by: Claire Daly
Selecting Global Influencers: Why ‘One Size Fits All’ Doesn’t Work
Through social media, your brand can reach across the world instantly. But not all marketing campaigns are created equal globally, and the same is true for influencers.
While it would certainly be convenient to have an internationally beloved influencer promote your brand, this is easier said than done. Someone could be incredibly famous and well-liked in one country and irrelevant or even unpopular in another.
But don’t let this dissuade you from using influencers in your global campaigns; you just need to tailor your approach for your specific markets. Here’s what to consider to help you find influencers who will boost your marketing in international markets:
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Cultural relevance
When identifying influencers for a campaign, they must have a strong presence in the market in question. The key value of working with an influencer is gaining the attention of their built-in audience. You may be partnering with an incredibly popular influencer, but if you are running ads somewhere they do not have a strong following, you are unlikely to get your desired engagement.
If you are running a campaign with an influencer, it is important to identify where their audience is based and make sure this aligns with your target markets. Recognise that this may not be the same as the country where they are based!
You may not be able to find one influencer that covers all your markets, so consider spreading your budget across small influencers who have a strong regional presence. HelloFresh uses influencer marketing extensively across countries; their model works because they forge partnerships with local influencers, ranging from American celebrity Lauren Conrad to Danish nano-influencers.
Why this works:
Platform prioritisationJust as an influencer may not be popular in another country, the same can be said for social media platforms. While Facebook is the most popular social media platform globally, many other platforms are more widely used within specific countries. If you are running a campaign in Brazil, for example, you will likely turn to WhatsApp or Instagram. Or if you are targeting Japan, LINE dominates the market.
This can also vary based on which audiences you are targeting within a country. TikTok is likely to play a major role if you are looking for young consumers, but it will not get you very far with silver surfers (over 60). Many influencers work across multiple social media platforms but may not be equally popular on all of them, so it is important to research their engagement rates on the specific platforms you are using.
Authenticity and alignmentInfluencer marketing works because followers respect the influencer’s point of view, so you want to make sure your partnership makes sense for the influencer and does not appear as a cash grab. The correlation could be obvious, running influencers for athletic wear or beauty influencers for a new lipstick, or it may be more subtle. If your products are sustainably made, for example, you could partner with an influencer who discusses their love of the environment.
How to pick influencers that actually fit your audience
To promote their Deep Moisture Body Wash, Dove partnered with a dermatology and beauty influencer on TikTok. Since personal care and beauty were already a part of her brand, the ad fits in with her regular content and gains authority from her experience as a dermatologist.
https://www.tiktok.com/@thebeautyderm/video/7468798891547381038?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc In addition to making the promotion seem authentic, researching influencer values is also essential to protect your brand.
While you can’t know everything, doing your due diligence will help you avoid embarrassment.Global (and flexible) campaign architectureWe have established the importance of localisation in your campaign, but how do you make sure a variety of influencers across markets are in line with your vision? Keep your content flexible so that influencers can provide local personalisation, but establish an overarching structure with a clear narrative and brand pillars.
This balanced approach gives you the benefits of working both globally and locally.The power of influencer marketing lies in connection, and those connections are formed differently around the world. By striking a balance between respecting local nuance and maintaining a unified brand story, you can build campaigns that resonate globally and perform locally.Ready to kickstart your global influencer campaigns?Discover our international social media services
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