It’s no secret that influencer marketing can result in a strong marketing ROI (hello, $20B+ value).
But without the right strategy, campaigns can fall flat — leading to more money wasted than earned.
So, we spoke to three industry experts to get their top influencer marketing tips that’ll help make your next campaign a success.
What Is Influencer Marketing?
Influencer marketing is a type of social media marketing where brands partner with popular creators on platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube to promote their products or services.
Where traditional ads can miss their mark with younger audiences, social media influencers have the selling power to turn your brand into a trusted online name.
FYI: Later's in-house team of experts provide end-to-end influencer marketing services to countless leading businesses. Schedule a call to learn more.
8 Influencer Marketing Tips — From the Experts
Ready for some industry secrets? Dig into the top expert influencer marketing tips, below.
Tip #1: Look in Your Own Backyard
When it comes to landing the perfect influencer partnership, social media strategist and creator Courtney Johnson says you don’t have to look too far.
“When you start with existing users and superfans who already have an established audience, the learning curve for a new tool, platform, or product disappears, and the content is more authentic.”
Later’s Associate Director of Services, Nicole Kobeda, is aligned.
“Your brand advocates will likely be the most cost-effective, successful, and natural-sounding as they’ve already built an affinity for your brand.”
TL;DR: Set time aside for social monitoring — the perfect collaboration might already be waiting for you.
Tip #2: Let Creators, Create
According to Nicole, this influencer marketing tip is simple.
“Whether it be their high following, stellar engagement, or creative content, remember that you chose your influencer marketing partner because they know what works for their audience,” says Nicole.
Her advice? “Provide a concept starter, key messaging, and CTAs — then, sit back, and let them do what they do best.”
Tip #3: Consider Ongoing Partnerships
When you find an influencer who’s a strong brand fit, Later’s Sr. Enterprise Customer Success Manager Regan M. Powers says the partnership doesn’t have to end with a one-off campaign.
“The opportunity of engaging a good match for a longer-term contract over multiple weeks or months is a twofold opportunity — repeated exposure to the creator’s audience and lasting trust from your community,” says Regan.
Tip #4: Leverage a Content Series
The ultimate collaboration? According to Courtney, it’s leveraging content that’s already proven to drive high engagement.
“Find an influencer with an existing content series that fits within your niche. For example, a calendar app could plug into an influencer's series called ‘Work Productivity Tools’," says Courtney.
See how luggage brand Away partnered with Peyton Dix for a special edition of her “Mom Guesses Celebs” series featuring their products:
Naturally integrating into an already-existing content series is a predictable way “to create influencer marketing success,” Courtney adds.
Tip #5: Optimize Your Partnerships
Regan’s top tip? Get influencer marketing partnerships for all they’re worth.
Standard KPIs like CPM, CPE, and CPC are helpful — but don't discount the value of optimizing collaborations for a better ROI.
“Negotiate rights to repurpose their content in paid campaigns or ask for ‘bundles’ of deliverables to cross-post the same piece of content on multiple platforms,” advises Regan.
The takeaway? Work smarter, not harder.
Tip #6: Think Outside Your Niche
“While we love finding influencers who match our brand perfectly, sometimes there’s magic in those unexpected pairings,” says Regan.
“Think: Travel brands partnering with creators who share cost-saving tips or beauty brands joining forces with athletes.”
Like NBA all star Jalen Green teaming up with MGK's nail polish brand, UN/DN LAQR:
The result? Stand-out posts and exposure to new audiences. Win-win.
Tip #7: Don’t Treat Influencers Like a Content Machine
Reminder: Creators have lives too, so keep your expectations within reason.
“Set expectations at the forefront and provide a 1-2 day buffer window to account for reviews and roadblocks,” says Nicole.
It’ll make for smoother partnerships again (and again).
Tip #8: Use an Influencer Marketing Platform
Our final (and most important) influencer marketing tip?
Set your influencer marketing campaigns for success with a platform like Later Influence.
With it, you can:
Search our influencer index (with over 10M influencers and counting!)
Access discovery tools that filter by industry, primary platform, and more
Manage outreach and communications — all in one place
Streamline payments, budgets, and reporting
And if you want to take it a step further, you can let our marketing services team manage your influencer marketing for you.
From strategy to execution, we’ve helped top brands like Clif Bar and American Girl run successful campaigns.
Are your gears turning? Bookmark these tips, tap into the leading influencer marketing platform, and make waves with your next campaign!
