Influencer marketing has become a monster practice for brands to hit various KPIs. As far as platforms to leverage, YouTube is arguably the most compelling and powerful for getting a company’s message out to the world. YouTube is not only the most popular video site on the internet, but it has transcended broadcasting to become the second largest search engine in the entire digital world. That is a powerful space for any marketer to play in.
YouTube houses influencers from every walk of life who cater to brands in nearly every niche. The vloggers on YouTube are some of the world’s most recognized digital media stars, amassing legions of devout followers and subscribers; this is why so many brands opt to partner with these individuals above all else.
But there certainly is a recipe to success when it comes to leveraging YouTube influencers to market a brand’s product or service.
On April 13th, Mark Fidelman, Fanatics Media CEO, sought to breakdown this recipe for others to duplicate via Blab.im with three individuals who are already achieving stellar results through YouTube. His guests were Bri Hall, Shae Enstad, and Jackson Stoski; they shared their intimate video promotion knowledge. Watch the full version of below:
Bri Hall is a beauty and fashion vlogger and the creator of the Smartista Beauty channel on YouTube. Her channel, which started back in 2013, has amassed over 3 million views worldwide and a following of nearly 350,000 subscribers who clamor for Bri’s hair and makeup tutorials.
Shae Enstad is the lifestyle vlogger who created and hosts the ThatGirlShaeXo YouTube channel, dedicated to delivering her 250,000 followers top beauty and skin care tricks on a regular basis. Shae is a self-taught makeup expert who spent years working as a freelance makeup artist and as a lead makeup artist for Lancôme Cosmetics. She now brings her knowledge to YouTube viewers around the world.
Jackson Stoski is a business manager and agent at Beaufresh Media, an organization connecting brands and YouTube influencers, where he manages both Shae and Bri to help grow their followings.
Check out some of the knowledge these three had to share on marketing products with YouTube influencers.
Question #1: Why Should Marketers Hire YouTube Influencers vs. Those on Other Platforms?
Jackson:
YouTube is very interactive and allows viewers to see creators genuinely use products in their videos, often in real-world scenarios. This provides context that other platforms can’t duplicate. Additionally, the built-in analytics YouTube supplies are great for small businesses to be able to measure click through rates and influence on sales. This is a feature that can’t be utilized with magazine and television ads.
In terms of YouTube influencers versus other platforms, YouTube is the most beneficial because you get lots of feedback and videos continue to get views and impressions long after their initial posting, which makes for a great return on investment.
Question #2: Why Should Brands Trust YouTube Influencers to Promote Their Products and Services?
Jackson:
With YouTube, there are explicit results that can be displayed and can directly measure sales. Plus, working with management makes sure that there is someone communicating directly with the influencer to make sure videos are on time, all the talking points are hit, and all the asks are done correctly. Managers are also able to put brands in contact with a creator that will best suit their needs.
Bri:
“I only work with brands that I really, really like and that I trust.”
Bri always delivers her message in the most organic way possible, which for her means incorporating her fun and spunky personality. This resonates with her viewers, as does the fact that she only works with brands she genuinely trusts. This creates a win-win for Bri, her viewers, and her clients.
Shae:
“What’s most important is that my audience trusts me.”
Shae also only promotes brands that she has researched on social media to see what folks are saying or that her manager, Jackson, recommends and thinks would be a good fit. This discernment allows her to select brands that she believes in.
Question #3: What is Your Strategy for Delivering a Branded Video?
Bri:
When planning a video, Bri always considers what she would actually like to see from her content first. This view comes from being a YouTube viewer long before playing the role of influencer. Often times, planning the content around the current season makes the video feel organic, easily relatable for viewers, and makes it simple to integrate the product.
Shae:
Planning videos around certain themes, seasons, or major events throughout the year helps to create a solid experience. She was currently working on a prom video that incorporates different items to use for a teen’s biggest formal event. That’s just one example of how she uses current events as a context for her video shares.
Jackson:
After landing a contract, it is important to get the talking points up front. Companies will often want very specific elements to be included in the video, but that essentially equates to something like a television ad. Leaving videos to the creator’s perspective, while still integrating the talking points, makes the content more authentic, organic, and provides a much better return.
Question #4: How Often Can You Promote a Particular Brand in a Video?
Bri:
Oversaturating content with a certain brand or topic tends to alienate subscribers. There has to be variety to the videos and it has to be switched up to keep people engaged. With that in mind, it is best to have at least a month in between branded videos.
Jackson:
“If you are working with different companies, I would say to space out your branded video by about a month or so.”
Videos for different brands need to be spaced out by about a month. If it is the same company promoted, there should be about three months in between, otherwise, viewership tends to decline. If it is a series of successive videos, it can be the same company but not the same product — you will want to provide subscribers with an incentive to click through in the description.
Shae:
Branded videos need to be spaced out by about a month. If it’s a challenge or weekly check in type thing, it’s best to incorporate other social channels to break things up a bit.
Many more topics are covered in the full replay. Learn how to reach out and hire YouTube influencers, what CTAs work best for videos, how content is promoted, and other valuable insights.
Want to get your product featured by a YouTube influencer? Give us a call at 760-262-4252 or send an email to info@fanaticsmedia.com and we can engage influencers who will push your brand to new heights.
