How to start with influencer marketing

What is influencer marketing and why does it work

Influencer marketing is a form of promotion that leverages the trust between the content creator and their audience. An influencer acts as a bridge between a company and its target audience – thanks to authenticity and regular contact with followers, they can influence their purchasing decisions. This kind of marketing works because people trust people, not brands. By partnering with the right influencer, you gain direct access to their target audience – building this reach through another channel could cost you a lot of time and money.

Types of influencers: follower count isn't everything

Influencers are usually categorised by audience size:

• Nano influencers – 1,000 to 10,000 followers

• Micro influencers – 10,000 to 100,000 followers

• Macro influencers – 100,000 and more followers

• Celebrity – hundreds of thousands to millions of followers

For most entrepreneurs and small businesses, nano and micro influencers are the most appealing. They have a smaller but loyal and engaged audience, which allows for highly targeted influencer marketing.

Moreover, cooperation with smaller creators is financially viable. Prices vary case by case, but generally, the lowest amounts start at hundreds of pounds – typically for nano influencers with a narrow yet loyal audience. For micro influencers, prices range from lower to mid thousands per post. The specific amount depends on the content format, audience engagement, and how carefully the influencer selects partnerships. In bartered arrangements, the more attractive the product, the greater the chance of an agreement without financial compensation, particularly with nano influencers.

How to choose the right influencer

The biggest mistake when choosing is focusing solely on the number of followers. Three things are more important:

1. Audience relevance Are your potential customers among their followers? If you sell accounting software, look for influencers followed by entrepreneurs, freelancers, or accountants – not lifestyle bloggers with a general audience.

2. Engagement rate Engagement rate shows how much the influencer's content interests their audience – how many people like, comment, and share it. A high following with zero interaction is a red flag. You can find the engagement rate from publicly available statistics or directly from the influencer.

3. Authenticity and credibility Does the influencer promote anything they receive? Or do they select collaborations that make sense to their content? Don't just focus on reach, but on the target audience, engagement level, and relationship quality – long-term ambassadorship brings much greater benefits to brands than a single post.

How to contact an influencer: what to write to get a response

The way you word your first message is crucial. Influencers receive many offers, so a general message, “We would like to collaborate with you,” will go unanswered.

Your approach should include:

• Why them – show that you follow their content (mention a specific post or topic that caught your attention)

• What you offer – clearly describe the product, type of collaboration, and reward (payment, barter, combination)

• What you expect from the collaboration – what content format, deadline, how many posts

• Room for negotiation – don’t issue ultimatums, but open the floor for discussion

Your message should be short – no longer than 5–6 sentences. Details can be discussed after the first contact.

Contracts and terms of collaboration

Even in barter collaborations, it's worthwhile to have the basic terms confirmed in writing. At a minimum, agree on:

• what exactly the influencer is to create (format, duration, number of posts)

• when they will publish the content

• whether they will send you the content for approval before publishing

• how long the post will stay on their profile

• whether you can reuse the content in your advertisements.

Advertising disclosure: an obligation, not an option

This is important to know before your first collaboration. In the UK, the requirement to disclose advertising applies under advertising regulations and concerns all influencers, regardless of size or platform.

While the law doesn't specify a particular form of disclosure, the user must understand that the message is commercial. Hashtags like #collaboration or #advertisement are commonly used – labels like #ad or #barter are less familiar to UK users.

How to measure results

Investing in influencer marketing without measuring results is like paying for advertising and not checking if it worked. Track these key metrics:

• Reach and impressions – how many people saw the post

• Engagement – likes, comments, shares, saves

• Website traffic – monitor increases in Google Analytics during the collaboration period

• Conversions – orders, registrations, contact forms

The simplest way to accurately measure results is to give each influencer a unique discount code or tracking link (UTM parameter). Using affiliate links and discount codes, you can precisely determine whether the influencer collaboration truly impacted campaign results.

Start with small steps

You don’t have to invest tens of thousands right away. Start with one or two nano influencers in your field, offer them a product in exchange for a review, and see how their audience reacts. Begin by sending products or a small paid test, identify the best performers, and then invest more in those who deliver results – this way, you accumulate successes over time rather than betting on one pricey gamble.