How Brands Can Build Successful Relationships with Influencers

Marketers are increasingly looking for opportunities to connect with their customers through influencers (individuals who distinguish themselves through their personal style and their ability to attract a large audience). What influencers wear, where they travel, and who they listen to intrigue and inspire their followers. Over the last few years, many influencers have become highly professionalized, and they view their collaborations with brands as real partnerships. Our research, based on 27 in-depth interviews with influencers and supplemental case studies in the fashion and cosmetics industries, revealed growing frustration among influencers with respect to their relationships with marketers. Smart companies recognize that social media influencers should be taken seriously; developing enduring partnerships with influencers means offering them long-term contracts, fostering a healthy day-to-day relationship with them, and tracking both quantitative and qualitative performance metrics.
Co-written with Gwarlann de Kerviler.

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