Incorporating Influencer Marketing and Experiential Marketing: Why and How?

The impact of experiential marketing will be amplified if the campaign is supported by influencer marketing. This strategy will potentially add more exposure to the relevant audience, create buzz, and provide instant engagement through real-time marketing (RTM). 

In the midst of digital noise, experiential marketing strategies are rising in popularity. Because this marketing tactic allows consumers to interact, immerse themselves and experience a brand’s product or service. This will create a deeper connection between consumers and the brand. 

But, however brilliant experiential marketing is, it still needs something to enhance and energize the campaign. Either getting more customer attention, creating a truly unforgettable experience or creating more buzz on social media. Here is where influencers and content creators play a big role.

The Benefits of Having Influencers and Content Creators in Experiential Marketing Campaigns

GRIN mentioned a few things to consider about influencers' role in experiential marketing. Influencers or social media content creators build their reputations by creating aesthetic content that their followers adore. In addition, they educate and address specific topics and issues with their followers. Therefore, influencers already know what their audiences are looking for. 

By having influencers and content creators in your brand’s experiential marketing campaign, they will likely invite their audience to also experience your brand’s experience and story. You just need to find influencers and content creators that have an audience that is relevant to your brand and potentially become your brand’s customers. 

Inspira Marketing also states that the presence of influencers and content creators in experiential marketing is going to be invaluable because they can, and most likely will capture wonderful photos and videos, create user-generated content, and share stories throughout digital platforms. You can incorporate the posts made by the influencers and the content creators into the brand’s social platform to double the impact.  

Tips to Merge Experiential Marketing and Influencer Marketing

To ensure the maximum effects of merging influencer marketing and experiential marketing in your brand’s campaign, you have to make a clear and accurate strategy. Here are a few tips and ideas to maximize the presence of influencers and content creators in your brand’s experiential marketing campaign. 

Create a Perfect Mix of Micro and Macro Influencers

Vice President of Experiential Marketing at BI Worldwide, Vicki Surprise said that including influencers, especially the mix of micro and macro influencers can be the key to the campaign’s success.

Macro influencers who have more than 50.000 followers will help to drive significant buzz, not only during the campaign but also before and after. Macro influencers can increase the excitement and awareness of your brand’s campaign. Try finding fun and creative ways for the influencer’s audience to engage with your brand. For example, giveaways or customer selection rights.

Meanwhile, micro-influencers are usually popular at a local level and have 2.000 - 50.000 followers. It will be a more cost-efficient choice to have micro-influencers on the event site as they will also play a big role in driving event attendance. Moreover, if the influencers are able to share tips, hacks, and education that are relevant to the experience that your brand creates, it can create deeper engagement. 

Organize an Exclusive Event for Influencers Only

According to eCommerce Fastlane, you should try to create an influencer-only event or a soft launch of your brand's experiential marketing event before opening to the public. Make sure to choose the influencers carefully, and don't forget to include those who are already engaged with your brand.

Give them the full experience at the event. In terms of output, you need to be very specific about what you expect from them. But at the same time, give them the freedom to show their personality and customize their way to engage their audience in a way that they know will work.

Give influencers the opportunity to provide feedback after the event. Feedback can come from them personally, as well as from the responses of their audiences. In a way, you will have room for improvement and a chance to enhance the event experience before it opens to the public. 

Utilize Influencer-Generated Content for the Post-Event

Influencers and content creators are most likely to initiate user-generated content by promoting and attending your brand’s event before it’s open to the public. Make sure you establish a campaign agreement with these influencers that your brand also has rights to their posts.

It will be valuable for your ongoing marketing strategies to be able to repurpose their content. It could be more cost-effective and also result in more authentic content that is more attractive to customers.

Furthermore, this influencer-generated content can also be utilized post-event as a way to extend the life of the influencers you hired as well as to extend the life of experiential marketing's buzz.