One of the many things I do to stay on top of what’s happening in the influencer marketing industry is testing software platforms, micro-influencer communities, and other tools and services related to our space. Not only do I like to know what’s out there for my clients, I enjoy bringing some of that insight to you.
Reach Influencers came to my attention not long ago when they reached out to advertise on the Marketing Podcast Network. They’re doing so this summer, which I’m very appreciative of. In case you don’t know, I’m the executive producer of that network where Winfluence is a member show. It’s set up as an advertising revenue share model for participating podcasts, so technically, I will make some modest revenue from Reach Influencers in the next few months. However, they did not pay for this post. I’m just testing the platform because I want to know how well it works.
Since I don’t have unlimited capital, nor are my little tests appropriate for my clients at any given time, I often have to kick the tires in creative ways. For micro-influencer marketplace tools like Reach Influencers, I sign up as a creator as well as a brand. My Instagram account veers off the influencer marketing rails sometimes into bourbon reviews and family content, so I qualify as a micro-influencer there in a couple of categories.
Normally, I don’t get many offers or find products I really want to post about, but occasionally one pops up.
A couple of weeks ago, My Dad’s BBQ, a new, craft barbecue sauce made by a man named Danny Wilk, approved me as a creator or its product testing campaign. The offer was two sample bottles of his sauce in exchange for two social media posts.
Now, we can get into the argument of whether or not the brand should pay micro-influencers to post about their product some other time. Let’s assume for the sake of this video and article there are some creators out there who want to get experience working with brands and will gladly trade posts for product to build their resume.
I agreed to do it to test Reach Influencers and experience the tool from the creator side. So there are scenarios in which that is kosher.
My Dad’s BBQ sent me a sample bottle of its original and spicy flavors and I created a video I posted to Facebook and Instagram.
While I was creating the content, I decided to do some additional commentary and video around the concept of finding the more right influencers for your brand campaigns. I didn’t think I was wrong for My Dad’s BBQ, but I wasn’t more right than many they could choose from. It’s an interesting spectrum to consider when you’re selecting creators. Few are going to be out-and-out wrong, but some may not be as more right as you could have.
Check out the video to see what I mean. (And I show the whole Instagram/Facebook content in this explainer video, so you don’t have to go see it and come back.
My Dad’s BBQ was delicious, by the way. If you want some, just order at MyDadsBBQ.com. If you want to try the sample bottles before buying a bigger one, click “Try It” in the upper right, then use the code REACH150 when checking out. That will get you 50% off the order of the samples.
What I want to know from you is whether or not it makes sense for your brand to move 2-3 concentric circles away from your industry or topic vertical? Tell me why in the comments.
Join Me at Content Marketing World!
I’m thrilled to return to Content Marketing World in 2022 and share ideas on how brands can leverage influencers to help build their content marketing strategies. We’ll get into the weeds a bit and you’ll go home with great ideas on how to pull more value from your creator partnerships.
Sign up now by clicking on the badge (or here) and use the code FALLS100 to save $100 off the ticket price! See you in Cleveland!