The Ultimate Guide To Ecommerce Influencer Marketing

Can you remember the last time you watched a YouTube video and it didn’t feature a sponsored ad segment? Or, can you think back to when Instagram was free from giveaways and influencer takeovers? 

Ecommerce Influencer marketing is so established, that it’s hard to imagine that once upon a time, social media was free from it. 

The influencer marketing industry has grown exponentially since its inception, and given its success, it’s no surprise as to why. From 2019 to 2023 alone, the industry has increased in worth from $8 billion to $23 billion.

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Whilst influencer marketing is a successful tactic that lends itself to a variety of brand types, the ecommerce industry in particular has much to gain. 

Ecommerce, defined by Amazon as the method of buying and selling goods and services online, has grown leaps and bounds in recent years. This is primarily due to the pandemic, but also the ease with which it provides its consumers. 

Ecommerce and influencer marketing go hand in hand, with both existing right on your screen and in the same app. When done right, ecommerce influencer marketing can lead a user straight from an ad on TikTok to an online shop; this ties in to the “see-it, buy-it” mentality that is common among modern consumers. 

HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT INFLUENCER

Look within your followers 

You may be surprised by who follows you! Often, brands may already have some great influencers following them. Inviting these influencers to work with you in an ecommerce influencer marketing campaign is a great strategy, as you know they already enjoy your product and will likely be willing to endorse it. 

Search On Social Media 

It may seem simple, but searching for the right influencer via social media is a great method. A key tip is to use a hashtag analysis tool to find the most popular hashtags of the moment. Then, you can look for influencers underneath these hashtags. 

Google Influencer Lists 

Again, probably obvious, but there are boundless amounts of influencer lists waiting to be plucked from. If you’re seeking an ecommerce influencer for example, simply google “top 20 ecommerce influencers” and you will receive tons of great options for your ecommerce influencer marketing needs. Easy peasy. 

Make Use of Database Tools 

A great way to narrow down your search is by using a database tool. A fantastic option is NinjaOutreach. Merely select your parameters and you are able to search through their 60 million influencer strong list. On top of this, the site allows you to message the influencer directly and securely. 

Utilise Influencer Tools

If you have the budget, influencer marketing tools are an incredibly efficient and successful way of finding and securing influencer partnerships. These allow you to conduct the entire process on one site, from searching for influencers to finalising their contract. Amazing! 

Engagement Rates 

One common mistake made in influencer marketing, is the assumption that the best influencers are the ones with the most followers. In reality, you want an influencer with the highest engagement rate. 

Look for influencers in that nano to micro range, as they have more dedicated followers and thus higher rates of engagement. This means that their followers are more likely to engage with your marketing content, and follow through with your brand. 

HOW TO BEST USE ECOMMERCE INFLUENCER MARKETING

Giveaways 

Giveaways are one of the best ways ecommerce brands can engage with influencer marketing. By enlisting an influencer to host a giveaway of your brand’s product, you are establishing excitement around your brand, as well as accessing their audience. Giveaways continue to be successful, even if they are a time honoured tradition. Just look at the numbers below! 

User-generated Content 

User-generated content, or UCG is a fantastic way to get your audience involved in your ecommerce influencer marketing. Examples of UCG are competitions that ask users to create content that relates to your brand. Have your influencer ask their audience to create their own modelling campaign featuring your company’s clothing items, for example, with the promise of featuring on your instagram as a prize. 

Social Media Takeover 

A tactic loved for its ease of implementation and its success at drumming up excitement, the social media takeover is a great way to engage with influencer marketing. A takeover sees an influencer handle a brand’s social media account for a day or more. Typically, the ecommerce influencer will post photos of themselves enjoying the brands products, stories with behind the scenes content or even host an instagram live where they engage with fans. 

Work With an Influencer Agency 

Working with an ecommerce influencer agency is a fantastic way to ensure your brand is getting the most out of your influencer partnerships. An agency handles the whole influencer marketing campaign for you, making certain that all your targets and goals are met. 

Influencer Hauls 

Often influencer endorsements can come off as insincere and forced. A sure fire way around this, is to provide your influencer with your product and encourage them to film a haul. Haul videos have been continuously popular over the years, and are a great way to see an influencer endorse a product in a more authentic light. One brand that has done a fantastic job of this specific kind of influencer marketing for ecommerce, is ThredUp. 

ThredUp has their influencers shop for themselves, rather than giving them set products. This means that the hauls that influencers produce come off as truthful and trustworthy, rather than fake. 

What is ecommerce influencer marketing?

Ecommerce influencer marketing is when an ecommerce brand (defined as an online store) works with an influencer to create a marketing campaign for their brand. 

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