Connecting your brand with bloggers is a great way to take your online presence to the next level. Since most of these influencers are gifted in the art of visual storytelling, Instagram has become an ideal place to develop a relationship.
Companies who effectively practice blogger outreach reap the benefits of connecting with a specific audience, generating more content for social media, and building brand credibility. Interacting with bloggers’ pictures is a decent way to start, but there are other steps that marketers can make to stand out above the crowd.
Here are some ways you can capture an influencer’s attention and start building a relationship.
Share their work.
One of the simplest ways to catch the attention on an influencer is to repost something that they have shared on their own profile. Say what you love about the photo or why you shared it, then tag them in the caption when you give credit. Like most other professionals, bloggers love feeling like their hard work is being recognized and enjoyed.
Find their hashtag.
Have you noticed your favorite blogger using the same hashtag in their posts again and again? Click on the hashtag to get a feel for its content, then take some similar photos that you think would fit into the mix. Once you share them on Instagram, work the blogger’s hashtag in with some of your other favorite hashtags. Even if that specific blogger doesn’t interact with the post, chances are that it will catch the attention of some of their fans.
Tag your photos.
Don’t be afraid to tag a blogger on one of your photos if you’re sharing something that involves them! If an influencer has inspired you to try something new – like a recipe, DIY project, outfit idea, or a vacation spot – it’s a perfect opening to start a conversation and show that you’re paying attention.
Connect with who they follow.
Most brands target the people following their favorite bloggers, but an underused strategy is to connect with the people that these influencers are following themselves. If these individuals follow you back and engage with your posts, your content will appear in front of this blogger more often than it would otherwise.
Respect the bio.
In the eyes of most bloggers, one of the worst things a company can do is publicly talk business on a photo’s comment stream. Instead, check the website on their bio to see if there’s a preferred contact method listed – then respect their wishes. Not only does this prevent you from looking like a social media spammer, but following their system makes these influencers more likely to do business with you.
Have you used Instagram to connect with influencers? Share your stories in the comment section. For more social media news, find us on Facebook!