How To Run Your First Influencer Campaign on LinkedIn

According to Hubspot, one in four marketers use influencer marketing for lead-gen campaigns. By leveraging the reach of influencers, businesses can have a broader impact and gain a bigger following. For new businesses, this is a great way to get that first bit of credibility. 

In this article, we’ll explore how you can leverage a lead-gen influencer campaign on LinkedIn.  

Why LinkedIn Over Other Social Media Channels

LinkedIn has always stood out as a powerful platform for lead generation. We’re not saying that you can’t use Twitter, Facebook, or even Instagram for lead-gen. However, the tier of leads is just higher on LinkedIn. That’s because LinkedIn is dedicated to being a professional networking platform that attracts a B2B audience. It’s all about software, products, and tools. 

Here are a few other reasons you should choose LinkedIn over other social media channels: 

• Targeting a B2B Audience: LinkedIn’s user base primarily consists of professionals, creating a conducive B2B lead generation environment. Compared to other social channels, businesses can directly connect with key decision-makers and professionals in their industry on LinkedIn. 
• Extensive User Base and Engagement Opportunities: With over 900 million users worldwide, LinkedIn offers a vast user base to tap into. There’s simply no other place online where you can find such a wide range of professionals.
• Industry-Specific Groups: LinkedIn has an endless amount of groups for niche-specific subjects. It’s a great place to meet people who have things in common with you. It’s also a great place to find leads. 

Want more reasons LinkedIn is the best social media for lead-gen? We think the advanced search takes the cake.

How To Run Your First Influencer Campaign on LinkedIn

We’re not messing around. Influencer Marketing is projected to reach $21.1 billion by the end of 2024. 

Here’s how you can get a jumpstart into the world of influence marketing:

Step 1: Define Campaign Objectives and Target Audience

You shouldn’t start a campaign without clear goals. That’s why we recommend beginning by clearly defining the objectives of your lead generation campaign. Some good examples of goals (and KPIs) you can set include: 

• Conversion Rate: Measure the percentage of leads that convert into customers or take the desired action, such as signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): Track the percentage of users who click on a call-to-action (CTA) or link within your campaign content, indicating their interest and engagement.
• Cost per Lead (CPL): Calculate the average cost incurred to acquire each lead. Divide the total campaign cost by the number of leads generated.
• Engagement Rate: Monitor the level of engagement generated by the campaign, including likes, comments, shares, and retweets, to gauge audience interest and involvement.
• Landing Page Conversion Rate: Measure the percentage of visitors who land on a specific landing page and take the desired action, such as filling out a form or downloading a resource.
• Return on Investment (ROI): Evaluate the overall effectiveness of the campaign by comparing the generated revenue or value against the investment made. Here’s a helpful guide on measuring ROI for lead-gen campaigns.
• Lead Quality: Assess the quality of leads generated by evaluating factors such as lead source, demographics, and engagement level to determine their potential as customers.

Additionally, you want to identify what your target audience will be for this campaign. Considering your audience’s demographics, interests, and behaviors using a buyer persona. 

Of course, understanding customer behavior can help. Learn how your customers make decisions here. 

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Step 2: Pick Your Influencer

Once your goals are set, you’ll need to choose the influencer you want to work with. We recommend creating a list of 5 to 10 influencers – as you may not hear back from some. However, before you can start making that list, you’ll need to perform thorough research on influencers who are relevant to your industry.

To do so, look at trending posts in your niche, popular accounts, and top contributors in Linkedin groups. Don’t forget factors such as engagement rates, follower demographics, content quality, and previous brand collaborations. 

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Step 3: Develop a Collaboration Strategy

When working with influencers, you’ll want a collaboration strategy that you can share with them. Typically, this can be a PDF (or other type of document) that details the type of collaboration you want to pursue – such as sponsored posts, product reviews, giveaways, or affiliate programs. We recommend always defining the deliverables and expectations for the influencers, including the number of posts, content format, messaging, and any exclusive promotions or discounts. Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success of the campaign, such as click-through rates, conversions, or lead acquisition.

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Step 4: Establish Clear Communication

Now it’s time to make contact with your selected influencers. For most influencers, their LinkedIn DMs might be packed (however, you can still try to message them). For best results, we recommend sending them an email via their work email. Typically people respond to their emails quicker than they do their DMs. 

In your message, make sure you clearly communicate the campaign objectives, expectations, and any guidelines or brand requirements. Additionally, discuss compensation, whether it’s monetary, free products, or other forms of incentives. Don’t forget that the influencers you’re talking to are running their own personal brand and have plenty of their own insight to offer you. Seriously, don’t pass up on the opportunity to form a meaningful connection. 

Step 5: Create Compelling Content

Depending on the influencer’s guidelines and your own collaboration strategy, you might be the one creating the content. On the other end of the spectrum, the influencer might be creating it. Either way, make sure you provide the influencer with the necessary brand assets, product information, and unique selling points so they understand your brand. 

For the best insight into your campaign, use trackable URLs to see the CTR and views. 

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Step 6: Monitor and Measure Performance

As the campaign begins, it’s time to switch gears from strategy to analytics. Continuously monitor the performance of the influencer’s posts – tracking key metrics based on your campaign objectives. Based on the insights gained from the campaign data, you should be able to make necessary adjustments to your strategy for the best outcome.

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Step 7: Engage and Nurture Leads

As leads find their way to your company, you’ll need a system in place to capture their information. The best way to do this is through landing pages, sign-up forms, or lead magnets. To take advantage of urgency (a trick of sales persuasion), follow up with leads promptly – providing relevant information and nurturing them through targeted email marketing or other communication channels. 

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Step 8: Build Relationships for Future Campaigns

As we mentioned before, maintain positive relationships with the influencers you connect with for your marketing campaigns. You can provide them with feedback, share campaign results, and thank them for their help. Depending on the success of the campaign, you can discuss ongoing collaborations.

Conclusion:

So there you have it. Running a lead-gen influencer campaign on LinkedIn can significantly amplify your lead-generation efforts. With an endless amount of potential leads on LinkedIn, you’re missing out if you’re not running a LinkedIn influencer campaign.

For more bits of knowledge, check out the rest of our blog here.