How to Make Showstopping Influencer Campaigns: A Spotify Case Study
A fact of life today is our journeys of discovering and falling in love with brands and products almost always involve an influencer or two. LTK reports that for Gen Z in particular, 75% of their online purchases come from creator recommendations, while 77% shop in stores based on creator recommendations. From fashion to finance, brands tap influencers to promote their offerings because of their invaluable roles in the customer journey. However, some influencer campaigns are better executed than others.
Brands and marketers may wonder: is there a blueprint for successful influencer partnerships? Well, there is one brand that we can look to for advice. Spotify.
Near is going to break down how the popular music streaming platform pairs up with influencers to make awesome content that’s worth replaying and sharing.
Tip #1: Partner with influencers who match your brand.
An influencer may have a good following and engagement, and you may have a great product, but when the match just isn’t matching, then it won’t get people excited.
Spotify’s reach transcends niches, but they are primarily a music platform. So aside from musicians, who would make a perfect fit for their product? That’s right – dancers.
How do you make sure you’re partnering with influencers who are a brand fit? Start with these questions to get on the right track:
Does the influencer’s audience align with your brand’s target audience?
Do you and the influencer have shared values?
Does the influencer have an engaged community on the platform?
Is the influencer’s rates within your campaign budget?
Tip #2: Don’t let your product be an afterthought in the execution.
Sometimes you can get your choice of influencer right and still fumble the executions. It’s okay. We know how it feels!
At Near, we always emphasize that campaign briefs must be collaborative. This means leaving ample room for the influencer to make creative content executions. But without clear guidelines from the brand, you could end up with an interesting execution that lets the influencer shine but leaves your product in the backseat.
Look at this influencer post that highlights Spotify’s Daylist feature while keeping the personal flavor of Aeriel Garcia’s TikTok!
Tip #3: Native content is the way to go.
Native social content adapts the form of the platform it’s being posted on. Spotify’s influencer executions do a great job of blending in with the influencer’s native content, so the final output never feels too in your face or hard sell. When you tap influencers to create content, find the balance between highlighting your product and making the content fit with the influencer’s native content.
We all know and love Nico Bolzico’s funny slice-of-life content that often talks about his woes as a dad and husband, so this execution for Spotify’s Daylist is just so on brand!
Tip #4: No to over-explaining.
Brands sometimes feel the urge to make audiences understand every single aspect of their product from just one video. But you don’t have to info dump on people to get them to like your product.
Spotify lets Daylist speak for itself – no need to talk at length about how it works or where to access it. The brand lets influencers highlight their experience with Daylist rather than an explanation of it, like in this video from Shaun Ildefonso giving us a peek into his game day routine.
Tip #5: Don’t underestimate the power of the hook.
Finally, the hook. A potentially interesting video can be skipped all because the first few seconds didn’t quite capture a viewer’s attention, and we don’t want that! That’s why it’s important to trust in the power of a strong hook.
Look at how Jaime Marino de Guzman opened his Daylist video. It’s funny and oozing with personality, and he kept up that energy throughout! Hook, line, and sinker.
Key Takeaway
When you tap an influencer for your campaign, you are not asking them to advertise your product – at least, not in the traditional sense. You are bringing them on board for a unique execution that highlights your product and honors their personality. Take notes from Spotify’s amazing influencer partnerships to create content that is a mutual creative effort between brand and influencer!
Want to launch influencer campaigns that stand out? Contact Near Creative today to get started!
