Enable your brand with data-driven long-tail influencer marketing

In 60 seconds…

• Long-tail influencers are experts in their niche and are considered voices of authority within their passionate and engaged communities
• Creator marketing isn't easy: a huge number of metrics define whether or not an influencer will be successful, from looking at their engagement and view rates to understanding their relevancy and audience demographics
• Micro-influencers can be almost anyone, meaning their content is relatable, authentic, and lands every time

Influencer marketing. A tale as old as time. If time were TikTok and Instagram. 

All digital marketers, we know the power that lies in working with social media influencers. It can increase brand awareness, boost engagement, and increase conversions. It’s every marketer’s dream. 

But getting it right isn’t always easy. There’s research, relationship building, and a whole load of admin. And then there’s understanding the data… 

Today, we’ll be hearing from Annalena Bauer, Director of Business Development at stylink, an influencer marketing agency and sponsors of Pion’s YMS LDN 2024 event. With over seven years of marketing experience and managing influencer relationships, stylink are some of the best in the biz. 

In this blog, we’ll be diving into the long-tail versus macro influencer debate, celebrating the power of data, and sharing how you can supercharge your influencer marketing. 

What is a long-tail influencer?

Okay, let’s break down the terminology first. 

Akin to a micro-influencer, long-tail influencers have between 1,000 - 10,000 followers. They’re experts in their niche and are considered voices of authority within their passionate and engaged community. Whether posting in the world of fashion or fitness, you’ll probably know a few long-tail influencers. 

Long-tail influencers create targeted content and are trusted by their followers - they genuinely love and believe in the products they’re promoting. Because of this, they’re an absolute staple in the world of Gen Z marketing. 

And, as another bonus for brands, long-tail influencers are often more flexible and able to work for a lower cost than larger influencers.

Why do long-tail influencers resonate better with Gen Z?

Long-tail influencers are often considered a superior alternative to mass marketing: whilst having a macro influencer or celeb front your brand is eye-catching, the engagement is rarely up to scratch. Smaller influencers, however, deliver the goods. 

As for Gen Z, well, they want connection. They want content that caters to a targeted audience that resonates. 

Huge influencer campaigns fronted by the likes of Kylie Jenner indulge a huge range of interests, preferences, and backgrounds, thus making the content for everyone and, at the same time, for no one. Meanwhile, long-tail influencers make Gen Zers feel like the content is just for them. 

It’s all about trust. 

And it doesn’t just end with engagement: “Smaller influencers… are usually way more performant”, says Annalena, “meaning that their followers have higher engagement rates and are much more likely to convert.” 

As for brands working with long-tail influencers, it’s a great way of getting your products in front of the right people: because these niche communities trust their favorite content creators’ recommendations, conversions increase. 

Using data to enhance influencer marketing 

Creator marketing is great, don’t get us wrong. But first, you need to find the right creator for your brand. And we’ve all read horror stories about rogue influencers and their terrifying social media history. 

But how can you avoid this problem? With something that solves most problems in a marketer’s life: data. 

A huge number of metrics define whether or not an influencer will be successful, from looking at their engagement and view rates to understanding their relevancy and audience demographics. But this all takes time and resource - something that the team at stylink can help with. From running the data to building the relationships, nurturing a successful partnership is about understanding the influencer and the brand's goals. 

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Working with long-tail influencers 

So, a little more about stylink. 

As an end-to-end influencer marketing platform for brands and creators, stylink works to support brands and earn Gen Z some money. 

For young people, this is a great way to earn extra cash - something that’s appreciated more than ever before thanks to the rising cost-of-living. In fact, Pion’s upcoming Youth Trends Report 2024 has revealed that 54% of Gen Z are making additional income doing odd jobs and selling items on resale sites.  

The beauty of long-tail influencers lies in their ability to be almost anyone. Almost any Gen Zer can get involved by sharing personalized links to the brands they love. A win for them, and a win for their viewers thanks to relatable and authentic content! 

As for brands working with stylink, that’s where that data comes in: brands are perfectly matched with long-tail influencers who can help them reach their goals. 

As always, the proof is in the pudding: 

‍30% of consumers cite a long-term relationship between a brand and creator as a driver in their purchasing trust, making strong relationships crucial when working with micro-influencers. Here lies a key benefit of working with stylink, Annalena says. “Our teams are trained on understanding the individual influencer goals and matching these with the experience and data we have generated throughout partnerships”, she explains. “Therefore, we have very strong relationships with our influencers, [particularly] our key influencers - the ones that have been with us for quite some time already and are highly performant, as well as with our key brands.” 

“We definitely learn from the influencers and data right away: what’s turning the market? What do we need to know? That’s a huge benefit of working with us, because we can consult [our influencers] and advise accordingly at the same time.”

So, is this an official end to the micro versus macro influencer debate? Well, with long-tail influencers bringing in higher engagement, dedicated communities, authenticity, and trust, it certainly looks that way… 

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Like what you’ve read and want to hear more from stylink? You can hear more from Annalena at this year’s YMS LDN during their session Data-Driven Success: Leveraging Long-Tail Influencers for Retail Growth. 

Get your tickets now. 

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