The why and how of influencer marketing for spas

Influencer marketing continues to grow and many companies are incorporating the approach into their overall brand strategy.

These social media doyens may be classified as wellness, travel, beauty, mommy, fitness, or all of the above. The top rung among them are personally invited by brands to travel the world, for free and frequently in luxury, in exchange for sharing brand content with their massive numbers of followers. Services might go beyond social media promotion and include assets such as photography and video that brands can use in their marketing.

How effective is influencer marketing?

Should your spa be getting on this train? Does it work? Like all marketing, the ROI on influencer marketing can be difficult to measure – brand profile and awareness, though an imperative, is difficult to calibrate.

But research suggests that these collaborations can be surprisingly effective. And, while traditional advertising faces a rising tide of negative consumer reaction ranging from apathy to outright hostility, people are actually seeking out influencers. The influencer is the well-dressed, worldly friend consumers seek out for makeup, fashion, and travel tips. She’s pretty, she’s friendly, she’s hip – she’s usually female – and she’s a reflection of who her followers aspire to be. He’s also sometimes male. But less often.

The cost of buying influence

Influencers can charge significant fees for these partnerships. How much depends on number of followers and level of clout.

Some celebrity influencers, such as Selena Gomez and Kylie Jenner have millions of followers, and Jenner reportedly charges $400,000 for a single post. Many others are in the hundreds of thousands rage. 108K followers and a 9.2% engagement rate might set you back as follows (source: later.com):

$1000 per Instagram Post
$1200 per Instagram Post + Blog Post
$200 per Instagram Story
$2000-$5000 for a 60-Second Product Video

Lesser-known or “micro” influencers charge less. But their smaller followings don’t mean they should be discounted. A small targeted audience can be very receptive, and these might be all a brand can afford.

How to spot a fake influencer

Beware. A surge of wannabes is also flooding the market, attempting to pass themselves off as the real deal and requesting free product and experiences. These may be people trying desperately to actually become influencers themselves, or fake accounts just out to scam you.

It can be difficult at first glance to spot a fake, as both followers and engagement can be purchased cheaply. But with some due diligence, common sense, and Googling, it shouldn’t be too hard. Tips include but are not limited to:

Check the audience. Do their followers look like bots or real people?
Check the consistency in follower growth. Big spikes might mean they’re buying followers. On the other hand, they might have just had an article written about them.
Check quality of engagement. Are the majority of their comments “Beautiful!” or “Gorgeous!” or a string of emojis? Red flag. Comments should be diverse.
Check other media. Do they show up on YouTube, LinkedIn, and/or Facebook? Has anyone written about them? Do they have a blog or website?
Google them. Do they show up in the results? How?

How a spa can effectively use influencer marketing

For a spa or wellness business, an array of influencer types may be fitting — including travel, wellness, mommy, beauty, and fitness — depending on your brand and its offerings.

Some tips for how to successfully use influencer marketing include:

Choose the right influencer. Do your research! Find the influencer that best fits your brand. You will discuss the details of the collaboration with the influencer. If they are not available to do this, find someone else.
Be professional and treat them like you would any other contractor. These are busy people and the best among them are dealing with hectic schedules and a lot of demand.
Provide required information. Make sure to provide everything the influencer needs to be successful with your collaboration. Be available, and make sure you communicate effectively.
Provide your chosen influencer with everything else they need when visiting your property or using your products. Show them what you’ve got. Wow them.
Follow up. If you are happy with the results, be sure to let them know. And thank them from your own social accounts. Like any other relationship, treat this one as one you can build.

For more details on how to work with influencers, and what to expect from this relatively new form of marketing, we spoke with travel influencer Lisa Linh of By Lisa Linh.