We have discussed the effectiveness of promoting the game through content creators, considering industry experts' opinions in marketing. This marketing tool has become popular among game developers and publishers and will continue to develop and transform in the future. For example, by 2024, the trend of micro-influencers is expected to grow, providing more opportunities for promotion across various budgets. However, it's important to understand how to use this tool and set clear goals for influencers to ensure your objectives are met. To help, we have created a guide on creating a brief for influencers to maximize the benefits of collaboration.
Why create a brief for influencers in the first place?
Creating a brief for influencers is crucial in ensuring the success of a promotional campaign. Many assume that providing influencers with general information such as dates, pricing, and tasks is enough. However, entrusting the influencers with the reins could lead to disappointment if they are not given sufficient information about the campaign's goals and expectations.
It's important to remember that what may seem obvious to you may not be apparent to the influencer. Therefore, it's always worth specifying every detail to ensure everyone's expectations are aligned, and there are no potential misunderstandings. By creating a brief, you can set clear expectations, align goals, and avoid potential conflicts, ultimately contributing to the success of the collaboration.
How to brief influencers?
1. Coordinate date, time, and place:
- When coordinating with an influencer for a campaign, it's important to specify the date and time for the promotion. If the campaign is scheduled for a single day, be sure to ask the influencer for their audience statistics so that you can determine the best time to promote the product or service.
- For streamers promoting the campaign for just a few hours or a single mention, ask them to promote it during the middle of their stream. Promoting it at the beginning may not capture the full attention of their audience, while promoting it at the end may result in viewers leaving before the promotion is even mentioned. If the influencer is promoting the campaign in a YouTube video, ask that they integrate the advertisement in the middle of the video, at the most engaging part. This will ensure that viewers are engaged and interested in the promotion.
- If you decide to extend the duration of an influencer marketing campaign, you should clearly specify the number of days the influencer will promote your product through live streams and the minimum number of hours they will spend on each stream. If the campaign involves videos or posts, the quantity and frequency of such content should also be precisely agreed upon.
2. Define the ultimate goal of the campaign and the nuances of its achievement.
It is important to clearly outline your goals when working with an influencer. If you want to promote your game and drive sales, make sure to communicate this directly. Encourage the influencer to focus on promoting the purchase and use of your game and provide any specific phrasing you would like them to use. As the creator of the product, you know its positive aspects best. Therefore, provide the influencer with the correct information to ensure they highlight the desired features. If you want to generate interest in your game and increase wishlists on Steam, make sure this is also communicated clearly to the influencer. Simply showcasing the game is not enough, so make sure to express your expectations to ensure the desired outcome.
3. Provide all materials for the promotion.
Promotional materials must be delivered well in advance to ensure that everything is done smoothly. Don't forget to include referral links and game keys. If available, share promo videos and prepare graphics that influencers can share on their social media. If the collaboration requires the influencer to create all graphic elements, provide them with the necessary logos.
4. Request comprehensive analytics report.
It's important to have access to all analytics data to get a complete picture of the effectiveness of your promotion. Therefore, you should discuss in advance what statistics you expect to receive from the influencer. Don't hesitate to bring up this topic with them, and if necessary, ask them to share a screenshot of their statistics. If the influencer is uncomfortable with this request, it might be worth reconsidering whether they are the right person for collaboration.
5. Payment for Collaboration
The payment terms will likely be one of the first topics you'll discuss with the influencer. It's important to consider both penalties and additional rewards in advance. You should think about what tools you have at your disposal to influence the situation if the influencer does not perform well. For example, you could offer a 50% upfront payment and the remaining amount upon task completion. Additionally, it's a good idea to incentivize influencers who exceed your expectations. You can specify that they will receive an additional financial reward if they bring in more than 100 (you can replace this with any other number). This tactic is effective because it motivates influencers to perform better and encourages them to develop their own ideas to help you achieve your goals.
How to scale collaboration with influencers?
To avoid wasting money, it's crucial to find the right influencer for a promotional campaign and consider numerous other details. This approach works well for those looking to collaborate with 1-5 influencers on a trial basis, but scaling the task becomes challenging. However, there is good news, as a solution already exists. Drope.me is an influencer marketing platform where you can find hundreds or even thousands of influencers on various platforms to accomplish your tasks. By spending 5-10 minutes creating a campaign, you can ensure payment is made only for completed actions, such as adding your game to Steam wishlists. This way, you don't risk your budget and pay only for results. You also receive comprehensive analytics at the end of the campaign to help you understand what worked best. Therefore, we highly recommend trying out Drope.me for those looking to promote through influencers.
