Today, as we move further into the digital world, visibility has become meaningless. A brand can see millions of people, but it doesn’t matter if your content is not engaging, because it’s useless to reach that amount of people if those people aren’t interested in what’s being presented to them.

That is where influence partnerships come into play. When done correctly, Influencer partnerships not only help to create an amplified version of content, but they also help to create conversation, build trust and establish connections around topics of interest.

In a time when people are looking for authenticity vs advertising, engaging influencer partnerships are those that are relevant, that are based on storytelling and that have similar values to the audience

Why engagement is more important than reach

Engagement is the best measure of influence. Like, comments, shares, saves and other forms of engaging with content are an indication of whether your audience is actually consuming but also responding to the content you create.

Engaged audiences are much more likely to take action after coming across your product and much more likely to recall your brand. Therefore, engaging influencer partnerships is generally worth significantly more than a campaign that only focuses on the number of followers and the amount of impressions received.

Engagement equals emotional connection and emotional connection is how a consumer remains loyal to a brand.

The Evolution from Transactional To Relationship Based Influencer Marketing

Previously, influencer marketing was primarily conducted via the transactional model. Brands pay for a post, and the influencer supplies the content, and that’s the end of it. Today’s transactional model is not generating continued success.

Brands that are having the most success today have shifted from short-term partnerships to long-term partnerships with influencers. The creator can authentically include the brand in their content over a long period of time, resulting in promotions that seem naturally occurring rather than forced.

The audience can sense authenticity easily. A brand being mentioned repeatedly and naturally generates familiarity and trust, both of which are key components for driving engagement.

How to Identify Influencers Who Align With Your Brand’s Value System

Creating an engagement-driving partnership with influencers begins with alignment. An influencer’s content style, tone, audience mindset and values must all be aligned with your brand values.

The focus of identifying the right influencer is based more on relevance than on popularity. An influencer with a small but devoted audience can drive greater amounts of engagement than a popular celebrity influencer with millions of followers who will likely only see their posts for a brief time.

When brands really focus on finding the influencer who aligns with their own brand value system, the content produced will appear to be an extension of the influencers voice and will elicit true interaction between the audience and the influencer.

Engaging Content is Based on Story-Telling

The basis for engagement is not a script, but rather a story. Influencers are storytellers, and they provide value to brands by providing the context (real-life examples) in which these brands are experienced by their target audience.

Instead of providing promotional messages, brands should ask influencers to share their experiences, opinions and use cases. Influencers can do this through sharing behind-the-scenes moments, sharing videos that illustrate their typical day and/or providing a truthful review of a product or service. This method of storytelling adds the human element to the brand.

Content that feels personal to an audience can create comments and conversation and generate a likelihood of being shared, thereby converting an audience member into a participant.

Use of Platform-Native Content Yields Higher Interactions

The language of content on digital platforms varies from one platform to the next. For example, an image-based post may not yield the same result on Instagram as video-based content does on YouTube or LinkedIn. Brands that build engagement-driven influencer partnerships respect those differences in how content is delivered.

Content created using natively designed short-form video, stories, interactive polls and/or carousel post formats will generate more interactions than when that content is delivered via non-native methods. Influencers are experts at delivering content natively on their platform, and providing them with creative freedom will yield the highest level of engagement.

The role of production and creative direction is to support the storyteller by enhancing the story while maintaining the story’s authenticity.

The Power of Micro and Mid-Tier Influencers

Both micro and mid-tier influencers continue to draw strong engagement from their niche-focused, loyal, and highly-engaged audiences.

These creators often respond to the comments and have conversations with their followers to develop communities as opposed to just followers. This creates a deeper level of engagement and trust for a brand.

Brands can use strategic partnerships with these types of influencers to connect with engaged communities while leveraging cost-effective and authentic content.

The Importance of Consistency for Building Engagement Over Time

While one-off influencer content will create short-term buzz, building consistency in your message or presence creates long-term engagement. By showing up multiple times in an influencer’s content ecosystem, your brand creates familiarity with their audience.

The more opportunities there are for an audience to see a brand within an influencer’s content ecosystem, the more likely they are to have strong recall and engage with the brand across multiple touchpoints. Over time, a brand becomes part of the influencer’s narrative rather than a promotion.

Long-term partnerships will also allow both to evolve quality and messaging organically.

Where Creativity and Execution Meet, Engagement Becomes Scalable

Even though your brand may have an excellent fit with an influencer, strong creative execution will elevate any influencer/brand match to new levels. High-quality visuals, compelling stories that are clear, and optimally formatted for the social platform all work together to significantly increase engagement.

By providing professional-grade production support to influencers, they can produce visually stunning content while maintaining their authenticity. The combination of thoughtful scripting, editing, and pacing results in stories that are relatable for their audience.

Creativity + The Right Strategy = Scalable Engagements!

Evaluating Engagement Beyond Likes

True engagement occurs on levels deeper than the surface metrics involved. Deeper engagement can also include comments, saves, shares, watch time and direct messages.

Brands should monitor qualitative engagement of their audiences, which involves what they say, ask and feel. This information provides insight for fine-tuning future campaigns and partnerships.

Data-driven optimisation gives you a better idea of what works and what doesn’t, ensuring that your influencer partnerships continue to provide value rather than becoming repetitive.

Why Influencer Partnerships Are An Investment

Engagement-driven influencer partnerships are not short-term tactics. They are long-term investments in building brand loyalty, building brand community and building trust with your target audience.

Influencers will become your brand advocates, instead of just advertisers, if you make meaningful investments in your collaborations. This kind of advocacy has a lasting impact on your brand, often exceeding the duration of the campaign itself.

Conclusion

Influencer partnerships that drive engagement are built from three foundational pillars: relevance, authenticity and storytelling. They prioritize connection over promotion to create long-term value for the brand.

If you want to be remembered in today’s attention-starved digital world, engagement is what helps your brand maintain its place in people’s minds. By choosing the right influencer(s), empowering them creatively, and developing long-term relationships, your brand can create a conversation with its audience and shape a vision into the achievement of results.

At 6th street Artist, we believe that impactful influencer partnerships are made by aligning strategies, telling compelling stories, and executing with precision because true engagement happens when brands and creators join forces to communicate.

Manpreet Singh

Manpreet Singh Chadha was a visionary entrepreneur and co-founder of 6th Street Artist, a Mumbai-based influencer marketing agency. With a passion for empowering creators and brands, he played a pivotal role in shaping the agency’s mission to revolutionize influencer marketing in India. His legacy continues to inspire the industry.