Launching successful influencer campaigns is a challenge for many brands, however, producing them on a global scale is particularly difficult due to several factors including the cultural differences of target audiences and the organisation of an international campaign.  International brands must consider the cultural nuances and audience behaviours in the various target markets. The interests of social media users vary according to the culture and current situation in each country. While the brand’s image must stay consistent, it is crucial for brands to understand and accommodate these differences when using influencers for global campaigns. It is also likely that several languages will be involved, therefore both translation and localisation is necessary to create a cohesive campaign which will be well-received and effective within global and local markets. The organisation and structure of an international influencer project can be complicated. The difficulty is often due to the number of players involved: the global organisation, the local teams and the influencers.

The solution: the ‘glocal’ influencer campaign

In the digital marketing world, it is important for audiences to feel connected to content and enjoy a seamless customer experience. Any global campaign must be localised to ensure the messaging makes sense for the audience it is targeting. This will help to solidify a brand’s image, ensure loyalty among customers and eventually, contribute to an increase in revenue. Influencer marketing has never been more important to reach a user’s feeds. The 2018 Facebook and Instagram algorithm changes have seen non-paid content from brands suffer, decreasing the reach of their content. Now 3 out of every 4 ‘branded’ content engagements on social happen with an influencer rather than with a brand*. (*Study by Fullscreen and Shareablee).A ‘glocal’ influencer campaign is an effective way of creating a consistent message to your audience while localising the content using influencers known within target regions. This promises to bring real value to brands, engaging audiences across the world in a way they understand and enjoy.   

Objectives & KPIs

The first step is to understand what you are trying to achieve on a global level while ensuring this is aligned with local objectives. Who are your global and local audiences? What do you want to communicate? Think about how you can use influencers to target these audiences using a consistent message which fits with your global objective.

Influencer Identification

Next, you will need to identify the right type of influencer who will fit your brand and whose audience fit with your target customers. Identifying influencers can be a lengthy process however it is important to find influencers who are consistent with your brand’s values. There are tools you can use to help, for example, Plugr, a social monitoring and influencer identification tool.  Use both global and local influencers where possible. For example, identify an English-speaking influencer with a varied geographic audience. Then look into local influencers who communicate to their audience in their local language.

Co-creation

To ensure a consistent global message when using a variety of influencers, social media guidelines need to be established to ensure each influencer and each country is communicating a coherent brand message. Two-way communication between influencers and your team is important to create a narrative which seamlessly blends your brand message into the influencers content style.

Project Management

Due to the scale of an international campaign, project management organisation is essential to execute the plan efficiently. Working closely with local teams and giving them the flexibility to localise the campaign via local influencers is vital.

Trust

Trust is the main value when creating an influencer campaign. This is particularly true for a global campaign, as brands will need to build relationships of trust with both the local teams managing the country content, as well as the influencers who will be the ambassadors of the brand.
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