“All influencer marketing tactics, such as giveaways, hashtag contests, vlog reviews and blog posts should all be optimized for mobile.”

“Influencer marketing is the fastest-growing channel”

This was one of many eyebrow-raising findings over at the Tomoson marketing blog. The study makes clear that brands who ignore the power of this innovative strategy do so at the expense of customer acquisition. At its core, influencer marketing is the act of utilizing advocates to promote products across a variety of platforms, be it a blog or YouTube.

And this deceptively simple concept delivers a ROI to the tune of $6.50 for every dollar spent. So, now that we have the fundamentals down, let’s look at five effective ways brands can use influencer marketing to boost engagement and retain consumer interest.

1. Don’t be scared to spend money

The entire notion of influencer marketing is built on authenticity. So the idea that money is changing hands between influencers and the marketing middlemen who represent brands may seem counterintuitive. And while there are certainly influencers who put a premium on the notion of “earned media,” and don’t accept compensation, the reality is that many popular bloggers and vloggers are paid for their time.

Brands who do hire the services of an influencer should do so the same way traditional marketers buy television and radio spots. Except instead of airtime, the purchase is social-media space, which targets audiences beyond demographics right down to a specific niche.

However, there are ground rules as it concerns paying people to represent a brand. For up-to-date disclosure information check out the FTC’s list of ethics rules.

2. Focus on mobile

A “Digital 2016” report focusing on digital, social and mobile usage trends reported that billions of people are now unique mobile users. That means brands and marketers need to think beyond the laptop and consider that consumers are spending more time on mobile devices.

More to the point, the majority of this time involves interacting with social media. All influencer marketing tactics, such as giveaways, hashtag contests, vlog reviews and blog posts should all be optimized for mobile. People need to be able to access content from their favorite influencers 24/7 right from their handheld.

3. Be generous with the gifts and giveaways

The concept is no different than the loyalty cards and free trade-show tchotchkes that were popular in yesteryear. Except now you can disseminate your branded message across multiple channels (depending on the reach of your influencers). And there’s no better way to give thanks to all that loyalty than with free swag. The trick is to make it shareable.

Give gifts and rewards that just scream to be camera snapped and shared across social media platforms—and which put the brand name front and center. Cinnamon Toast Crunch raised this tactic to an art form by developing the “selfie spoon,” leveraging its social media channels and influencers to get the word out.

Next thing you know, 1,000 selfie-spoon users were showing their solidarity with a sugary breakfast cereal.

4. Partner Up

Don’t be reluctant to find and partner with people who have the capability to run on-site campaigns in conjunction with influencers. Via this method, brands have more power over where and when they promote their targeted message.

One prime example of this is Swedish clothing retailer H&M, who in 2014 leveraged the global popularity of the Coachella Music and Arts Festival by establishing a party presence at the fest while also enlisting the influencer prowess of superstar DJs. The DJs crafted popular video campaigns featuring the hashtag “#HMLovesMusic” in order to raise brand awareness and retain loyalty.

5. Reward influencers; highlight the consumers

Consumers who engage with brands via influencers do so because of trust and authenticity. So why not acknowledge this participation and showcase the very people who are generating all this loyalty, good will and profit?

Lowe’s Creative Ideas is an example of how one brand is doing all the right things as it concerns putting their customers in the spotlight.

As for the influencers reaching these customers, many brands offer rewards programs that compensate top performers based on conversions. Anything to further incentivize talented influencers will only strengthen the relationship.

Article Written By: Michelle Penick of Social Media Week