Influencer Marketing for Small Businesses: How to Leverage Local Partnerships [Part 1]

Influencer Marketing; it might sound a bit intimidating at first but it’s actually been proven to be a marketing game-changer for local businesses. It’s a common misconception that engaging with an Influencer is only for big brands and Instagram celebrities. The team at WNDRLND is here to debunk that myth and explain how all businesses, no matter the size can use local influencers to leverage valuable partnerships!

Influencer marketing isn’t just about partnering with the Kardashians or TikTok dance sensations. It’s about tapping into the power of trusted voices in your community to amplify your message and gain brand recognition. The best part is, as a small business, you’ve got a secret weapon that the big enterprises don’t — local charm. So, let’s dive into how you can turn your neighborhood heroes into your brand’s biggest cheerleaders, without breaking the bank or losing that personal touch that makes your business special.

In this 3 part blog series, we cover 3 essential areas that businesses should focus on in order to achieve success in Influencer Marketing efforts. First, we’ll talk about how to spot the right local influencers and 3 types of local influencers to consider for your campaign.

Identifying the Right Local Influencers

Let’s start by defining the term. ‘Local influencers’ are individuals who have a significant and engaged following within a specific geographic area or community. Think of them as the digital version of that friend who always knows the best spots in town and whose recommendations you trust implicitly.

3 Types of Local Influencers to Consider:

1. Community Leaders: They might be city council members, organizers of a well-known non-profit, or heads of local business associations. They have clout both online and offline.
2. Local Celebrities: This category includes local news anchors, radio hosts, local musical artists, and entertainers. They often have a strong social media presence and typically fall into the millennial or Gen Z category.
3. Micro-Influencers: These are everyday people who’ve built a following around a specific niche or interest. They could be food bloggers, fitness enthusiasts, or local history buffs. What they lack in follower count, they make up for in engagement and authenticity. (I.E. — a local food blogger with 3K followers that averages 1–2K+ views and likes on every post. This means ~ 33% or more of their following is engaging with their content)

Remember, the goal is to find influencers who can authentically represent your brand and resonate with your local target audience. It’s about quality connections, not just quantity of followers.

Key Factors to Consider When Engaging in Influencer Marketing

To find the right local influencer whose brand and social following align with your business’s brand and values, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Start Close to Home: Look at your existing customer base. You might already have influential customers who love your product or service.
2. Use Hashtags: Search for popular local hashtags on social media platforms. This helps to find people consistently creating content about your area.
3. Check Local Event Pages: See who’s speaking at or promoting local events. These individuals often have a strong community presence.
4. Leverage Your Network: Ask your employees, friends, and business partners if they know any local personalities with a strong following.
5. Align Values and Audience: Ensure the influencer’s values and audience demographics match your target market. It’s not just about numbers, but about reaching the right people.
6. Consider Engagement Rates: We can’t stress enough to make sure you look beyond follower counts. An influencer with 2K highly engaged followers can be more valuable than one with 10K passive ones

Real-World Examples

For this blog, we’ll highlight a real-world example from a local business out of Austin, TX. A small tattoo shop called “Ink Empire Tattoos” was originally known for its $35 Mini-Monday tattoo specials. The line forms around the corner every Monday for visitors all over the city and state who are determined to wait hours for their tiny tattoo.

The Challenge: During month of March, Austin, TX transforms the city to open up for SXSW one of the nations biggest innovation, music and arts festivals. This season was the toughest for Ink Empire to survive in, as many of their patrons were spending the entire month enjoying SXSW events and discounts in other places around the city

The Solution: In 2023, the owners engaged with WNDRLND marketing for a one-time Influencer campaign to try and capitalize on the influx of people coming to the city for SXSW. We sourced a well-known traveling piercer with a large following, that was local to the state of Texas. After agreeing on a nominal fee and the timeline, we were able to create an entire campaign around a surprise local celeb piercer who would be in town at Ink Empire for a limited of time during SXSW.

The Outcome: It’s common for patrons who indulge in tattoos, to take a liking to piercings or have friends who do. As a matter of fact, many tattoo shops have piercers on staff. It was a link that Ink Empire was missing and turned out to be a double win that this traveling piercer had a wide audience and an engaged social following. With the influx of traffic from SXSW, also came the influx of visitors who found that they could get the piercing they’ve always wanted from an online sensation, at their local tattoo shop. It spoke volumes about the prestiege of the shop and the owners calculated March 2023 as their highest grossing month over the course of the entire year.

Next Step to Influencer Marketing

If you’ve made it this far in the blog, there’s a good chance that you’re interested in giving Influencer Marketing a chance. For the daredevil marketers and CEOs out there, we’ve got your back. Follow our Medium blog for updates on new articles and read our part 2 of this series to learn how to Create Mutually Beneficial Partnerships when engaging in Influencer Marketing.

To see more case studies from our real clients, visit us online: www.wndrlndmarketing.com