Influencer Product Reviews: A Guide for eCommerce brands
Using influencer product reviews to your advantage can be a very tricky thing. Influencers are practically the hotshots of social media. They are everyday life celebrities.
Up until recent times, every eCommerce business out there tried to land a well-known celebrity for their advertisement campaign.
However, the scenario today stands changed. The focus has shifted from the famous faces we see on our television sets to the familiar faces on our phone screens.
As a result, marketing campaigns now revolve around Instagram influencers, and YouTubers, among others.
Despite this noticeable paradigm shift, many eCommerce brands often fail to grasp the power of product reviews. If you are one of them, then here are some statistics that might help you cross the river of doubt regarding influencer product reviews.
- Influencer product reviews are believed to help 67% of businesses to reach their marketing goals.
- 60% of beauty or fashion brands already leverage influencer product reviews
- 75% of customers look to get inspired from Facebook and Instagram about the brands they should purchase from
- 69% of all the brands out there view influencer product reviews as crucial for a new launch
These were some of the basic data about the estimated importance of influencer product reviews. Keep reading to dive further into the details of how influencer product reviews help your eCommerce brand.
What are influencer product reviews?
When a recognized influencer reviews your products or services and shares them on their social media account, it is known as an influencer product review.
Influencers can also directly send you the reviews for you to post on the social media account of your eCommerce brand.
These reviews are rapidly growing to the position of one of the most sought-after marketing strategies these days.
Moreover, influencer reviews work much better than customer feedback, since people recognize influencers and often try to imitate them.
Influencers are the new-age celebrities. They are everywhere, they are all the rage, and they are here to stay.
Why are influencer product reviews necessary for your eCommerce business?
Influencer Product reviews are one of the go marketing strategies for eCommerce businesses around the world.
If your eCommerce brand is not using them, here are some reasons to convince you about the benefits of influencer product reviews.
Makes your brand visible
The reach and positioning that your eCommerce brand has in the market significantly increases with influencer product reviews.
Since influencers have a large number of followers, reviews coming from their accounts give an instant boost to your brand visibility.
When people see influencers mentioning your brand and using its products, they get an urge to check out your social media account and in turn, your website.
This subsequently increases the footfall on your brand’s website.
Strikes a chord with customers
Followers of influencers do not see them as mega-celebrities.
Influencers are people like you and me, who made it big in social media. Influencers can often be seen doing mundane activities that all of us carry out in our daily lives.
This makes them a very relatable source of entertainment and/or information.
Viewers often see influencers as someone resembling them or even someone voicing or representing their likes and dislikes.
What follows is a sense of trustworthiness.
When your potential customers see their favorite influencers using your products and services, it gives them the required nudge to check out your brand.
Increases sales
Reports say that using influencer product reviews accelerate your sales by as much as 15%.
These days, customers often take a cue from influencers to make up their minds about things like what to shop for and where to shop from.
When you get several influencers to repeatedly review and talk about your products and services, it hammers your brand name in the minds of their followers.
Even if a part of the total followers of these influencers ends up purchasing from your business, you will see quite a huge increase in your sales.
To make the shopping experience better for these customers, consider using the influencer product review content on your product page, landing page, and more.
How to incorporate influencer reviews in your strategy?
By now you are well aware of the various benefits that an influencer product review can fetch for your eCommerce brand.
Unfortunately, this knowledge is likely to go in vain unless you are efficiently incorporating these reviews into your marketing strategy.
Here are a few ways to help you out with the same.
Have a consistent brand hashtag
M.A.C Cosmetics uses #MakeYourMark for the kajal product reviews by influencers.
It is of primary importance to develop your own hashtag, as these are essential for a successful influencer product review.
Ask your collaborating influencers to use this hashtag consistently while reviewing your products.
Hashtags help your eCommerce brand to increase its awareness among viewers.
You can measure how successful your marketing has been using the analytics for the hashtag.
For instance, M.A.C Cosmetics uses the hashtag MakeYourMark for their kajal.
Emphasize daily influencers over celebrities
The chique story showcases everyday influencers wearing the brand’s jewelry.
Influencer product reviews need not cut a hole in your pockets.
Consider collaborating with a small-scale influencer for starters. You can always work your way up over time.
It is also true that customers are more interested in product reviews from daily influencers.
Unlike celebrities, influencers with a smaller number of followers have a more relatable nature.
Their accounts feature products that are not too over the top, yet indicate quality. This is exactly what your eCommerce brand should be going for.
The chique store is one such brand that leverages influencers who are famous in everyday life yet are not celebrities.
Ask influencers to create videos over pictures
Lakme India leverages beauty influencers to review their products while making tutorial videos. It is no secret that videos do much better than static images.
Videos are more fun, entertaining, and educational. Additionally, a lot more information can be packed into a video than an image.
When you are collaborating with an influencer you should expect them to give in more effort for your brand than click a few pictures.
Video reviews from influencers also help customers get a first-hand look at your product.
Product review videos can be in the form of Stories, YouTube videos, IGTV, or even reels.
Take a cue from Lakme India that can mostly be seen putting up tutorials by influencers that double as product reviews.
Choose influencers who align with your brand vision
oVertone collaborates with influencers who have vibrant hair colors after using the company’s hair colors.
Although the thought of having a renowned influencer review your product might seem fascinating, it is quite a challenge to find an influencer whose image is in line with that of your brand.
Finding the right influencer can get extremely difficult given the massive number of influencers these days, with a new one popping up every other day.
To get over this dilemma you can filter influencers by checking who most represents your target audience.
For instance, the eCommerce brand oVertone, which sells hair colors, features influencers who have colorful and vibrant-looking hair.
Example of influencer review strategy
The North Face uses athlete influencers for their product reviews.
Your strategy regarding influencer product reviews should follow three simple steps. Firstly, you should create a clear idea of what you want out of the reviews. Secondly, you should do your research on the present influencer landscape. Finally, you should be able to connect with the influencer with your brand’s vision. The North Face provides the perfect example of carrying out a good influencer product review strategy.
How to get influencers to review your product?
Just like you have the choice of picking an influencer from a large number of options available, they too have a lot of brands contacting them for product reviews.
So why should an influencer agree to review your products? Here are a few polite and persuasive ways to convince an influencer to do the same.
Gift your products
Studies show that influencer gifting has the power of lining up hundred product reviews within a month if done right.
You can directly send a care package to the influencer you want to collaborate with.
In this package, send the products that you want them to review. Your care package can contain more than one product.
Additionally, you may also send some products which are simply a gift to the influencer and not for review purposes. This will establish good faith between you and the influencer.
Consider this as an investment, since the items that the influencer is actually going to review will reel in sales that are worth much more than the products you sent them.
Add a note to your gift, where you politely ask them for a review. Cut to the chase, but do not sound desperate.
Make them feel important with your note and wish them well.
You should always gift products that are above a minimum price value, look good, and are easy to ship.
Send a collaboration email
Most influencers have their emails listed in the bio of their social media account.
This indicates that they encourage and accept conversations over emails regarding collaborations.
The catch here is that they only accept one out of every four collaboration emails.
While sending them an email make sure that you have a clear idea of your goals.
For instance, what are the products you want them to review, why you want them to review your products, in what way do you want them to carry out the review, and more?
Influencers usually get tons of similar emails each day.
To make yours stand out, provide a catchy subject line.
To go the extra mile, make the message as personalized as possible, so that they know that you have done your homework.
Do not forget to follow up!
Did you know? 41 characters form the perfect length for a collaboration email’s subject line.
Offer a reward
Bloggers give much of their time and effort to create positive and interesting reviews for their customers.
It is only fair that they are rewarded generously for their work.
After all, this is a part of their job and why should they be working without pay or benefits?
The best way to reward influencers is through monetary payment.
You can also reward them in kind if they are up for it.
Studies have established that a 15% discount on products is the average compensation for a product review.
This goes up to 25% when the review is in the form of a video.
DM on Instagram
GenZ is the most comfortable with DMs (direct messages).
The first text you send them over DM is important to make a first and lasting impression.
A simple greeting will definitely not cut it.
Even though DMs have a casual feel, you need to put a lot of thought into it to get a response from the influencer.
It is a good idea to start the conversation by breaking the ice and appreciating their work.
Keep the DM short yet engaging, with the basic details that the influencer needs to know to advance for a conversation about a product review.
The secret to increasing your chances of getting a response is to start engaging with the influencer through comments and story replies months in advance to DMing them for a product review.
8 brands that successfully leverage influencer product reviews
What better way to learn how to do it right is to learn from the brands that are already acing influencer product reviews?
Here is a curated list of brands to motivate you to be a winner with your influencer product reviews.
Suncoo
Suncoo features various influencers wearing the brand’s apparel. The influencers are mostly photographed wearing Suncoo’s products in their daily lives. (Credits: @suncooparis)
Suncoo leverages influencer product reviews to increase its brand’s visibility. Apart from increasing brand awareness, Suncoo also aims to drive sales through its product reviews.
It achieves these goals by posting product reviews where influencers were always seen donning their products.
They approach various influencers and manage to create a humongous amount of content for their social media accounts.
The result is that this eCommerce brand has been successful in creating 114 Instagram product reviews by influencers over a period of five months.
Subsequently, their reach has increased to 2.3 million.
Also, the footfall on their website grew by 60%.
Clarins
Clarins features the influencer Jessi Malay showing different looks that can be created using three of the brand’s lip products. (Credits: Clarins) Clarins marks the youth as its target market.
This eCommerce brand heavily relies on data analysis to figure out exactly what kind of product reviews floats with their young customers.
In doing so, they recognize and work with influencers who have a stronghold amidst Clarins’ target audience.
This brand is constantly refreshing its formats and renewing ways in which a product review can be done.
Keeping up with the trend is absolutely vital when it comes to a market demographic consisting of young blood.
Clarins also uses influencer product reviews for the launch of new product lines.
Lalalab
Lalalab captures the essence of reminiscing memories with pictures by influencers, be it about a vacation, or celebrating Mothers’ Day.
Lalalab makes sure that its influencer product reviews are completely aligned with the brand theme.
When you visit Lalalab’s social media account, their use of pastel colors and cozy tones is quite evident.
Lalalab’s influencer reviews give off quite a similar vibe.
Since Lalalab is an eCommerce business that prints pictures, their influencer reviews are mostly pictures too.
Each review is characterized by extremely photogenic setups.
Most essentially, Lalalab tags the products that the influencer is using in each and every product review of theirs.
Customers get to directly shop for what catches their attention on the screen by tapping on these tags.
Scentbird
Scentbird leverages influencer product reviews to launch new perfumes or a new collection line. What stands out while citing Scentbird as an example for influencer product reviews is the fact that sends gifts to influencers at a large scale.
The brand is always working on expanding its community of influencers.
Scentbird’s strategy is to make influencers fall in love with the brand so that the product reviews are genuine.
They are also known to approach influencers on multiple platforms.
Being an influencer favorite has led this eCommerce brand to achieve an engagement rate of 8% within half a year.
The Clothing Factory
The Clothing Factory shows how this influencer changed her look from mundane, non-stylish to ramp-ready by changing into the brand’s clothes. Check out the full video here. (Credits: @the_clothingfactory)
The Clothing Factory has managed to rise to prominence because of a large number of influencers flaunting their products.
They repeatedly highlight the same products via multiple influencers.
One of the most noteworthy things about this brand’s influencer product reviews is that they emphasize body positivity.
The Clothing Factory also deserves mention because of its great choice of influencers.
All of the influencers reviewing their products work in the fashion genre, which perfectly aligns with their brand image.
Nykaa
Nykaa collaborates with influencers who use Nykaa’s products to review them and create different looks using them. (Credits: Nykaa) Nykaa comes up with one of the most entertaining and fun product reviews out there.
Often influencers can be seen reviewing the products in the format of a game or a quiz.
Viewers’ interests get piqued by this method as it engages them in something fun that goes beyond the typical product review format.
At times multiple influencers can be seen together reviewing various Nykaa products.
Influencers on Nykaa also often create make-up, hair, and outfit looks suited for various occasions.
The product reviews thus seem genuine and help customers make an informed choice.
Mesmerize
Mesmerize leverages influencers to show the various ways in which their products can be styled. Check out the full video here. (Credits: @mesmerizeinida)
Mesmerize has made its mark in the market by posting influencer product reviews that are hip and chic.
The reviews completely align with their brand’s theme and often look like advertisements.
One thing to learn from Mesmerize’s influencer product reviews is how they keep updating their format with time.
For instance, with the advent of the pandemic, the brand started heavily featuring product reviews that included the brand’s masks.
Mesmerize’s product reviews also provide a guide to users on how to use the products.
These influencer reviews often come with a question to the viewers which increases content engagement for the brand.
Lakme
Lakme launched its Vitamin C+ range in India through influencer product reviews. The review showcased a typical day in the life of the influencer where they were seen using different products of the range at various times of the day. Check out the full video here. (Credits: @thecozyvibe)
Lakme aces the influencer review game by being as authentic as possible.
Their reviews typically show an influencer in their natural environment, not having any make-up on.
When the influencer is seen using Lakme’s products in these videos, viewers get the idea that the after-effects are simply from the products without any added beautification.
Simply talking about beauty products is quite boring for viewers, and this eCommerce brand realizes that.
Lakme’s influencer product reviews are created to showcase the influencer in a playful and chirpy mood.
Also, the product reviews rely on “before and after” looks.
Lakme also highlights how their products have successfully done away with the issues the influencer has before using their products.
Conclusion
Influencer product reviews are sure to be game-changers for your eCommerce brands and their engagement, sales, and reach.
They are the need of the hour for every eCommerce business that is looking to keep up the trend while giving a boost to their business.
There are some surefire ways in which you can leverage influencer product reviews for your company.
Having your own hashtag, de-emphasizing celebrities, and choosing influencers who align with your brand’s image are some of them.
Even if you do find the perfect influencer to review your products, reaching out to them can be worrisome.
How about sending them a gift basket or a catchy email?
If you still have no luck, checking out how other successful eCommerce brands are using influencer reviews to their advantage is sure to get things going for your business.
So what are you waiting for? It is now time for you to learn the best practices from these businesses and get in the game of influencer product reviews.