Influencer marketing has become an increasingly popular strategy for advertisers to promote their products and services to their target audience. In 2016, a TapInfluence study with Nielsen Catalina stated "Influencer marketing can deliver 11X higher ROI than traditional forms of digital marketing". In 2020, Influencer Marketing Hub stated "Businesses are making $5.20 for every $1 spent on influencer marketing" and In 2022, Harvard Business Review stated "More than 75% of brands have a dedicated budget for influencer marketing".
While various factors contribute to a successful collaboration with an influencer, one critical aspect is the aesthetic quality of the influencer's content. Factors such as camera angles, lighting, graphic design, and writing can all be contributors to aesthetic quality. We'll also discuss why good content quality is essential for advertisers when choosing the right influencer for sponsored content.
Why is Aesthetic Content Quality Important for Advertisers?
High aesthetic content quality is important for advertisers for several reasons:
Engagement: Visually appealing content with excellent aesthetic quality tends to generate more interaction, such as likes, comments, and shares, increasing visibility for the advertised products or services.
Brand Image: Associating your brand with top-notch content helps improve your brand image and enhances your reputation among potential customers.
Audience Retention: High-quality aesthetic content is more likely to keep the audience's attention, making them more receptive to the promotional messages within the content.
Steps to Determine If an Influencer Creates Aesthetically High-Quality Content:
1. Assess Visual Appeal
Examine the influencer's existing content across all platforms, such as Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or blogs. Look for consistent visual appeal, which includes aspects like colour schemes, lighting, and composition. High-quality aesthetic content should be visually pleasing and exhibit a unique style that aligns with the influencer's niche. That said, the influencer may also sprinkle in relatable "home video" style content in order to form a deeper and more personal connection with the audience.
2. Evaluate Camera Angles and Framing
Analyze the influencer's use of camera angles and framing in their content. Effective camera angles can enhance storytelling, create depth, and highlight important elements. Proper framing helps draw the viewer's attention to the subject and ensures a well-balanced composition.
3. Examine Lighting Techniques
Good lighting is crucial for creating visually appealing content. Assess the influencer's use of natural and artificial lighting sources to achieve the desired mood and atmosphere in their content. High-quality content should have well-balanced lighting that complements the subject and the overall aesthetic.
4. Review Graphic Design Elements
Graphic design plays an essential role in enhancing content and making it more visually appealing. Examine the influencer's use of fonts, colours, and visual elements like illustrations, icons, or infographics. High-quality content should feature professional and consistent graphic design that effectively communicates the intended message.
5. Assess Writing Quality
Even though our focus is on aesthetic components, the quality of writing should not be overlooked. Review the influencer's captions, blog posts, or video scripts for clarity, grammar, and style. High-quality content should be well-written, engaging, and tailored to the influencer's target audience.
6. Evaluate Video Production Quality
For video content, consider aspects like resolution, frame rate, and overall video quality. High-quality videos should be crisp, clear, and smoothly recorded. Also, pay attention to the editing techniques used, such as transitions, cuts, and the use of effects or graphics, which contribute to the overall aesthetic quality of the content.
7. Inspect Photography Quality
For image-based content, assess the overall photography quality. High-quality photos should be well-lit, properly composed, and showcase the subject effectively. Look for sharpness, appropriate depth of field, and colour accuracy in the images.
Conclusion
Influencer marketing can be a powerful tool for advertisers when executed correctly. Determining if an influencer creates aesthetically high-quality content is crucial for a successful partnership. By evaluating the visual appeal, camera angles, lighting, graphic design, writing, and video production, you increase the effectiveness of the collaboration and your overall ROI