By mbretous@hubspot.com (Martina Bretous)

In a 2019 MediaKix report, 71% of marketers agreed that the quality of customers or traffic from influencer marketing was better than other marketing channels. So, we know influencer marketing can be a very profitable marketing strategy.

If you have been thinking about using this tactic but are unsure where to start, consider YouTube.

Unlike other platforms that are usually restricted by time (think TikTok and Instagram), YouTube celebrates long-form content. This creates space for influencers to deep dive into topics and give detailed reviews on products and services.

Beyond that, engagement rates on YouTube are the highest when compared to Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, according to a 2020 Influencer Marketing Hub report.

Now that consumers are turning more to YouTube for uplifting content, this gives brands a huge opportunity to leverage the power of influencers on a platform known for high engagement.

So, what type of videos can influencers and brands collaborate on? Let’s go through seven examples.

1. Day-in-the-Life Vlogs

One of the most natural ways influencers incorporate sponsored products into their YouTube videos is through day-in-the-life vlogs.

Usually done with a morning or daily routine video, the influencer will take viewers through their day and mention the product or service as part of their ritual.

In this video, Natalie Barbu gives her audience a peek into her daily routine, emphasizing her planning process. She covers the benefits of software like Asana and Google Calendar, and in the middle of her video, at the 9:03 mark, she introduces Skillshare.

What’s effective about this style of product integration is that it fits in organically with the influencer’s content. Some ads can be quite jarring and disrupt the user experience, which can lead to ad skips and video drop offs.

The video title sets the expectation that the focus of the video will be planning. So, when Barbu introduces Skillshare as a platform to learn new skills (including how to use Asana for planning), it’s a smooth transition.

Another approach influencers take is mentioning the sponsor toward the end of the video.

This video shows influencer, Mayuko, showing her version of a productive work day. Near the end of the video (at the 7:08 mark), she thanks the brand, Nord VPN, for sponsoring the video and presents the benefits of using the software.

With this method, there’s a risk that some viewers may not stick around to hear more about the sponsor, given that engagement rates fall toward the end of videos. However, the sponsor is mentioned at the beginning of the video and in the description box, providing additional opportunities for viewers to learn more about the …read more

Source:: HubSpot Blog