4 Tips for Working with Influencers to Market to Your Foreign-Language Audience

Engaging multilingual customers is becoming increasingly important in a world that is constantly connected. Brands must find ways to engage customers online and make a real connection in order to earn their business. You may be asking, “How do I market to a multilingual audience?”

When it comes to marketing strategies, traditional ads are becoming less valuable and relevant for many consumers. Around 30% of people utilize ad blockers to try and remove traditional ads from their online experience. This is a large percentage of your target demographic who will not see your ads due to ad blockers alone.

That’s why more and more brands are hiring influencers to market their products to their target audience. An influencer is someone who has the “power to affect purchase decisions of others because of his/her authority, knowledge, position or relationship with his/her audience”. As of now, influencers cannot be blocked, and they can be a great way to reach key demographics that traditional ads just aren’t reaching anymore, both in English and foreign-language markets.

How do I engage a multilingual audience with an influencer marketing strategy?

Here are 4 tips for working with influencers to market to your foreign-language audience:

1. Hire an influencer who speaks the primary language of your target demographic.

You may have already found an influencer who is perfect for your English-speaking audience. However, don’t rely on the same influencers to reach your foreign-language customers. Look for an influencer who speaks their primary language so the connection feels more authentic for your target market.

2. Find someone who genuinely believes in your brand or product.

An influencer’s audience trusts them. This is why it can be detrimental for both your influencer and your brand if an influencer is not completely committed to the project. It is definitely possible to find the right person to share your product because they believe in it as much as you do, so take the time to find the best fit! Their audience will be more inclined to trust their word if the influencer truly loves the product or service they’re promoting.

3. Support the influencers you partner with.

Have a team of people dedicated to those you partner with, and if that person does not speak English as a primary language, look for a way to offer support and communication via a team who speaks the same language. The more valued a partner feels, the more likely they will be to continue doing business with you. If the partnership is the right fit, this is a win for both of you!

4. Build your own influence first.

Although you can simply pay an influencer to promote your brand publicly, many may be more interested in accessing your own network and audience than they are in a paycheck. Since an influencer is only relevant and valuable if they have an audience to influence, focus on how your brand can help them grow, too.

While influencer marketing is a great investment at the moment, traditional ads do still have their place in a comprehensive marketing strategy! But providing value for others who have the ability to authentically influence their own audience is a mutually beneficial relationship that can have a positive impact on both your brand and an influencer’s.