Escape Rooms Marketing 101: Influencers
Today, I wanted to discuss how I've effectively utilized influencer marketing to promote my escape rooms, axe throwing and spin art venues. I understand that some business owners may have reservations about working with influencers and bloggers due to their requests for discounts or free experiences in exchange for their social media coverage. However, I'd like to offer a different perspective - when done properly, influencer marketing can attract a significant number of customers and generate more revenue than the cost of providing the experience to the influencer and their team.
Working with influencers is something I'm passionate about, to the extent that it's become a daily routine for my social media manager to seek out and contact local influencers. We offer them free experiences in exchange for featuring our place in their TikTok, Stories, and Reels. However, to ensure a successful collaboration, there are certain rules that must be followed:
1. Locals only
Firstly, we only collaborate with local influencers who have an active local following. To determine this, we look at the number of comments on their posts. If there are more than 20 comments per post, that's a good sign. We also check the profiles of those who leave comments to see if they're from our area. If they are, we proceed with the collaboration.
2. Not subscribers, but engagement.
When it comes to working with influencers, the number of subscribers isn't the most important factor. Personally, I prefer to collaborate with bloggers who have less than 15k subscribers. This is because they often have a closer relationship with their followers, and are less likely to demand additional payment compared to those with over 15k followers on Instagram.
3. Always talk about what exactly you will get
When collaborating with influencers, it's important to clearly communicate the expectations and deliverables. This includes specifying the number and type of content that they're expected to create, such as 1 TikTok, 3 Stories, 1 Reel, and a post on their Instagram feed. To ensure that everyone is on the same page, it's helpful to create a simple contract that outlines the terms of the collaboration.
For example, the contract could state that the influencer will receive a free product or experience in exchange for creating a video about the company and publishing it on their account @accountname, with a designated date and signature. This level of clarity helps ensure that both parties are happy with the collaboration and that the influencer creates content that aligns with the company's goals.
4. Promo-codes |
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To measure the effectiveness of a collaboration with an influencer, it's important to track the impact that their content has on your business. One effective way to do this is to provide the influencer with a unique promo-code that they can share with their followers. This promo-code could offer a 10% discount on your product or service, and should be published with the influencer's posts or reels. By monitoring the usage of this promo-code, you can determine how many bookings are coming from that influencer's audience, and get a sense of how valuable their following is for your business. Even if you don't see an immediate increase in bookings, it's possible that the influencer's content will have a longer-lasting impact. By promoting your business to their audience, they may help to raise awareness of your brand and keep you top-of-mind for their followers. This means that even if their followers don't book immediately, they may be more likely to choose your business in the future when they're looking for similar products or services. |
5. Ask for the source video and use it in your ads |
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If you're looking to take your influencer collaborations to the next level, it's important to not only rely on their social media posts, but also to leverage their content for your own advertising efforts. One effective way to do this is to ask influencers to provide source videos that can be used in your Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook ads. By using videos that feature real people enjoying your escape room experience, you can create more compelling and engaging ads that resonate with potential customers. These user-generated videos often perform better than professionally produced commercials, as they feel more authentic and relatable to viewers. |
Thank you for your continued readership and support.
Best,
Aleksei Kniazev