Instagram, with over 30 million monthly users in the UK, is a powerhouse for reaching target audiences.
The downside? Users quickly scroll past content that feels irrelevant or overly promotional.
One way to engage users is through influencer marketing, which connects with audiences through impactful creators who know how to create scroll-stopping content.
So, let's dive into how to develop an Instagram influencer campaign that builds awareness, forges connections, and wins sales.
Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, claimed 54% of advertising spending in 2023, nearly double that of Google Ads.
This shift is unsurprising, given that 69% of consumers shop using smartphones, and Instagram has over 34 million users each month, who primarily access it through mobile devices.
But who are these users?
The ages of Instagram users break down as follows:
The user base skews younger, making it an excellent platform for targeting Gen Z, Millennial, and Gen X shoppers.
There are various ways to reach audiences on Instagram, including brand profiles, paid ads, and influencer marketing. Each has unique benefits. But influencer marketing has a standout quality: it connects with audiences through a trusted figure.
Instagram influencer marketing is a strategy where brands collaborate with influencers to promote products, primarily through the influencers' own social media channels.
The UK influencer marketing industry continues to grow. Brands currently spend £896 million on influencer marketing, a number that's expected to reach £1.3 billion by 2029.
In the eyes of consumers, Instagram is now a legitimate channel. Almost half (49%) of UK consumers say they are most likely to make a purchase on Instagram compared to any other social media platform.
Big names like ASOS, Adidas, HelloFresh, Gucci, and M&S use Instagram influencer marketing due to its credibility and authenticity. Users crave content that's genuine and relevant, and influencers, who know their audiences, can deliver that. Often, brands opt for micro and nano-influencers with small, yet highly engaged, audiences. These creators have closer ties to their followers, who trust their recommendations.
More than two-thirds (38.5%) of UK Instagram influencers are these captivating micro and nano-influencers with between 5,000 and 100,000 followers. Macro and mega-influencers with over 100,000 followers account for only 4.61% of UK creators.
Influencer marketing on Instagram definitely works when done right.
One of the biggest advantages is the variety of content formats on Instagram, including Stories, Reels, and carousels, which influencers can use to promote their brands. Instagram posts are unique to social media. Few other platforms allow the sharing of still images, which are well-suited for visual brands.
You can also run a number of different campaigns. Let's walk through a few campaign types.
One of the benefits of Instagram influencer marketing is that, unlike paid ads, it doesn't have to break the bank. Gifting campaigns, where brands send influencers free products in the hope of content in return, only require brands to pay for the postage and product.
While there is no guarantee of content, brands can define terms with influencers to ensure consistency. Often, this is effective for larger, more expensive products. When gifting low-cost products, brands must carefully select influencers who will enjoy the product to increase the likelihood that they will share high-quality content.
Pro tip: Gift micro and nano-influencers who receive fewer promotional products. In addition, look for influencers who have previously mentioned your brand. These real fans will appreciate gifts.
For example, influencer Azizia (@homewithaziza, 89K followers, Instagram) was gifted a new fence by home improvement company Walls and Floors. She shared a reel detailing the benefits of the fence. It generated €167K earned media value (EMV) from 80K likes, 3M plays, and 712 comments. EMV estimates how much the buzz from influencer campaigns would have cost through traditional marketing channels.
Sponsored posts are often brands' starting point. There's a clear formula: pay for content, provide guidelines, and okay the final post.
Brands tend to take a hands-on approach with sponsored posts, guiding influencers on the key messages they should include.
Pro tip: Give the influencer some creative freedom, or the ad may end up looking overly polished and inauthentic.
Below is a sponsored post for Glen's Vodka. In the ad, influencer and rapper BEMZ (@bigbemz1, 18.9K followers, Instagram) spends time with friends. There is clear product placement of Glen's Vodka cans. The post positions the brand as fun and casual to BEMZ's highly engaged (10% engagement rate) audience. The post generated €23K EMV.
Brand ambassadorships establish strong connections with influencers and their audiences. These collaborations tend to be long-term, lasting over six months. Typically, the influencer posts about the brand regularly throughout this period.
The brand must select the right influencer, as these campaigns mix the brand's image with the influencer's, which can profoundly impact purchasing decisions.
For example, Lou Archell (@littlegreenshed, 58.8K followers, Instagram) is a brand ambassador for the shoe company LANX. Over the past three months, she has generated €15.63K in EMV for the brand.
The collaboration is effective because Archall's gardening, country aesthetic matches with LANX's rustic, outdoor branding.
Events are a popular influencer marketing tactic. A brand invites influencers to a fair, party, dinner, or product launch to share their experiences. Often, this tactic relies on organic content rather than upfront payment. As a result, events can be low-cost, as the brand only needs to pay for the event and then cover the influencers' travel expenses.
Pro tip: the experience must be shareable, with top-quality aesthetics and an engaging ambiance.
Disney UK invited influencer Grace Elizabeth (@graceelizabeth_dcx, 32.6K followers, Instagram) to its Lilo and Stitch event in London. The creator shared her experience in an Instagram post, formatted as a carousel, with multiple images in a slideshow. The post generated 7K likes.
Affiliate influencer marketing uses unique discount codes and URLs to link influencers to sales. The influencer is then paid by commission for the sales they generate. This structure reduces upfront costs and, therefore, risk. It's now a tactic used by 53% of UK brands, according to data from the Kolsquare 2024 State of Influencer Marketing report.
Below is an example of an effective affiliate post by Lily Lifts (@lilylifts, 738K followers, Instagram) for Gymshark. The video shows the influencer in the gym wearing Gymshark clothing while testing whether gardening gloves improve grip. In the caption, the influencer adds her 10% discount code. The post has over 3M likes.
At first glance, influencers may seem like casual content creators. Yet, most are professionals who plan content, maintain steady schedules, and carefully analyse trends in their niches.
Brands looking to profit from influencer marketing must act similarly. Data, rather than personal preferences, should guide strategies. This is especially important for marketers who don't fit the profile of their target audience.
Answer the following questions about your audience:
Brands must also develop a deep understanding of the social media conversations surrounding their brand and industry.
How can you gain the necessary insights without spending days creating spreadsheets and reports?
One option is Instagram's built-in analytics, Instagram Insights, which provides a broad understanding of trends. Additionally, it presents data about individual posts, Stories, videos, reels, and Live videos to help you assess their performance and engagement levels.
For a more in-depth understanding, an influencer platform like Kolsquare can help. It takes the grunt work out of creating highly engaging influencer marketing campaigns.
Kolsquare allows you to search for influencers by keyword, account, or biography. From there, you can filter the results with over 20 filters, including audience demographics, follower counts, engagement rates, and more.
In addition, Kolsquare's social listening tool enables you to quickly develop a 360-degree understanding of how your brand is perceived, track trends, and analyse competitors.
Instagram is ideal for launching highly successful influencer marketing campaigns. Yet, the results of these campaigns heavily depend on who you collaborate with.
You must go beyond vanity metrics, such as follower counts. Following the 3-Rs of influencer marketing can help you find influencers who are capable of enhancing public perception and ensuring a strong ROI.
Here are the three Rs of influencer selection:
Using data will help you check which influencers fit these requirements. For example, metrics like Kolsquare's Credibility Score inform you whether an influencer's audience is present, engaged, and, most importantly, not inflated by fake followers or bots.
A well-thought-out and tailored Instagram influencer marketing strategy will produce the best results. Here is a guide to managing Instagram influencer partnerships:
The first step is understanding where you are now and where you want to be. In addition to your business goals, think about your customers: Who is your audience today? Who do you want them to be in the future? Where do you expect users to be in your marketing funnel? Are they already familiar with your product or encountering your brand for the first time?
Then, decide which specific results you want to achieve.
These are common goals for influencer marketing campaigns:
Understanding what your company hopes to achieve makes you more likely to reach those goals.
You can determine how you want to work with influencers. Cheaper collaboration options include sending free products for review or paying influencers on a commission basis through affiliate links. On the flip side, brands can invest in influencers long-term through brand ambassadorships, sponsored Instagram posts, co-creating content, or inviting them to "takeover" their Instagram accounts.
Brands can also leverage the Instagram Collab feature to co-create content with an influencer and showcase it on both profiles to increase reach.
Pro tip: Think about how you can reuse content on product pages, email marketing, or on your own social channels. This gives you more content for your money. But always ask the influencer first.
Once you've set your goals, you're ready to outline your campaign. First, establish clear deadlines to help influencers understand timelines and coordinate their schedules accordingly.
Then, clearly outline your influencer marketing budget and how much money you will pay each creator. Transparent communication about payment ensures both parties are on the same page and can prevent misunderstandings.
It's worth creating a contract. It will protect your brand and the influencer, and it will clearly outline deliverables.
After thorough analysis and selection, you should trust the influencers you decide to work with. After all, these creators know how to produce content that resonates with their Instagram followers. They also understand trends in their niche.
Give influencers direction by creating a detailed brief with important data, such as where the audience is in the marketing funnel, your unique selling points, and the tone of the content, to guide them. But give them the freedom to inject their own style and expertise.
Audiences are put off by influencers who fill their feeds with irrelevant or purely promotional material. Instead, they seek content that feels personal and genuine. That's why it's best to collaborate with influencers who are genuine fans of your brand and believe in your products.
In fact, 39% of UK consumers lose trust in brands with irritating content, and 54% will avoid shopping with a brand once trust is lost.
Continuing the British population's long-running love for comedy, 69% of UK Gen Z and Millennial social media users prefer content that makes them laugh.
Many popular brands are capitalising on this preference by collaborating with funny influencers. For example, Amelia Dimoldenberg, creator of the comedy interview series "Chicken Shop Date", was a brand ambassador for the beauty brand Olay. The brand balanced humour and glamour by adding playful elements to their TV ads while creating aspirational content for Instagram.
Forming long-term partnerships with influencers can be more advantageous than short-term collaborations. While the latter may seem lower risk and capable of quickly boosting engagement, it can be superficial. Building a more sustained relationship with an effective influencer will enrich your brand's reputation over time.
Instagram influencer marketing is about establishing a brand that people trust, which in turn leads to increased spending and loyalty in the future.
Finding influencers with the power to boost your brand is tricky. Luckily, you don't need to go it alone. Agencies and influencer marketing platforms can help.
Let's explore how these two services make it easy to find influencers.
Campaigns, especially large-scale strategies, are complex and often involve multiple influencers. This operational complexity is challenging to manage, slowing down campaigns and making them less coordinated.
An influencer platform can save time by centralising your campaign on one platform. Kolsquare offers AI-driven search to help you find effective influencers who captivate your target audience.
Platforms like Kolsquare streamline influencer marketing from end to end. Firstly, they provide a single interface for searching, filtering, and contacting influencers. Once you're in touch with creators, you can manage your influencer relationships on the same platform. Then, enjoy digestible insights into how your campaign is progressing.
It's a way to grow your influencer marketing quickly and effectively.
Book a Kolsquare demo today.
An Instagram influencer marketing agency connects brands with influencers who align with their brand values and target audience. These agencies handle influencer partnerships, from identifying influencers with the right engagement and follower demographics to negotiating contracts and managing campaign execution.
Agencies offer a hands-on approach, but that comes at a premium.
Working with an influencer is a business relationship. Even low-risk strategies, such as gifting products, are subject to regulations.
Consider the following ethical and legal considerations when running an Instagram influencer marketing campaign:
In the UK, influencer marketing promotions are governed by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The specific code posters must adhere to is the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) Code.
This regulation requires all sponsored content to be clearly marked and indicated through hashtags, such as "#ad" or "#sponsored", to prevent deception of social media users.
Both the influencer and the brand are responsible for content meeting these requirements.
Follow the Kolsquare blog to stay up-to-date with the latest regulations.
Like businesses, influencers must adhere to data protection regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). These rules ensure customer data is stored safely. When launching influencer partnerships, keep this in mind for contests and giveaways that ask for personal data.
In the UK, formal contracts for influencer marketing are not required. However, while verbal agreements may be sufficient, they are less secure than written contracts.
Establishing a detailed contract safeguards both your interests and those of the influencer. This contract should include personal details, payment terms, timelines for deliverables, creative freedom, intellectual property rights, disclosure requirements, and content rights.
For most types of influencer marketing, influencers get paid. Exceptions include gifting or product seeding campaigns that rely on free products and events, which give invites to appealing experiences.
For sponsorships, affiliate, or brand ambassadorship, influencers should be paid in a timely manner. Be clear about deliverables and when the influencer will receive remuneration. These creators may begin to dislike your brand if you don't pay them on time.
To succeed in the long term, you need to understand how past campaigns performed. Instagram Insights is a valuable tool for tracking the effectiveness of your campaigns. It provides detailed information about an account's followers and engagement rates for each post, helping you understand how your audience interacts with your content to guide future strategy decisions. Alternatively, you can use an influencer marketing platform.
Measure these direct metrics:
London-based brand Skin + Me connects customers with dermatologists online and delivers prescription-grade skincare products to their door. Its mission is to make effective skincare treatments more affordable and accessible.
Skin + Me was seeking new ways to enhance brand awareness through both paid partnerships and product gifting.
The brand carefully selected influencers who could genuinely benefit from their products—those battling acne, blemishes, or wrinkles. They launched campaigns across Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, often featuring compelling before-and-after photos. This highly visual style of content is perfect for generating engagement on Instagram.
The team chose 18 influencers with widely varying approaches to skincare content creation:
Each of the posts shared unique discount codes to track which influencers led to sales.
The results? The campaign resulted in 1.2M impressions and 8K engagements.
Instagram influencer marketing engages UK audiences where they spend their time. From setting clear goals to collaborating with trusted micro-influencers and analysing campaign performance, every step plays a role in making your brand stand out.
One of the biggest decisions is who you work with. Kolsquare helps you identify the right creators, manage relationships, track results, and optimise your strategy with data-driven insights. So you can focus on what matters most: building real connections and driving results.
Kolsquare is Europe’s leading Influencer Marketing platform, offering a data-driven solution that empowers brands to scale their KOL (Key Opinion Leader) marketing strategies through authentic partnerships with top creators.
Kolsquare’s advanced technology helps marketing professionals seamlessly identify the best content creators by filtering their content and audience, while also enabling them to build, manage, and optimize campaigns from start to finish. This includes measuring results and benchmarking performance against competitors.
With a thriving global community of influencer marketing experts, Kolsquare serves hundreds of customers—including Coca-Cola, Netflix, Sony Music, Publicis, Sézane, Sephora, Lush, and Hermès—by leveraging the latest Big Data, AI, and Machine Learning technologies. Our platform taps into an extensive network of KOLs with more than 5,000 followers across 180 countries on Instagram, TikTok, X (Twitter), Facebook, YouTube, and Snapchat.
As a Certified B Corporation, Kolsquare leads the way in promoting Responsible Influence, championing transparency, ethical practices, and meaningful collaborations that inspire positive change.
Since October 2024, Kolsquare has become part of the Team.Blue group, one of the largest private tech companies in Europe, and a leading digital enabler for businesses and entrepreneurs across Europe. Team.Blue brings together over 60 successful brands in web hosting, domains, e-commerce, online compliance, lead generation, application solutions, and social media.
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