Last fall, we hosted a digital event covering the ins and outs of affiliate marketing with insights from the media side. Now, we revisited the topic to focus on a prominent practice within this realm: how to successfully engage influencers in affiliate marketing campaigns. We heard from LTK's Reesa Lake, VP & Head of Creator Expansion & Agency Partnerships, and Ally Anderson, Director of Strategy & Insights, Brand Partnerships, as well as Cynthia Andrew, the content creator behind @simplycyn, on affiliate marketing best practices from both the brand side and the influencer perspective.
The takeaways:
The term “wellness” has become ubiquitous, constantly popping up on our social media feeds, on the pages of our favorite websites and even in our local grocer’s aisles. While we’re all for a heightened awareness of our collective well being, the umbrella term has become a bit blurred, meaning marketers need to be even more strategic when working with brands in this industry. We spoke with a handful of pros in this space to get their insights on how to stand out in the increasingly-saturated wellness industry, while staying true to your brand’s values.
“Discussion around health and wellness has never been more lively, particularly in the digital environment,” shares Nina Westbrook, a marriage and family therapist who also founded Bene by Nina and Minibrook. “To ensure I’m sharing an informed perspective that is rooted in best practice, I continue to educate myself and stay up to date on what’s happening in the mental health space. Then, as we decide whether or not a particular topic makes sense for Bene by Nina, we reflect on our ‘why’ and whether it furthers our mission of inspiring wellness and connection in every area of life.”
Nina Westbrook
She continues, “I believe success lies in the thoughtful mix of following our audience’s lead, trusting our intuition and regularly inviting experts from other industries to weigh in so that my narrative isn’t the only one being shared. Highlighting a mix of perspectives opens up the conversation to more people and ideas, and demonstrates that it’s possible to create a space where varied points of view can be discussed respectfully.”
Taking cues from your audience and customers is a smart strategy, and it’s one that the team at Open doubles down on as well. “Better than your brand voice? The voices and perspectives of your most dedicated customers and community members," notes Abby Gould, VP of Partnerships at Open. "It's nothing new, but communicating complex concepts, such as the benefits of mindfulness practice, through credible humans over commercial copywriting, is critical to instill trust in new consumers. Real word of mouth—for something as deeply personal as mental health—is better than any ad in sharing the power of your product.”
Open
One excellent way to show, and not tell, the power of your product is through video content. Valerie Emanuel, co-founder of Role Models Management and Rif, shares, “The thing about health and wellness is that we need it to be as tangible as possible. When clients come to Role Models with breakdowns for influencer collaborations and they have only a photo mood board, I always counter with some options for Reels or TikToks. Each creator you work with will have their style that does best, but when collaborating with models and influencers I highly suggest covering your ass by getting both types of content.”
Speaking of TikTok, Emanuel reminds us that, “Unless your brand has products only older people can wear or use, you have to focus on Gen Z. Yes, they may not have all the money in the world to splurge on a Peloton bike (yet), but they are driving consumer culture in a way that is unexplainable and combined they do have more buying power than any other generation, and their influence is a huge factor in everyone's buying decisions now.”
Having worked with luxury spa and wellness products around the globe, Jennifer Hawkins, founder and president of Hawkins International, a FINN Partners Company, can attest to the importance of great storytelling in wellness marketing. “Wellness today is a lifestyle commitment, and consumers are looking for transformational experiences, from their beauty products or an ongoing enhancement from a spa,” she says. “Bringing to life your product, spa or service through imaginative storytelling is imperative so you can tap into your specific audience. Be well-defined so consumers can find you and relate to your product. You can do this with creative content creators like influencers or editors or even reward brand loyalists who become your organic ambassadors."
Aviron
The right partnerships and authentic content create trust, which is something consumers aren’t giving to fitness and health brands so easily today. “The wellness and fitness industry has become known for hyperbolic promises about what products can offer consumers, with marketing and PR materials often purporting that a certain product is ‘life-changing’ or that it will single handedly cure an ailment,” says Alana Linsenbigler, Vice President at LJ Public Relations, who works closely with client Aviron. “Editors are constantly hearing these exaggerated claims from brands trying to catch their attention, and they have understandably become skeptical, as have customers.”
She continues, “With this in mind, being specific about what your product can offer and being able to back up any benefits with research is increasingly important. Instead of relying on grand statements, build trust with the editorial community by zeroing in on your brand’s true differentiators and communicating them clearly and transparently. A product doesn’t have to do everything for everyone to be worthy of coverage, but providing detailed information on who it is best suited for, what the true benefits are, and studies or consumer research to back up your statements will make all the difference.”
In sum, the wellness industry is a deeply personal one, and each individual is on a different journey, seeking different results. As Gould reminds us, brands need to “meet people where they are (and where they're going). No one product or practice fits all humans, at all times — be compassionate towards the diverse needs of your community, offering education and inspiration for the ever-changing inner landscape and physical evolution of our bodies.”
