The ultimate guide to influencer marketing for media & entertainment brands

Learn how entertainment brands work with influencers to generate buzz about events, drive consumer engagement, and reach wider audiences.

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THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO

Building media & entertainment
brands with
influencer marketing

Learn how entertainment brands work with
influencers to generate buzz about events, drive consumer engagement, and reach wider audiences.

 

Get started

Media and entertainment has seen significant shifts in recent years, causing brands to lean more into digital promotion. But even digital promotion presents challenges: remaining authentic, reaching the right audiences, and remaining competitive.

For an industry that relies so much on opinion, taste, and passion, it’s critical for brands to strike the right balance of authenticity and quality content. With engaging content and authentic word-of-mouth recommendations, entertainment influencers reach the right audiences and stand out in one of the largest, most popular industries.

Brands are seeing overwhelming success by tapping into influencer marketing as their primary marketing channel. Influencers know their audiences and know how to leverage content that attracts their senses and encourages them to make the purchase. 

In this guide, you will learn how entertainment brands of all kinds from streaming, to gaming, movies and live performances can work with influencers to spread the word about new releases and events in order to drive engagement and reach performance objectives.

 


What is entertainment influencer marketing?

 

Entertainment influencer marketing is when brands strategically cast influencers to promote new releases, events, or products through authentic, quality social media content in the context of influencers sharing their lives and preferences. Entertainment brands include anything from book publishing to film making to sports entertainment.

BEING ADAPTABLE
GENERATING AUTHENTIC BUZZ
CAMPAIGNING HEAVILY ONLINE
RECOMMENDING THROUGH WORD-OF-MOUTH, SHARES, AND REVIEWS
LISTENING TO FANS
ENTERTAINING CONTENT
THINKING DIFFERENTLY ABOUT EVENTS

Traditional marketing tactics fall short in one or more of these approaches. Influencers help streamline digital marketing for artists and entertainment brands by creating eye-catching content catered to their audience (who is more likely to convert).  

LTK found in a recent national study that Influential Shoppers™, influencers' most loyal followers, amplify influencer sales and engagement by 2X. This means not only are influencers the most believable and engaging source on social media above all other options, per the LTK study, they also are the gateway and tipping point to significant and meaningful amplification for entertainment brand communication. 

What engaged fans want

 

Fans of streaming TV, film, music, video games, sports, literature, and other media all have this in common: they are passionate and want to be entertained. The question is, what entertains them? The answer comes from an influencer’s direct line to their followers.

Influencers live online, amidst their audiences who are expressing themselves and connecting with one another. These content creators make it easy for entertainment brands to join the conversation, get answers, and quickly resonate with fans.

The difficult part of reaching certain audiences is that your impact as an entertainment brand is determined entirely by opinions and personal preferences. 

The benefit of being a brand in this industry is that audiences of media content are also fans. They’re intentional, seeking content and media that brings them joy, content they can collect and share.

While every consumer’s preferences vary, you can improve your brand’s chances of growth by connecting with these values:

1

Convenient and flexible booking

Entertainment properties that offer fast and easy registration, purchase, and cancellations will be remembered for it. Influencers can promote the ease of working with your brand to eliminate any doubt or friction.

2

Safety and security

Before the pandemic, safety and security were a top concern– now, even more so. Work with influencers to promote the safety, hygiene, and security protocols your brand has in place. Live experiences like book signings, theater, movies, concerts and other performances, for example, may require more sanitization stations and signage that encourages safe distancing practices.

3

Exclusive access, deals, and giveaways

Fans are looking for unique and memorable experiences, which they sometimes pay more for. Act early and share your message for special access. Some also look for special offers and giveaways. Promo codes and exclusive access to early bird tickets and contests can attract more attention. Influencers effectively promote not only your entertainment property, but also special hooks to drive greater engagement and participation.

4

Mobile mindset

Engaged fans tune in via mobile for announcements and seek out updates, releases, tour dates, and behind-the-scenes content. They expect to see and engage with their favorite entertainment properties and influencers– at all times. Influencers can accomplish one because of the other; they can keep your brand engaged and top-of-mind because their followers keep them in their feeds.

 

5

Interactive Experiences

Brands that try to entertain at every corner will see engagement levels rise. Whether it’s the gamification of certain digital activities (ex: Spin to Win), an AR/VR experience (ex: Instagram or Snapchat filters), or pre-event and post-event engagement opportunities (like polls), you can engage fans in a more meaningful way. Simultaneously, you can fulfill any sponsorships your brand may have.

 

6

Swag and Merch

Entertainment is personal. Fans invest in the artists, films, sports, and games they love on a personal level. Many fans collect items that remind them of these experiences. Give influencers the power to promote your brand through memorable merchandise across social media.

7

Authenticity & Relatability

Passionate fans are looking for content that they can see themselves in. That’s why diversity in branding and promotion is so critical – to truly represent the world we live in and make sure you’re showing your brand as universal.

Working with a variety of lifestyle and entertainment bloggers and content creators from all backgrounds will keep your brand diverse and authentic.

8

Recognition

Your fanbase will likely share and reshare your content, especially if it’s already shared by their favorite influencers. This takes a lot of fan investment and should be rewarded – because they’ll do it again and again. Top entertainment influencers can help your brand respond to and engage with consumers, rewarding them in a way that'll turn them into superfans.

9

Storytelling

Entertainment consumers want to be moved through storytelling. Influencers spend their career telling stories that matter to their followers– what story do you want influencers to tell about your brand?

 

What is an entertainment influencer?

 

An entertainment influencer has an established following based on their lifestyle preferences – niche and broad. They leverage their authentic connection with their followers to promote products and services they believe in, working in partnership with brands. 

Entertainment influencers are:

  • Genuinely interested in whom and what they promote  
  • In tune with their followers’ tastes and spending behaviors
  • Excellent digital content creators and brand collaborators 
  • Curators of aesthetic inspiration, entertainment, and escapism 
  • Are able to demonstrate experiences effectively and in real time 
  • More influential than paid advertising according to LTK’s national shopper study
  • Trusted for their reviews, opinions, and recommendations 
  • Adaptable to changing trends and consumer demands

Entertainment industry bloggers promote artists, publishers, and events through strategic, authentic campaigns. Sometimes, entertainment influencers are also lifestyle influencers, sharing daily content about makeup, travel, health routines, and more.

Entertainment brands work with influencers to:

  • Keep audiences engaged during content and event lulls
  • Build a trustworthy library of reviews and social proof
  • Effectively sell merchandise, tickets, and products 
  • Stay on top of media and entertainment trends
  • Help consumers feel at ease about in-person events
  • Help consumers engage virtually 
  • Build positive brand associations
  • Produce reusable content for owned channels

Entertainment influencer content

 

Entertainment influencer content is about appealing to followers’ emotions through the senses. Content must be engaging to watch and listen to – yet not overly produced. 

Contrary to popular belief, consumers put a lot less stock in polished corporate content. Entertainment influencer marketing campaigns cut through the facade. 

Most content in influencer marketing campaigns is raw and unrehearsed, and it’s common for influencers to post their thoughts and reviews while going about their daily lives. From an in-depth analysis of a performance to book recommendations and top-10 movie lists, this content is easily skimmable and entices action as well as shares. 

Unlike traditional marketing content, media and entertainment influencer content is binge-worthy, bright, colorful, relatable, inspiring, and fun: everything today’s passionate superfans want.

INFORMS CONSUMERS OF NEW EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES
FUELS URGENCY AROUND RELEASES AND OFFERS
ANSWERS QUESTIONS FOR THE HESITANT FAN
TAGS AND HIGHLIGHTS PRODUCTION GROUP MEMBERS AND PARTNERS
IS INTERACTIVE AND HEAVILY VISUAL
INSPIRE FOLLOWER FEEDBACK AND USER-GENERATED CONTENT

 

What influencers want in an entertainment brand

 

Influencers have worked hard to monetize their influence on social media, which is built on their authentic connection with their followers. To lose that connection through inauthentic promotion would lose sales for many brands. This is why influencers are selective on the brands they work with.

Here’s what influencers are looking for in entertainment brands:

Can your entertainment brand benefit from influencer marketing?

 

Every entertainment brand has a lot to gain from influencer relationships: increased site traffic, brand awareness, sales, and proven marketing spend and ROI.

Helping smaller entertainment brands grow

 

News travels fast in entertainment and media. Influencer marketing can put a small brand on the map by spreading brand awareness across social platforms. 

Your small brand will see success by leveraging both global and local influencers who have historically driven revenue for your industry.  

Highly engaged influencers can review a show, share a playlist, or post a TikTok with the latest single. Then, it’s on their followers’ stories minutes later. In this way, influencer marketing has helped entertainment brands reach wider audiences and even gain new partnerships and sponsorships. 

Don’t have the budget for a full influencer campaign? LTK offers other placements at lower flat fees to help spread brand awareness.

Helping larger entertainment brands scale

Larger brands have their own challenges to overcome in the entertainment industry: staying competitive and first-choice. Paid influencers help large labels, venues, ticket sale sites, artists, and more to scale by expanding influencer campaigns for increased reach and revenue. 

Through influencer marketing management, large brands build and maintain relationships with content creators and identify effective brand ambassadors to increase viewer ratings, drive merchandise and ticket sales, and attract lucrative sponsorship deals. 

These brands work with us to develop a layered, full-funnel approach to scale their influencer marketing program with new influencers, test new channels and verticals, and create multi-channel campaign strategies.

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Casting influencers for your entertainment promotions

 

Casting influencers is a complex process that requires data, a solid influencer network, and the ability to facilitate, establish, and maintain the influencer relationship.

Whether you’re trying it alone or working with an influencer marketing partner, consider these best practices for casting influencers.


 

Overcoming influencer marketing challenges

 

Many entertainment brands try influencer marketing on an independent basis. This approach can be tedious and overwhelming as you attempt to narrow down 30 million influencers to find the best fits.

THE WRONG INFLUENCER RELATIONSHIP
INCONSISTENT INFLUENCER OUTREACH
UNCLEAR INFLUENCER-BRAND COMMUNICATION
LACK OF ROI
MESSY INFLUENCER CONTRACTS AND PROPOSALS
LACK OF CAMPAIGN FOCUS

 

WASTED TIME ON THE WRONG METRICS

Creating successful influencer marketing campaigns

As you consider influencer marketing as a channel to appeal to your audiences and potential sponsors, keep these tips in mind. 

1 — Think ahead about your budget.

Set aside enough of a budget to achieve all of your campaign goals. Brands that stretch a small budget across too many goals will not yield the results they’re looking for. 

2 — Give your influencers and fans free stuff.

Free swag, merchandise, tickets, and experiences can sweeten the relationship you have with influencers, but it can also make it easier for them to spread the word about your brand. 

Offering discounts or deals can help influencers incentivize their followers to risk leaving the brands they know to try yours.  

3 — Offer talking points and guidance.

Start your collaborative partnership with a clear contract and conditions. Provide your influencers talking points, brand information, and helpful tips for deliverables without being too prescriptive. LTK can help you with facilitating communication and creating an influencer proposal template using our leading influencer marketing software.

4 — Grow influence. 

When managing your influencer marketing campaign, return on ad spend and results don’t always happen instantly. Influence and reputation, just like with other marketing media, is built over time with lifestyle influencers. 

The LTK team goes above and beyond to identify progress and areas for improvement to reach optimal performance. The LTK Score™ is a benchmark score comparing your property to others in your category to help GROW (Gather, Reach, Optimize and Win!) your influence and provide insights into how your brand’s influence ranks and best opportunities to improve.

5 — Geo-target for event and local promotion.

Geo-targeting branded content can be very beneficial for entertainment brands, especially those looking to focus on specific markets. Consider your promotional goals and cater your campaigns to certain locations, online, or in-store for quick wins.

6 — Embrace that “the show must go on”.

As powerful as influencers are, unexpected things happen. Try to stay positive, diversify your influencer mix, and roll with the punches. Should any issues arise, the LTK team goes above and beyond to troubleshoot and find a solution during an influencer campaign.


 

Benefits of an influencer marketing management platform 

To conduct a successful influencer marketing campaign, you have to:

  • Determine goals and budget
  • Conduct influencer research and casting  
  • Determine target deliverables
  • Write and facilitate contracts 
  • Negotiate influencer rates 
  • Ensure contract fulfillment
  • Monitor budget and prove ROI 

It’s a lot to handle alone. LTK can help all of your departments every step of the way and amplify your in-house efforts. As an influencer marketing platform designed for creator management, we help you do it all, so you have the influencer intelligence to run effective influencer marketing campaigns without completely outsourcing to an agency.


 

Where to start your influencer marketing journey

 

If you aren’t sure where to start with an influencer strategy, consider starting with a test campaign, guided by influencer data.

AMPLIFIED DISTRIBUTION THROUGH THE LARGEST CREATOR SHOPPING CHANNEL: SHOPLTK.COM WITH 8M+ MONTHLY SHOPPERS
FULL-SERVICE CREATOR PROGRAMS THAT DELIVER ON YOUR UNIQUE OBJECTIVES
STRATEGIC PLANNING BASED ON HISTORICAL BRAND PERFORMANCE DATA
EXPERT BRAND CONSULTING, PLANNING, EXECUTING, AND REPORTING
END-TO-END CAMPAIGN EXECUTION AND INFLUENCER CASTING
ACCESS TO THE MOST SUCCESSFUL INFLUENCER PLATFORM IN THE WORLD

 

LICENSED IMAGERY FROM PREMIUM CREATORS FOR YOUR OWN MARKETING CHANNELS
CONFERENCE AND EVENT INTEGRATION TO BUILD LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS
ACCESS TO REAL-TIME MEASURABLE RESULTS ON THE TOP INFLUENCER CAMPAIGN MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

 

GROW with the LTK Score™

 

LTK Score™ is an industry-first benchmark to show where brands are with influence amongst peers and the best strategy to GROW influence.

Gather the right curated creators with Advanced Audience Insights
Reach with automated influencer management tools and payments
Optimize with simplified creator communication and integrations for better execution
Win! Advanced Audience Campaign Reporting to achieve better result