Influencer marketing tactics for growth

From: gregisenberg

David Park, founder of AI startup Jenny AI, successfully scaled his company from zero to $10 million in Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) using a comprehensive growth playbook that includes influencer marketing [00:00:17]. This playbook emphasizes the power of short-form content and strategic influencer collaborations for rapid growth [00:01:25].

Key Principles of Influencer Marketing

The Rise of the “Fresh Account”

In contemporary social media, traditional markers of influence like millions of followers or verified checkmarks are less critical than in the past [00:03:08]. A single video from a newly created account can go viral [00:03:25].

Testing has shown that identical content posted on an established account (e.g., 70,000 followers) and a new account (e.g., 50 followers) can result in comparable or even superior engagement for the newer, smaller account [00:04:08].

It is often more advantageous to sponsor a “fresh account” created recently, even if it has similar viewership to a YouTuber with millions of subscribers [00:05:05]. This is because:

• Fresh accounts are frequently “juiced by the algorithm” and are on an upward trend in reach [00:05:33].
• They are significantly more cost-effective to sponsor, potentially costing 1/100th of what an established YouTuber might charge [00:06:07]. Established creators often demand high fees (e.g., $20,000 for a 30-second video) that may not yield a positive Return on Investment (ROI) [00:06:23].
• Collaborating with newer creators is a win-win: they get paid for content they enjoy producing, and businesses gain visibility at a lower cost [00:06:40].

Creating Your Own Influencer Accounts

Instead of solely seeking external influencers, businesses can create their own “fresh accounts” and hire a creator to be the public face of their product [00:08:20]. This approach:

• Prevents the creator’s main account from being “polluted” with too many ads [00:08:47].
• Allows for consistent content creation (e.g., 30 videos on a new account) without the creator feeling like they are “selling out” [00:09:04].

Case Study: Ming Duck and Jenny AI

Jenny AI partnered with Ming Duck, paying him $4,000 per month for 20 videos [00:11:37]. His content, focusing on writing and communication, aligned well with Jenny AI’s early focus as a broader writing tool [00:11:47].

• The account started from scratch with zero followers [00:12:08].
• It grew to 70,000 followers and generated approximately half a billion views combined [00:12:13].
• In the first month alone, they garnered 7 million impressions [00:12:25].
• One video alone generating millions of views can lead to thousands in Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) [00:12:34].
• This collaboration was a short-term commitment (around three months) [00:15:09].

Ming Duck, despite having 300,000 TikTok followers at the time of the deal, was willing to partner for $4,000/month because some creators may not be focused on monetization or haven’t found the right product fit [00:13:22]. Creators can often create content efficiently (e.g., 5-10 minutes a day for a new hook, using supplied visuals), making such deals attractive [00:17:03].

Content Strategy for Virality

Frequency of Posting

Consistent posting is crucial for exploration before exploitation [00:18:23]. Posting one or more videos daily allows for numerous tests (e.g., different angles, hooks, formats, humor, educational content) to identify what resonates [00:18:37]. This iterative approach helps uncover “mega bangers” (videos with 1-10 million views) [00:19:19].

Finding a Viral Series

The ultimate goal is to identify a “viral series” – a content format that resonates repeatedly [00:20:18]. Humans are creatures of habit, often wanting to see variations of what they already enjoy [00:20:47]. Once a viral video is found, the next step is to maximize its upside by replicating it [00:21:16].

An example is the “how many sticks of spaghetti can hold X weight” video, which led to series with coat hangers, paper, and even broken iPads [00:21:33]. Similarly, Jenny AI used a “Point of View (POV): You have a paper or essay due” series that generated over 300 million views [00:22:50]. This series involved relatable scenarios followed by the consistent solution provided by Jenny AI [00:23:01].

Format-Product Fit

Viral content should have a strong format-product fit [00:24:14]. Going viral for the sake of virality results in “empty calories” [00:24:48]. A video that gets 20 million views but negligible conversions is ineffective compared to one with 50,000 views that brings in hundreds of thousands in revenue [00:25:20].

The Order of Virality

1. Farm multiple accounts on each platform: Instead of one account per platform, aim for many [00:26:01].
2. Experiment with hooks and video ideas: Test different creators and content angles [00:26:05]. Observe competitors and what’s gaining attention in other industries [00:26:20].
3. Identify and turn viral videos into series: Once a video goes viral, continuously tweak and repost it [00:26:33].
4. Post series on multiple accounts: For Jenny AI, this meant up to seven accounts on each platform (24 accounts total), posting 24 videos daily [00:26:47]. This significantly increases the “surface area of luck” [00:27:08].
5. Translate and create videos with international creators: Expand reach by creating content in other languages (e.g., Mandarin), tracking conversions via UTM clicks and coupon codes [00:27:14].
6. Sponsor other pages to repost: As the content cycle matures, pay large meme pages (often run by younger individuals) to repost your viral videos, giving them a “second life” [00:27:44].
7. Use mega-viral content for paid ads: Leverage proven content for paid campaigns [00:28:26].
8. Anticipate content burnout: Eventually, copycats will emerge, and the audience may tire of the series. This signals a return to step one to find new hooks and ideas [00:28:31].

Finding Influencers

The most effective way to find influencers is to ask existing users which influencers they follow in your niche [00:31:05].

• Ask for their social media handles or the specific influencers they follow related to your product [00:31:26].
• This provides unbiased data on who genuinely influences their audience, as opposed to creators followed for entertainment without buying intent [00:31:49].
• Once you have a list, use platforms’ “suggest similar accounts” feature [00:32:40].

An Influencer Finding “Hack”

1. Create a new Instagram or TikTok account [00:33:16].
2. Manually follow all the target influencers on your list [00:33:18]. Do not follow anyone else [00:33:20].
3. Watch their videos all the way through [00:33:23].
4. The algorithm will automatically start suggesting other relevant influencers in the same niche [00:33:25].

This method effectively uses the algorithm to do the discovery work that agencies charge thousands for [00:33:33]. It also helps businesses understand their users’ content consumption habits [00:33:48]. Through this process, you might discover unknown creators with high-quality content and low follower counts, allowing you to secure “crazy deals” before they go viral [00:33:58]. Sponsoring a creator whose video appears on your “For You Page” (FYP) when you don’t follow them indicates the algorithm is already pushing their content to broader audiences, increasing your upside [00:34:54].

Reaching Out to Influencers

Multi-Channel Outreach

Use all available communication channels:

• Direct Messages (DMs) [00:36:28]
• Emails [00:36:30]
• LinkedIn [00:36:31]
• Other platforms (blogs, Tumblr, Venmo for a unique approach) [00:36:35].
  • Hack: Some users have sent small amounts (e.g., $50) via Venmo to get a push notification and response [00:37:51].

If it’s difficult to find their contact information, it likely means fewer people are reaching out, making your message stand out [00:36:44]. Avoid the common mistake of sending a single email and giving up; influencers receive many messages [00:37:14].

Crafting the Message

• Be detailed and tailored, but concise: Avoid lengthy paragraphs [00:37:41].
• Demonstrate genuine fandom: Show you appreciate their content [00:38:51].
• Explain mutual benefits: Why should they partner with you? How will their audience love your product? [00:38:54]
• Avoid irrelevant details: Don’t mention funding rounds or employee numbers [00:38:58].
• Clearly state it’s a paid promotion: This immediately signals seriousness, as influencers are bombarded with offers for free products or subscriptions [00:39:04].
• Expect low response rates initially: Develop a tough skin and focus on optimizing your outreach [00:39:26]. As your product gains recognition, it becomes easier to secure partnerships [00:39:46]. A larger follower count on your own company account can also aid outreach [00:39:58].

Negotiating with Influencers

The goal is to align incentives for mutual benefit: both parties want a video that converts [00:34:33].

• Avoid paying everything upfront: This retains leverage. Split payments, with a percentage tied to conversions (e.g., via personal coupon codes) or views [00:40:39].
• Be straightforward and transparent: Share your typical budget and the ROI you expect for a video to break even [00:41:18]. Encourage influencers to be transparent about their demographics and past sponsored content performance [00:41:35].
• Negotiate by removing features: Start by asking for the most expensive package (e.g., link in bio, Instagram story, full usage rights, product-focused video). Then, iteratively remove elements you don’t need to arrive at a “true price” [00:42:09].
• Offer bulk deals: Once a fair price for a single video is established, propose a package deal (e.g., three videos a month at a discounted rate) for consistent content flow [00:43:03].
• Ignore outdated pricing models: Do not base payments on follower counts alone, as this is a common source of “misinformation” leading to poor ROI [00:43:52].

Posting Content

• Tailor content to the influencer’s audience: A “one-size-fits-all” strategy won’t work [00:44:50]. Sponsored content must not deviate too far from what the influencer’s audience expects, or retention will be poor [00:45:01].
• Trust the influencer’s expertise: If inexperienced, let the influencer “cook” by creating content similar to their usual posts, but specify when and how the product should be featured [00:45:16].
• Integrate into existing series: If an influencer has a popular series (e.g., “Top 10 AI tools that feel illegal to know”), aim to have your product included in it [00:45:48].
• Scale through autonomy: To scale influencer collaboration (e.g., a video every few hours), you must trust influencers with a blueprint. Provide guidelines on product messaging, desired portrayal time, and expected metrics (views, engagement). Offer package deals for monthly content so you don’t have to micromanage [00:46:20].
• Don’t fear direct ads: Even if a straightforward ad gets fewer views, it often converts better. Subtle ads might be ignored due to the high volume of content vying for attention [00:47:56]. Direct problem/solution framing is more effective for conversion [00:48:42].

Final Tips for Success

Growing with influencer marketing and User-Generated Content (UGC) requires managing many relationships and leveraging both creative and analytical skills [00:49:30].

• Facilitate partnerships well: Develop real, human relationships with creators [00:50:34].
• Balance art and science: While content creation has artistic elements, a significant part is scientific (managing campaigns, tracking data, refining models for winning influencers) [00:50:08].
• Leverage any common ground: Use shared backgrounds or connections (e.g., growing up in the same neighborhood) to build rapport and increase response rates from creators [00:51:04].

Post-Initial Growth: Scaling to $10M ARR

While the initial playbook is effective for reaching $5millionARR,scalingto$10 million involves continued application of these techniques with added focus:

• Refine existing strategies: The core principles of influencer marketing, SEO, and paid ads remain relevant [01:02:24].
• Improve hiring and team building: Scaling brings managerial and organizational challenges that require stronger teams [01:02:37].
• Explore new channels: Jenny AI saw significant revenue from affiliate marketers [01:02:52].
• Consider acquisitions: Acquiring smaller startups or companies can be a strategic move to leverage existing expertise and customer bases [01:03:08]. Jenny AI acquired a startup at $500kARRanddoubleditto$1.2-1.5 million ARR in five months by applying lessons learned from Jenny AI’s growth [01:03:51].
• Focus on retention and conversion: With increased traffic, optimizing the funnel becomes critical. Reducing churn (e.g., from 20% to 9.8% for Jenny AI) significantly impacts growth [01:04:39]. This is especially important for B2C AI apps, which often face high churn rates (e.g., 30-50% monthly) [01:05:43].