Popular vloggers have a connection with their followers and have more influence and attract certain audiences. Like vloggers, businesses cater to their own specific audience and, by employing prominent members of the online community to endorse their product, the company can create a following online and produce viral campaigns.

For example, when Jack in the Box wanted to promote their Carl’s Jr. Portobello Mushroom Burger, they asked viewers on YouTube to upload videos of how they eat the burger. They enlisted the endorsement of two prominent vloggers, Nigahiga and Smosh, who each created their own videos that became viral hits. Each video received more than 2 million views on YouTube. 

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THIS IS NOT A COMMERCIAL

One feature of successful vlogger promotions is that the genuine quality of the vlog does not suddenly turn into an advertisement. The vlog should not lose the essence of its appeal to its viewers.  Television constantly bombards viewers with paid ads, and while the Internet does have advertisements, sites such as YouTube continue to keep them to a minimum. Vlogger endorsements could cause viewers to feel used and perhaps turn against the host. Some factors to consider when using vlogger endorsements include deciding which vlogger caters to the same audience as the company, adjusting the marketing strategy to fit the established style of the vlogger, and planning to maintain the momentum that comes with a successful viral campaign.

Remember SEO

Businesses will have to conduct extensive research to identify prominent vloggers most appropriate to endorse their brands. YouTube provides category listings to organize the different videos that are uploaded. “Tagging” refers to keywords the vlogger attaches to their videos to aid consumers in selecting relevant videos. By using the different categories that are provided and punching in key terms that represent the brand, a business may find the appropriate vlogger for endorsing their brand.

Style Matters

Because a business wants to have their brand endorsed by a vlogger, it should remember that the host already has a loyal following and a specific video style. The company should ensure that vloggers use their own creative style to endorse products because they may know best what will be effective with their viewers.

Shout Outs

Another type of endorsement is a shout out. In this case, a shout out refers to a brief recognition of a person or organization. Usually shout outs are at the end or beginning of a video. The vlogger can also post links to other websites or videos and these usually accompany shout outs.