Influencer marketing deep dive: what we learned from Anna Klappenbach's AMA
We recently had the absolute pleasure of hosting influencer marketing expert Anna Klappenbach for an exclusive AMA session in our membership Slack. The conversation was packed with actionable insights, candid advice, and fresh perspectives on everything from book campaigns to zero-budget strategies.
For those of you who aren’t inside yet, I’ve compiled the best moments from our incredible session. Grab a coffee, fetch your notebook and enjoy!
TLDR key insights
Influencer Marketing is Still Powerful: Despite skepticism, well-executed influencer campaigns can drive significant results.
Authenticity is King: Long-term partnerships and genuine connections matter more than transactional interactions.
Data Drives Decisions: Track multiple metrics to prove ROI (website traffic, searches, pre-orders, follower growth).
Budget-Friendly Strategies Exist:
Start small and scale up
Leverage nano influencers
Offer non-monetary value (gifts, experiences)
Create affiliate programs
Pricing is Nuanced: Influencer rates depend on market, platform, deliverable, usage rights, and actual reach - not just follower count.
Optimising influencer campaigns:
One of our Portuguese members, Marta, who works in publishing, asked about optimising influencer campaigns specifically for books. Anna's response highlighted the importance of experimentation:
"Optimising campaigns for books is the same as optimising campaigns for any other product: you have to test new niches & platforms, test messaging, test checkout flows & learn learn learn," Anna shared.
She encouraged looking beyond conventional book influencers, suggesting that "an unusual influencer could actually be a good try." She mentioned how profiles like Vogue Williams might not seem like obvious book promoters at first glance, but regularly share what they're reading.
Anna referenced Sally Rooney's Intermezzo launch as a perfect example of viral book marketing: "It became a social media sensation - everyone suddenly posted the book in the background / in aesthetic shots of stuff on the table etc." This case study demonstrates how the right campaign can create organic momentum that extends far beyond the initial paid partnerships.
Proving ROI to sceptical stakeholders:
The eternal challenge in marketing: justifying your budget. One member asked how to convince their boss that influencer marketing was worth the investment.
Anna didn't mince words: "Fight to get budget - the hill I'll die on 🙃"
She emphasised the importance of data collection: "Have as much data ready as possible: any spikes or movements that you can connect to your campaign? Increase in website traffic? Google searches for the book title? Orders or pre-orders? Increase in followers on social media?"
For those starting from scratch, Anna recommended an incremental approach: "Start with a low budget and see what you manage to do with it, then work your way up." This strategy allows you to prove concept and build credibility before requesting larger investments.
Are influencers actually losing their influence?
Beth raised an interesting question about influencer effectiveness, citing a study claiming only 12% of people are inclined to purchase when they see #AD on a post.
Anna's response was refreshingly candid: "Honestly, people have said this for years. In fact, I thought influencer ads were stupid and I'd never purchase because it's all fake and doesn't work. But if I know one thing, is that well, I still have a job (😉)."
She emphasised that authenticity remains the key differentiator: "If you see an influencer use a product or talk about a project for months or years before they advertise, I don't see why it shouldn't be authentic."
To back up her point, Anna shared an impressive stat from her own experience: "At Aumio, a sleep app for children, we see around +50% of code redemptions coming from long-term influencers, people that have worked with us for months if not years."
Her conclusion was simple but powerful: "If someone's interested in hearing about a product, they will listen."
Streamlining product sendouts:
Logistics can be one of the most time-consuming aspects of working with influencers, especially in fashion. Liz asked about making product sendouts less painful, particularly when dealing with sizing issues and back-and-forth parcels.
Anna sympathized immediately: "The manual labour that comes with that... no thank you 🙅♀️"
Her solution was to create systems that empower influencers while reducing your workload: "I'd recommend working in a similar way by creating voucher codes for the creator to pick & order something for themselves." This approach not only reduces logistical headaches but also ensures influencers receive products they genuinely like in the correct sizes.
Building authentic partnerships beyond transactions:
Wordy asked a thoughtful question about creating deeper relationships with influencers rather than just transactional ones.
Anna was enthusiastic about this approach: "You're definitely on to something - if you want authentic partnerships, you could try approaching creators in a personal way, letting them know why you like their content and what ideas you have with them."
She recommended inviting influencers for paid product feedback sessions and planning longer-term collaborations. "In the end, they're humans just like you and I. So any honest connection will lead to interesting collaborations. If you manage to excite an influencer for your brand, they'll spread that excitement!"
Bootstrapping influencer marketing with zero budget:
Ethan asked about bootstrapping influencer marketing for his fashion startup with absolutely no budget—a reality for many early-stage businesses.
Anna acknowledged the challenge but offered creative alternatives: "Think about what you can offer that isn't monetary value. Can you gift clothes? Can you maybe lend clothes? What can you offer an influencer that they would benefit from?"
She suggested focusing on nano influencers with high growth potential, building community, and creating affiliate programs. "Focus on building relationships and a community," she advised.
Finding the right price point for influencer content:
Plam asked about appropriate pricing for a 4-5 minute video from an influencer with 30-50K followers.
Anna explained that pricing isn't one-size-fits-all but depends on multiple factors: "Market, platform, deliverable, usage rights, exclusivity, and most importantly the actual reach, not the followers."
This serves as an important reminder that follower count alone is an insufficient metric for determining fair compensation. Engagement, audience quality, content style, and usage rights all play significant roles in pricing discussions.
Breaking into the influencer marketing industry:
Niamh asked about how Anna got into influencer marketing and whether there's potential to explore this field within the charity/public sector.
Anna offered practical steps for those wanting to enter the industry:
“Use your current role to gain some experience with influencers, any chance you can get!
You could try to plan a big social media campaign for your business in which you contact & collaborate with influencers - maybe it's for a good cause, or you can gift in exchange, or convince your boss to spend a little bit of budget to help your account grow!
Apply for Junior Influencer Marketing roles. There are many out there. Agencies will always look for help and you'll learn heaps in a short amount of time. I prefer working on the brand side, because you can plan longer-term & strategise.
If possible, your CV should reflect any touch points you've ever had with influencer marketing, even if you just supported another team. Volunteer as an influencer marketing manager! Offer your support to a local business."
B2B influencer marketing: the new frontier:
Klaudia asked about influencer marketing in the B2B space, particularly for SaaS companies, noting that it seems less established than in B2C sectors.
Anna revealed that B2B influencer marketing is actually her current focus and shared these insights:
"It really depends on your product and goals. The same platforms apply, I would say - think about who you're selling to and what they might be interested in, then test test test different categories. Don't expect the same results - they'll be harder to measure as most businesses aren't actively in the market. But when they are in the market ready to buy, you'll wanna be top of mind. So brand awareness is most likely your goal."
She recommended exploring specific channels:
Podcasts focused on business/marketing
LinkedIn (both organic content and paid advertising)
Employee advocacy programs
Customer testimonials
Industry thought leaders
Offline opportunities like summits and speaking engagements
Anna also suggested turning team members into "influencers" themselves - a strategy that many B2B brands are now successfully implementing.
Realistic budgeting for influencer marketing campaigns:
Valeria, the sole marketer at her company, asked about realistic budget expectations for launching influencer marketing initiatives with limited resources.
Anna explained that budget requirements depend on several factors:
Your product
The general marketing budget
Campaign goals (brand awareness vs. sales)
The market
The platform
She offered several cost-effective approaches:
"You can start really small and run a gifting campaign, which would ideally lead to content at a very low budget and can have a huuuuuge impact - if done right, you might end up with hundreds of brand mentions which should lead to lots of organic traffic!"
Anna also suggested affiliate programs as a lower-risk option: "You could also set up an affiliate program and pay creators for leads, which is a pretty safe bet for your brand too."
For those ready to invest in direct collaborations, Anna advised:
"Start small-ish. On IG for example, focus on people with 25K - 100K followers to test what niche works for your brand.
Don't put all eggs in one basket. In my experience, roughly 20% of creators we book for a campaign end up generating the revenue that covers the other 80%. So if possible, don't just book one big creator and instead book a mix of 10 - 15 people.
So basically, whether you start with €10K or €100K budget shouldn't matter - it's about how you spend it."
A big thank you to Anna for her time and wisdom! And if you want more insights like these… you can join our membership community for exclusive access to expert AMAs, resources, and networking opportunities with fellow marketers!
Founder and Director @ Pretty
Little Marketer
