Intent-Driven Approach: Case studies about influencers, PR, and B2B marketing

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Back when we worked in an office, I used to participate in the lunchtime yoga class. Our teacher always encouraged us to set an intention for our yoga practice.

Then of course I would get back into the hubbub of work and deadlines, and it so easy to let that idea of working with intent just melt away.

Which is why I love the approach we are taking in our cohort working groups as part of ChatGPT, CRO and AI: 40 Days to build a MECLABS SuperFunnel. We build ads and landing pages with intent. Every ad and landing page is grounded in a specific purpose, based on the Customer-First Objective and value proposition that participants craft.

If your marketing has gotten a little wobbly or squishy lately, I highly recommend stepping back and beginning with a Customer-First Objective and a value proposition, before you hire an agency to create those ads or a developer to build that landing page.

Feel free to join us in a cohort LiveClass to get ideas for how to use these methodologies (just click the above link to RSVP) or read this article to get ideas from your peers. While none of these marketers used our specific Customer-First Objective methodology, they all took an intent-driven approach:

• First up, we show you how a dog app experimented with platform selection and found that TikTok is the ideal platform for their objective of reaching potential customers with a high intention of using their app.
• Then, we look at a cloud talent creation firm’s transformation – it can be harder to reach a high-intention audience with a less targeted approach, but they were able to expand their PR campaigns globally while still providing campaigns that tied into journalist’s intent to publish.
• And of course, we couldn’t end this article without discussing purchase intent. So our last case study involves a SaaS management platform’s use of buyer intent to inform its account-based marketing.

Quick Case Study #1: App works with pet influencers on TikTok, generates 140% ROI

When it comes to social media platforms, it’s all too easy to look at general data to determine where to invest. Instead, the team in our first case study experimented with platforms first-hand to discover how best to reach a niche audience that had a high intention of using its product.

The Woofz app includes 70 courses and commands developed by professional canine experts and veterinarians. This dog app has been downloaded three million times.

The team started working with influencers in May 2022 to reach its target audiences – new puppy owners and people who just got their first dog.

“Currently, more than 60% of our successful creatives are based on UGC (user-generated content) from influencers' videos. This approach has proven to be effective as UGC videos discuss the common challenges that dog owners face in training their pets, and provide practical solutions, whereas traditional ads can come across as too sales oriented,” said Natalia Shahmetova, CMO, Woofz.

To date, the team has collaborated with 110 influencers and experimented with TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Let’s take a look at what they learned.

BEFORE – Influencers on YouTube too expensive for dog app’s niche

The team tried many different formats of collaborations. The first partnerships weren’t very successful in terms of performance because the team didn’t have a methodology and clear understanding of what ad format, platform, or creators to work with.

They started by working with YouTube creators on sponsored videos – 30-60-second YouTube Shorts and 60-second mid-roll integration of a longer video, all with links in the description.

For example, a YouTube short about teaching a dog every trick generated 69,000 views and 256 installs, but an ROI of -65%.

A mid-roll message in a six-minute-and-36-second video about a dog trying on shoes for the first time generated 61,000 views, but only 28 installs and a -97% ROI.

The team came to the conclusion – while YouTube is an effective platform for influencer marketing, it may not be the most suitable option for their niche at present.

Moreover, the rates charged by influencers on YouTube are very high for the team’s budget. They found that influencer rates on the platform range from $500 to $20,000, with an average CPM of $15 to $40 for US-based influencers.

So they decided to explore alternative platforms to identify more cost-effective and high-performing solutions.

AFTER – TikTok is the ideal platform for dog app

The team found that TikTok is the ideal platform for their brand because:

• There are a big number of relevant pet influencers in the dog app’s target geographies
• They pay lower rates for the same average viewership and expected views compared to other platforms
• TikTok’s Spark Ads ad format enables the team to leverage organic TikTok posts and their features in paid advertising.

They were pleased to discover that there is a vast pool of pet influencers on TikTok, ranging from macro to nano-influencers, and their rates are considerably lower than those on YouTube (with CPM varying from $1 to $15). After conducting some test releases, they found that rates for creators on Instagram were significantly higher than those on TikTok. As a result, they made the decision to exclusively work with TikTok creators.

Drawing on their experience on YouTube, they revised their creative brief to allow for greater creative freedom and added usage rights for six months.

Another lesson they learned – they switch to WhatsApp after reaching an agreement via email, which often speeds up the communication process. Previously, they faced occasional delays in receiving replies and drafts for review from influencers, which can result in the need to reschedule campaign dates. In some cases, creators that agreed on dates and rates disappeared without any further communication.

The most effective format on TikTok is a 30-45 second UGC-like video post with several additional intros and a link in bio, along with up to six months of usage rights. The team found this format to be most effective because:

• Short, engaging, native videos of 30-45 seconds are sufficient to grab the viewer's attention and convey the desired message
• A link in the bio measures the post's performance
• Usage rights and additional intros are needed to have the ability to use the assets in paid ads across different platforms.

For example, a video from @pawfectionpooches was 42 seconds long, included a link in the bio for seven days, and usage rights for six months. It showed an attempt to give a dog a command, then screenshots from the Woofz app showing the proper way to teach the dog, the dog doing the trick succesfully, and finally a CTA at the end that said ‘click the link in bio to get 76% off Woofz premium!’

Creative Sample #1: TikTok video from influencer

Team used paid ads to generate positive ROI from influencers’ content

The video was labeled as a paid partnership on TikTok. The video received 2.1 million views and resulted in 320 app installs. However, organic reach was just not enough to produce a positive ROI, and on its own this video would have had a -87% ROI for Woofz.

Which is why they secure usage rights. The team then successfully employed Spark Ads with the influencers’ video materials, which enabled them to achieve a positive ROI.

They experimented with several ad structures and found that step-by-step training with Woofz and humorous videos were particularly effective. For example, one of the top-performing videos shows how the Woofz app can be used to teach a dog to hug.

Creative Sample #2: TikTok video from influencer that combines step-by-step training with humor

The team is now collaborating with smaller influencers on TikTok and creators on Fiverr to create UGC-style videos, which they use in paid ads to boost the existing posts’ performance if required.

Finding the most effective influencers

After collaborating with numerous pet influencers, the team noticed a pattern in terms of which breeds tend to receive higher levels of viewership and engagement. Specifically, they found that influencer accounts with Golden and Labrador Retrievers, Pitbulls, Rottweilers, and French Bulldogs consistently generate stronger results, likely due to the widespread popularity of these particular breeds. Golden and Labrador Retrievers do particularly well because they are cute and lovable.

Initially, they worked with macro influencers (1M+ followers) at a price range of $500-$2,500 until they changed their approach and optimized the ad format. Working with micro and mid-tier (from 10,000 to 1M followers) pet influencers can be a more cost-effective way to reach their KPIs. These influencers often have a smaller number of followers, but they can still be highly effective at promoting products and services to their followers due to their higher engagement rate.

Over time, the team has collaborated with more than 100 creators from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Latin America on TikTok.

RESULTS – 80 million views

“To date, we have published more than one hundred influencer posts across several social media platforms. Video posts have collectively generated over 80 million views. Talking about performance marketing, the videos created by influencers have received several hundred million impressions, resulting in over four million clicks, 450,000 installations, and approximately 60,000 subscribers. Overall, we have achieved a total return on investment of ~140%,” said Ahmet Hojamyradov, Influencer Marketing and BizDev Manager, Woofz.

They have also developed a specific approach to videos that they can share with future influencers:

1. A catchy teaser and thumbnail to grab the attention of followers and create excitement for the video. This could be a short and punchy tagline or a creative visual that piques interest.

2. Show highlights at the intro: It's best to highlight the key features and benefits right off the bat. This will give followers a clear understanding of what they can expect from the product and why they should be interested.
    
3. Communicate the value of the product: After introducing the highlights of the product, it's important to delve deeper into the value it offers. This could be through showcasing the results of using the product, highlighting customer testimonials, or demonstrating the unique features that set it apart from competitors.

4. It is vital to show the interaction between the dog and the owner. One of the best ways to demonstrate the value of a product is to show it in action. By featuring the interaction between a dog and its owner using the product, you can give followers a clear understanding of how it works and how it benefits both parties.
    
5. Human voice over: While it's easier to use a computer-generated voice for a promo, it's often best to voice it yourself. This gives the promotion a more personal touch and allows followers to connect with you on a deeper level. Plus, it allows you to inject your own personality and enthusiasm into the promotion, making it more engaging and authentic.

Quick Case Study #2 Cross-regional PR initiative unlocks global campaigns for cloud talent creation firm, grows exposure from 2 to 27 countries for campaigns

Buyer intent isn’t only relevant for actually selling a product. Sometimes your ‘buyers’ aren’t paying money, rather, they are buying into an idea. For example, journalists – the ‘buyers’ of a PR pitch.

Let’s take a look at how Revolent, a cloud talent creation firm, changed the way it creates PR campaigns to tie into the buyer intent of a global audience of journalists.

BEFORE – Regional-focused campaigns

The marketing team’s outreach efforts were usually focused on particular regional markets, and individual countries. “Our marketing strategy mapped to our wider business model, where we tailor our service to the needs of specific regions and specific technologies,” said Kashif Naqshbandi, Chief Marketing Officer, Tenth Revolution Group (Revolent’s parent company). “The exceptions tended to be campaigns centered around events in the global calendar, such as International Women’s Day.”

Producing targeted campaigns for specific regions was generally successful, resulting in links and raising brand awareness in different markets. Naqshbandi noted that “creating campaigns for specific countries has been particularly effective for securing coverage in both national and especially more regional publications.”

The team decided to experiment with a more unified approach to multiple regions to see if there were possibilities to tie campaigns together in a different way. According to Naqshbandi, “we wanted to explore whether there were ways to optimize certain campaigns and to pursue different types of campaign ideas that would actually complement our wider business strategy through a more wide-ranging approach.”

AFTER – A consistent message across multiple countries and regions

The first multi-region campaign the team launched was called Kids Draw Tech, a competition in which children predict how technology will shape our future.

“Our Kids Draw Tech campaign was successfully outreached across the US, UK, Canada, and Australia,” said Naqshbandi. Where previous campaigns had been outreached to publications in a single country, this one proved successful in four markets at once.

“Our key takeaway here,” he said, “was that certain campaign ideas, particularly those that are the most topical at the time of their production, can translate almost seamlessly across different regions as long as the data or original content is there to support it.”

Subsequent campaigns have been designed and outreached with a more global focus which has led to increased coverage in multiple markets and the raising of the brand’s global presence.

RESULTS –More countries reached with the same campaign

Prior to the Kids Draw Tech campaign, the brand was securing coverage in an average of two countries per single campaign:

• Stranger Things campaign – Published in 3 countries
• UK Tech Talent – 1
• National Stress Awareness ­– 2
• Best States for Tech Career – 2

Since then, single campaigns have had coverage in as many as 27 countries:

• Kids Draw Tech campaign – Published in 4 countries
• Excuse To Miss Work – 27
• Holiday Hack – 6
• Search for Hybrid Work – 8
• FTSE 100 – 12

Naqshbandi put it this way – “this campaign really unlocked a process for multi-focus campaigns for us. It’s enabled us to raise our global profile by keeping us present as a thought leader in the multiple markets in which we operate.”

Going forward, the brand has developed a more flexible process where single-focus campaigns and multi-focus campaigns can co-exist.

Reflecting on this hybrid approach, Naqshbandi commented that “our team are now really attuned to looking out for those global opportunities where they arise – but without forcing them. We’re not just sending our campaigns out to multiple countries at once because we’re after more coverage – we’re designing our campaigns around data and insights that are actually relevant to multiple different contexts. And we continue to produce single-focus content where that’s the right way to go. It’s absolutely about following the story that emerges from the research, and then connecting the dots where appropriate.”

Quick Case Study #3: SaaS management platform sees 81% increase in deal size from account-based marketing informed by buyer intent data

BetterCloud is a software-as-a-service management platform (SMP). The team was generating leads, but opportunity-to-closed-won conversion rates were lower than expected.

BEFORE – Targeting accounts before they were ready to purchase

“We were spending money on targeting ICP (ideal customer profile) accounts that weren’t necessarily ready to buy. Just targeting all the accounts that fit our ICP criteria didn’t work because they weren’t necessarily in the buying stage of their journey,” said Kushal Shah, Manager, Marketing Operations, BetterCloud.

The team wanted to do a better job targeting and connecting with the right prospects with the right messaging/relevant information at the right stage/timing in the buying journey to provide a better customer experience.

AFTER – Intent data guides tailored messaging and audience lists

The team adopted G2 Buyer Intent and RollWorks and are now “dynamically pulling target accounts from our database and layering on additional filters to surface those actually showing buying signals,” Shah said. “Who has visited our G2 profile? Who has done comparisons on G2 between us and alternatives?”

Armed with this fine-tuned data, BetterCloud syncs the information back into its own CRM with detailed lead scoring and builds smarter advertising as a result. They used the data to build in-market audience lists that inform their advertising platforms, such as LinkedIn. And they determine which segments of leads are looking for an SMP and target them with tailored messaging and assets. “We push it back into our CRM and then essentially return it back out as audience lists into our other advertising platforms as well,” said Eric Tonk, Senior Director of Demand Generation, BetterCloud.

This has allowed the team to refine their ideal customer profile (ICP) and better target prospective customers.  “Being able to leverage intent data to build our named account list, so we can prioritize the accounts that are in-market, has definitely made us a lot more productive in terms of going after the right accounts, at the right time. Leveraging intent signals has been a big part of the change we’ve made, allowing us to be a lot more successful in terms of our ad spend,” Shah said.

RESULTS – Higher average deal size thanks to intent signals

Now 98% of its total target accounts surfaced via G2 activity. Accounts demonstrating intent signals are 3.7x more likely to have an opportunity created.

Using the intent-driven signals with targeted ads led to deals that moved from open to closed-won 36% faster and had a 2.5x higher average deal size.

"We think deal sizes are larger because these buyers are more informed, they know exactly the pain points they are facing, and exactly what they need in a solution. So when they're coming in and speaking to the folks at BetterCloud to demo the product, they're seeing a lot more value in the product. And therefore, the deal sizes open up at a higher value,” said Patrick Holcomb, Digital Marketing Manager, BetterCloud.

The team has seen a 3.6% increase in influenced deal win rates and an 81% increase in influenced deal size since incorporating intent signals.

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