Influencer Gifting & Product Seeding: Doing It Right, Strategies, Tips
Discover effective strategies for influencer gifting and product seeding to enhance brand collaboration. Learn the differences, best practices, and how to build authentic relationships with influencers for impactful marketing results.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Influencer Gifting & Product Seeding: Mastering the Art of Brand Collaboration
In the ever-evolving world of influencer marketing, two strategies have emerged as powerful tools for brands: influencer gifting and product seeding. But what exactly are these techniques, and how can brands leverage them effectively?
Understanding the Difference: Influencer Gifting vs. Product Seeding
While often used interchangeably, influencer gifting and product seeding are distinct strategies with unique goals and approaches.
What is Influencer Gifting?
Influencer gifting is a more transactional approach. Brands send free products to influencers with the expectation of content creation in return.
"Gifting has an implied ask. It's transactional, with the intent to provide products for share," explains Brittany Simpson, Owner of Go Yellow Digital.
What is Product Seeding?
Product seeding, on the other hand, is a relationship-focused strategy. Brands send products without explicit expectations, hoping to build long-term partnerships.
"Seeding is sending products with no strings attached (i.e., no obligation for the influencer to post)," says Sambhav Chadha, Co-Founder of Augmentum Media. "This works best for brands looking to sustainably scale their influencer channel, starting by building relationships with influencers for minimal cost."
According to Chadha, "We find that influencers post anyway (75-90 creatives per 100 seeded influencers) and we are more likely to turn them into affiliates and negotiate 30-50% discounts on paid partnerships."
Influencer Gifting: Driving Immediate Results
While product seeding focuses on long-term relationships, influencer gifting can be effective for:
- Immediate exposure
- Specific campaign goals
- Product launches
- Seasonal promotions
For example, InkBox launched a product gifting campaign that generated 70+ creator activations and 800K+ content reach.
Strategies for Successful Product Seeding
1. Choose the Right Influencers
Focus on influencers who genuinely resonate with your brand. Consider these factors:
- Alignment with brand identity and vibe
- Recent content performance (key word being recent — things can change over time!)
- Engagement rates (above 3%)
- Follower count (micro-influencers with less than 25K followers can have higher engagement)
2. Craft Your Outreach
Outreach can be the most difficult part, ensure you test different initial messages, follow up, and track the results
"I started approaching them as potential long-term partners. In the initial email I didn't say the product is a gift and we don't need anything in return. Neither did I say I need a few posts or shoutouts from you. All I mentioned was that I'm looking for long-term partners," shares a successful brand marketer on Reddit.
If you’re struggling with influencer discovery and outreach, consider Creators AI — it fully automates these two steps — finding you better influencers in less time and contacting them for you.
You can see the high level data like open and reply rate to improve your outreach campaigns over time, and when it comes time to scale, it’s friction-free
3. Provide Value Beyond Products
Consider offering exclusive experiences, early access to new products, or behind-the-scenes content to your chosen influencers.
Make them feel like an insider can get you on the same page, and a single product can be the start of a long term, fruitful partnership.
4. Seek Genuine Feedback
Use product seeding as an opportunity to gather honest opinions about your products. This can be invaluable for product development and improvement.
A not 100% positive review isn’t the end of the world and in some cases can even seem more authentic, and build more trust.
Tips for Effective Influencer Gifting
2. Align with Trends or Events
Time your gifting campaigns to coincide with relevant social media trends, holidays, or brand events such as product launches or sales.
3. Create Unique Unboxing Experiences
Make your gifted products stand out with creative packaging and personalized touches. Think hand written cards, personalization and engraving, custom designs — these are simple tactics that go a long way, if you’re able to do them.
4. Provide Important Information
Include key product details, usage instructions, as well as examples if you have them (either from your brand or other brands)
Whether or not you send a full scope of work / content brief is up to you and the details of the campaign.
5. Follow Up and Engage
After sending gifts, maintain communication. Engage directlywith the content influencers create and show appreciation for their efforts.
Case Studies: Successful Product Seeding and Gifting Campaigns
MVMT Watches: Building a Brand Through Seeding
MVMT Watches used product seeding to launch and scale their influencer marketing program. Their approach:
- Identified influencers aligned with their brand aesthetic
- Cultivated personal relationships with creators
- Sent watches as gifts without immediate expectations
- Gradually asked for content creation as relationships developed
The result? MVMT built one of the most successful influencer programs in their industry.
Rad Power Bikes: Turning Customers into Advocates
Rad Power Bikes took a unique approach to product seeding, focusing on existing customers:
- Sent bike accessories and discounts to current customers
- Used the email subject "We're looking for brand ambassadors!"
- No explicit request for promotion
This strategy resulted in a remarkable 561% ROI and enhanced customer loyalty.
Animal House Fitness: Combining Seeding and Gifting
Animal House Fitness demonstrates the power of a hybrid approach:
- Sent free products without asking for content (seeding)
- Built relationships with industry influencers
- Transitioned to more formal partnerships over time
The results were impressive: 3,710 organic posts and $15 million in revenue over 18 months.
Measuring Success: KPIs for Product Seeding and Gifting
To evaluate the effectiveness of your campaigns, consider tracking these key performance indicators (KPIs):
KPI | Description |
Engagement Rate | Likes, comments, and shares on influencer content |
Reach | Number of unique users who saw the content |
Content Creation Rate | Percentage of influencers who created content |
Brand Mention Frequency | How often your brand is mentioned organically |
Sentiment Analysis | Positive, negative, or neutral reactions to your brand |
Conversion Rate | Actions taken as a result of influencer content |
ROI | Return on investment compared to traditional marketing |
Challenges and Considerations
While product seeding and influencer gifting can be powerful strategies, they come with challenges:
1. Managing Expectations
With product seeding, there's no guarantee of content creation. Brands must be prepared for varying levels of engagement.
2. Maintaining Authenticity
As influencer marketing becomes more prevalent, maintaining genuine relationships and authentic content is crucial.
3. Compliance and Disclosure
Ensure influencers understand and follow FTC guidelines for disclosing gifted products or partnerships.
4. Scaling Relationships
As your influencer network grows, managing individual relationships can become challenging. Consider using specialized tools or platforms to help.
- Full AI automation of influencer discovery and outreach
- AI analysis of content for brand alignment and key performance metrics
- Daily personalized outreach to new potential influencers
- Affordable pricing starting at $35/month with a 7-day free trial
While AI can't replace the human touch in relationship-building, it can significantly enhance efficiency in identifying and initial outreach to potential brand partners.
Conclusion: Crafting Your Influencer Strategy
Product seeding and influencer gifting are powerful tools in the modern marketer's arsenal.
By understanding the nuances of each approach and implementing best practices, brands can build authentic relationships, increase visibility, and drive meaningful results.
Remember, the key to success lies in genuine connections, clear communication, and a willingness to invest in long-term partnerships.
Whether you choose product seeding, influencer gifting, or a combination of both, stay focused on creating value for both your brand and your influencer partners.
As you develop your strategy, consider leveraging new technologies like Creators AI to streamline your processes and scale your efforts.
With the right approach and tools, you can create a thriving influencer program that drives real business impact.