Episode Title: Leveraging Influencer Marketing for eCommerce Success – with Morgan Kling

Guest: Morgan Kling, Founder of Market Boost and CloutHQ

In this episode of the eCommerce Marketing Podcast, host Arlen Robinson interviews Morgan Kling, the founder of Market Boost and CloutHQ, the first public influencer marketing database. Morgan shares his insights into the world of influencer marketing, detailing its evolution, strategies for finding and collaborating with influencers, and the future of this dynamic marketing approach. He discusses his journey from starting a marketing agency to creating CloutHQ, and provides actionable advice for eCommerce brands looking to leverage influencer marketing effectively.

Key Takeaways:

• Morgan’s Background and Journey to Founding CloutHQ (00:01:00):
  • Started a marketing agency in 2017 focused on direct-to-consumer brands.
  • Developed CloutHQ as a solution to streamline influencer marketing efforts.
• Definition and Evolution of Influencer Marketing (00:05:00):
  • Influencer marketing leverages the trust and authenticity of individuals with large audiences.
  • Historical perspective: Similar to past celebrity endorsements but now accessible to more brands due to digital platforms.
• Is Influencer Marketing Right for Every eCommerce Brand? (00:10:00):
  • Worth experimenting with for all brands, whether targeting macro or micro-influencers.
  • Importance of testing and analyzing results to ensure a good return on investment.
• Finding Influencers: Methods and Tools (00:15:00):
  • Manual searching on Instagram using hashtags and suggested followers.
  • Using CloutHQ as a free, public database to find influencers without high platform fees.
• Crafting Effective Outreach Messages (00:20:00):
  • Tailor messages to align with the influencer’s motivation for creating content.
  • Persistence and follow-up are key to securing collaborations.
• Challenges and Solutions in Influencer Marketing (00:25:00):
  • Attribution and tracking results are significant challenges.
  • Importance of using platforms and tools that help track and measure influencer marketing ROI.
• Future of Influencer Marketing (00:30:00):
  • Influencer marketing is here to stay, with platforms like Instagram and YouTube leading the way.
  • Emerging platforms like TikTok present new opportunities but require understanding their unique user behaviors.

Guest Information:

• Name: Morgan Kling
• Position: Founder of CloutHQ
• Website: CloutHQ
• Instagram: Morgan Kling
• Facebook: Morgan Kling