If you’re anywhere near the social sphere, you probably know what an influencer is. If you don’t, here’s a little definition according to Influencer Marketing Hub:
“An influencer is someone who has:
- The power to affect the purchasing decisions of others because of his or her authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with his or her audience.
- A following in a distinct niche, with whom he or she actively engages. The size of the following depends on the size of his/her topic of the niche.”
Now that you know what an influencer is, did you know there’s a whole division of marketing called influencer marketing? This form of marketing harnesses the power of these individuals to elevate your brand and create long-lasting and trusting relationships with your customers.
Who counts?
Influence is made up of the following factors
- Relevance
- Reach
- Resonance
Someone who may not have a lot of reach may have tons of relevance and resonance. It’s up to you to decide how you’re going to weigh out these three options to find the right influencer for your brand.
There are many classifications of influencers such as Mega- (Over 1 million followers), Macro- (Under 1 million followers and over 40000 followers), Micro- (under 40000 followers), and Nano (fewer than 1000 followers).
How do I get started with Influencer Marketing?
Before you jump right in and contact a bunch of influencers on several platforms, make sure you have a plan of attack (so to speak, don’t attack them). Figure out your goals with influencer marketing and what you’re looking to achieve. Once you have that mapped out, do some research on potential influencers who fit right into your brand.
Once all of this is done, you can then start approaching influencers. However, offering rewards and incentives on top of payment is always a great idea. Do they get discounts on your product for life? Do they get a free product? Come up with a reward that’s bound to make them like you better.
There’s so much to learn when it comes to influencer marketing, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are some things to keep in mind, like FTC Endorsement guidelines. Have you tried your hand at influencer marketing? What tips and tricks do you recommend? Let us know in the comments.
