I was invited to host #BW_Chat by @Brandwatch to chat about influencer marketing and I thought I’d share my answers here as well!
What can brands achieve through a successful influencer marketing strategy?
Trust building is the most important result of a good influencer marketing campaign. With trust come all the other benefits one can only wish for: Leads, conversions, traffic, etc.
Another important one: Connections. You want those influencers to stick around after the campaign…. You want to turn those influencers into brand ambassadors!
A4. Tools to consider (for #InfluencerMarketing): @SimplyMeasured @eCairn @NinjaOutreach @Pollen8er & definitely @MyBlogGuest #BW_Chat
— Geno Prussakov (@ePrussakov) February 25, 2016
What influencer marketing campaigns stand out in your mind?
- I like what @SumoMe is doing with their high-profile affiliate program. They got some of the most influential bloggers on board promoting them including @PatFlynn.
- @SEMrush is another great example of influencer marketing done right. They are always on top of niche articles reaching out with updates, free offers, etc.
- @paper_li is doing a great job engaging influencers with their #bizheroes Twitter chats.
- Ivana @DIYMarketers is doing a great job engaging influencing with her yearly events @Bizapalooza.
All of them stood out thanks to a very *personal authentic* relationship building ethics.
I personally dealt with those campaigns: Community managers are always very approachable, personal. You feel like home!
What industries are best suited for influencer marketing?
I can’t think of an industry that wouldn’t be suited for influencer marketing… I think every industry has influencers. The key is to use different tools and methods of connecting to them.
Even boring niches have bloggers and events you can utilize for influencer marketing.
The best suited industry though are those that are best represented on social media: Like technology, health, food, parenting, etc.
These are the easiest in terms of finding influencers and using social media to connect to them.
How can you find influencers? What tools do you find useful?
I’ve done a few articles on that, so excuse my self-linking here but they all list very helpful & mostly free tools.
- HOW TO: Use Social Networking to Effectively Build Media & PR Contacts (Tools and Tips) via @NinjasMarketing.
- 7 Free Tools to Find Twitter Influencers Who Interact with You via @smallbiztrends.
- 7 Tools for Finding & Connecting With Influential Bloggers via @hubspot.
What criteria should be used when selecting an influencer?
This is a tough one! I usually don’t pay attention to number of followers or Klout score.
I do need to see that there are real interactions in the feed: The user’s tweets are liked and retweeted, their comments on FB & Instagram, etc.
I usually don’t use tools to measure influence: I just browse their blogs and social media feeds for a while.
One of the most important criteria to me is if those people interact BACK. I wouldn’t try to connect to someone who only broadcasts on social media without interacting.
What matters more, popularity or audience loyalty?
It may depend on your goals and probably niche and even the platform….
I’d imagine popularity matters a lot on Youtube when it comes to fashion and beauty.
However I believe loyalty is more important in most cases. When I plan an influencer marketing campaign, I always think long-term & loyalty building is one of the long-term goals which is always on my agenda.
How can the ROI of influencer marketing be measured?
This is the toughest one! It’s hard (if not impossible) to translate loyalty, brand awareness & trust into numbers.
You can of course measure immediate results: Clicks, engagements, conversions, mentions, etc….
But these are never my primary goals, & the hugest benefits always remain out of the picture.
The growing list of engaged influencers is the best result after a few months of several campaigns.
What are the biggest mistakes brands can make when utilizing influencer marketing?
- Mistake #1 Focusing on numbers (# of followers, # of clicks, etc).
- Mistake #2 Not developing relationships with influencers after the campaign is over.
- Mistake #3 Not growing your own “in-house” influencers & only relying on outside influencers.
Joseph
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- Ann Smarty Talking Influencer Marketing at #BW_Chat Twitter Chat - February 26, 2016
shajeer
Hi Ann…
Great post on twitter chat. Thanks for sharing.
Regards
shajeer
Paul Carroll
So how does one become the influencer in a certain niche? Do you have any tips on this? Thank you for your insights which are great as usual.
Bilal Khan
Hi Ann,
Nice Article Learn New thing about Marketing influence it is new For me.Thanks for sharing with us.keep up it.
neil lopez
I’ve seen Ann rise in the SEO community on the strength of your writing, which is prolific. I mean, I see you EVERYWHERE. I have recently found myself skimming over posts, sharing things without reading them and having a hard time actually consuming SEO content.