Did you do a lot of stupid things when you were a kid? Did you get caught and yelled at? Was your #1 go-to argument: Well, my buddy was doing it first - only to be told, “Well, if your friend jumped off a bridge, would you do it, too?” As a kid, there are certain people who influence and inspire you. As you get older, that doesn’t change. About 92% of consumers trust earned media, such as word-of-mouth and recommendations from friends and family, more so than any other form of advertising. The result: Influencer marketing.
Today, we’re talking to Shane Barker, a digital marketing consultant who specializes in influencer marketing. He shares the top three things needed to execute a successful influencer marketing strategy, as well as pitfalls to avoid.
Some of the highlights of the show include:
- Influencer marketing is the practice of using social media influencers to promote your brand, Website, or products
- Social media influencers have some type of influence over their followers, who trust and believe in them for information and guidance
- Don’t look at the follower count; number of followers incentivizes who is an influencer, but fake followers are used to make that happen
- Brands that use influencer marketing successfully include LinkedIn and LikeToKnowIt
- Software can be used to find influencers - consider engagement rates and profiles, not “likes”; conduct research to build a long-term relationship
- Pitfalls to Avoid: Don’t go after the influencer with the largest following and spend time selecting and setting expectations for an influencer
- Measure success of influencer marketing via affiliate codes/links, Website/landing page traffic, brand mentions, engagement rates, etc.
- Future of Influencer Marketing: How to scale this type of marketing, develop a win-win strategy, and educate brands on how to find influencers
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