So you've decided you want to work with influencers, you've determined what your business needs and goals are and you're ready to locate people with the magical touch to amplify word of your brand far beyond what you could do alone. But don't leap into a relationship; many of the professionals we've talked to compare finding the right influencer to dating.
Are you sure that you're aware of exactly what you're looking for? Rebecca McCuiston, SVP group head of brand at Edelman, will tackle that question in the PR News webinar How to Elevate Your Influencer Marketing Strategy to Find and Engage New Audiences, which will take place Thursday, June 29. Excerpted here are four key qualities that you must assess and weigh against each other when looking at a potential influencer partner:
1. Authenticity.
Do they have cultural credibility and align with brands that they believe in?
2. Social Influence.
Will their social reach allow the brand’s message to resonate outside of your brand’s channels?
3. Content Tone, Look and Feel.
Is their content and tone in line with the brand and what it supports?
4. Engagement.
Do their fans engage with the content?
When you look at influencers through these metrics, keep in mind that it's probably impossible to find one that's a 10 in every category; often an increase in one entails a decrease in another. There is a whole spectrum of influencer types; a bona fide celebrity has incredible reach, but perhaps not the correct tone for you or influence that goes beyond the superficial, whereas a superfan blogger or journalist might have deep influence but will only reach a niche audience.
Other expert trainers in the upcoming influencer marketing webinar include Ann Jane Draper and Emily Stafford of Fossil Group, Seth Marquart of George P. Johnson Experience Marketing and Jacquelyne Marianno of the American Heart Association / American Stroke Association. Register today!
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