Influencer marketing is a relatively new trend, but it's gaining steam as more and more people turn to the internet to find out what their friends and family are up to. Influencers have the advantage of being able to reach their own target audience, which can help you cut through all the noise.
Choosing influencers for your marketing is much like choosing influencers for your social media strategy — it's about finding people with whom your potential audience already has a connection and who represent what you stand for. The key is finding those people first, because if you miss them, then you're just working with anyone who fits the bill.
The best way to find influencers is to ask around. Ask your friends, co-workers and other people who you know are into what you do. Start with a few friends who are active in your industry, and describe what you're doing. Ask them if they know any particular influencers in your line of work. If they do, ask for their contact info. If not, keep looking until you find someone who does.
Here are ways to attract influencer marketing:
The first step in working with an influencer is determining whether or not he's interested in your product or service. If he's been promoting similar products in the past, there's a good chance he hasn't used yours yet. But if he has no familiarity with your company and has never promoted anything like it, you might have a chance at turning him into an enthusiastic advocate for you.
Start by Googling influencer marketing agencies and blogs (like this one), and also look at the websites of popular brands like Nike, L'Oreal or Starbucks. Check out the tabs that say “influencers” or “influencers' sites.” Give these sites a look. It's not uncommon for these sites to list hundreds of names in the “influencer” section, with little regard for freshness or quality of content on those lists.
If you don't have any contacts in your industry, it may be worth spending some time on social media before you start reaching out to influencers directly. Look at how big brands use Facebook and Twitter bios to promote their products online. Do some research on the people who post regularly and ask yourself whether they seem like someone with whom you'd want to work.
Visit Instagram profiles looking for tags or hashtags that relate to your product or company. You'll want to be careful here — not everyone has an interest in what you're selling! Make sure that the people posting have thousands of followers, and be sure to look for photos with hashtags related to your product line or service. Once you've found those people, try searching for posts containing those hashtags in Facebook or Twitter. Follow those users on Instagram, and then check their profile every couple of days to see whether they have posted anything new in the past week.
Create a social media presence. It's easy to find influencers who are already active in your industry, but they might not be the best choice for your brand. You can expand your options by creating content yourself and adding it to your website or social media pages. Networking with other brands will also help you find new talent.
Influencer Marketing Chicago is an influencer marketing agency that specializes in helping companies find the best influencers to promote their products, services and brands. We help you find the right influencer for your audience, and we have a proven track record when it comes to delivering influencer marketing results.
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