Finding the right influencer that can help you get in front of your audience is one smart and effective of reaching out to new people. It’s the modern way of driving traffic to your website, boost sales and build brand awareness.
Not every business has the budget for a celebrity endorsement but as a marketer, reaching out to influencers in a smaller niche (with 1000 to 10k followers) might work for you. Every big regardless of its industry is doing it! I have seen so many influencers promoting Altice One packages. If they can do it, so can you! All you have to do is find a good for your business. But how? This guide brings you all the right tips to get started, especially if it is your first time.
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Know Your Target Audience
You can’t go wrong with your audience. If your target audience fails to resonate with the influencer, what’s the point of it all!
This is why the first step to finding an influencer is to know your audience. Suppose you are selling organic granola bars and you are able to find an influencer in this niche. Be careful because they may not be the right fit. To help you understand and ensure that if the influencer is the right fit, this criterion might help:
What are the age and demographics of their target audience?
What generation are they targeting (boomers, millennials, or Gen Z)?
Why do they consume granola bars… For weight loss, healthy eating, or any other reason?
Start Your Influencer Hunt
Now comes the real deal… finding the influencer. The first way to do so is using hashtags. They make the content easily searchable on social media platforms. When searching for hashtags, use the ones that are relevant to your brand. Search for influencers using hashtags like #blogger, #ad, #infleuncer.
Another way to look for influencers is by tracking your brand mentions. Tap into the social media listening tools to find out what others in your industry are doing and saying. Tools like Simply Measured, Mention, Awario can help you track your brand’s mentions on different social media networks. You can also use them for responding to customer comments and look for influencers who are talking about your brand.
Tap into the power of Google Alerts for finding influencers in your niche. You may set alerts for keywords that are relevant to your brand and find people who are writing about the topics relevant to your products and industry. This will also help you locate posts with your mentions and find good brand advocates.
Blogger outreach platforms are also effective in influencer hunts. Always evaluate the blogger by reading their blogs. They should be writing about stuff relevant to your brand. Platforms such as BuzzStream, GroupHigh, and Inky can help you find influencers in your business without putting in much effort. All the necessary stats are displayed so that you can make a decision there and then.
Don’t just limit yourself to digital. In-person networking can help bring powerful results. Join content creation workshops and other networking events in your industry. This will give you a chance to meet with the influencers one-on-one as there is a possibility they might be attending. The perk of this is that you are most likely to get a perspective on your campaigns.
Make Sure the Influencer Fits Your Brand’s Requirements
No matter how much authority and credibility the influencer has built, if their content does not fit your brand’s requirements, then they are of no use to you. On the other hand, the influencer’s reputation is going to work in your favor if it is aligned with the ideals and core principles of your brand. Let’s say your brand supports sustainability but the influencer you have chosen is not eco-conscious then it is a failed marriage, to begin with!
You have got to dive deeper into the everyday content of the influencer you are planning to work with and check their previous campaigns. Look into their voice and look at how they interact with their target audience. It’s important to be certain because this influencer is the person who would be representing your brand.
Monitor Your Influencer Marketing Strategy
Like any marketing strategy, it is not possible to leave the influencer marketing campaign on autopilot. You must keep tabs on not just the campaign but the influencer and make sure the strategy is bringing the results you had hoped for. Ideally, have a look at the numbers such as audience engagement, audience reach, growth rate, response sentiment, and of course, the conversions. These numbers will help you weed out the things that are not working for the campaign. In fact, you can tweak your campaign’s strategy in real-time for optimal results.
