Modern marketing has been massively influenced by the digital world. A strong digital presence has become an essential part of modern day marketing to say the least. To achieve the desired digital presence and increase reach, many brands have turned into Brand Influencers.

There are a few methods companies use to identity quality influencers. First, they’ll look for web personalities with a huge following. Clearly, the bigger the audience, the more effective the marketing. Influencers help companies to expand their brand to very targeted customers with clear interests. The relationship between companies and influencers is mutually beneficial as it often funds influencer videos, podcasts and more.

A recent survey has shown that people tend to trust the influencers opinions on brands more than messages from the brand itself. This trust presents companies with a better chance to direct attention to their products and services. It’s the digital version of customers trusting a friend more than an advertisement.

Those who are just waking up to the concept of influencers might feel behind the curve. However, there are ways to get customers influenced and this article can help you learn more about the method.

DIGITAL INFLUENCERS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Influencers are usually social media buffs or bloggers. Having successfully built a large number of followers through their engaging content and comments, these individuals have the power to influence the decisions of their followers. To gain this kind of power, they often spend years building a rapport with their audience. They use two-way communication to gain the trust of their followers, often becoming de facto leaders of their online communities.

You can find these influencers on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat, and other similar platforms. With such a person by your side, you’ll be able to present your product before the eyes of a huge number of people, delivered through a trusted voice.

TYPES OF INFLUENCERS

There are several different types of digital influencers who can help grow your brand. If you want the greatest benefit from hiring an influencer, you’ll have to find the right individual.

Micro Influencer

These are influencers who have a smaller number of followers. Digital marketing companies hire these influencers when they have more targeted followers. They also have huge engagement rates. These influencers are comparatively more affordable than say celebrities. They post useful content of interest to their followers.

Macro Influencer

These influencers sometimes have more than a million followers. They are well known for their niche, but often appeal to a more diverse audience. If you have one of these influencers by your side, you’ll get impressive results within a short span of time. The drawbacks are the cost, obviously, and that it’ll be harder to niche down.

Mega Influencer

These are the celebrities of social media. They have millions of followers and enjoy a vast reach and plentiful user engagement. However, to hire such an influencer, you aren’t just competing on remarkably high prices, but also against a number of different brands vying for their admittedly limited veil of trust.

FINDING THE RIGHT INFLUENCER

After you have decided regarding the influencer, you’ll have to find the influencer to fit your brand. There are countless factors which can help you find the right influencer.

FOLLOWERS, ENGAGEMENT AND DEMOGRAPHICS

Engagement is all about followers’ willingness to share or comment on the posts. To find the right influencer, check whether people respond to the influencer’s posts. Ask whether the comments from their followers are what you’d expect from your target customers.

CONTENT RELEVANCE

This is another important factor which you need to check to find the right influencer. Your brand won’t benefit if the influencer’s specialty does not match your product. A smartphone review blog would not be the best place to promote a dog tracking app, but an Ask-a-Vet vlog might well be.

AUTHENTICITY

Authenticity is an essential element of brand expansion. Brands survive on trust and goodwill. To build these, you should find an influencer who can speak from personal experience. The influencer should be someone who would not try to sell a product for money alone, but would both use it and have reason to talk about using on their main platform.

LASTLY

When considering bringing on an influencer, don’t lean on the old style of billboard or TV ad blanket marketing; viewers and followers can click away instantly and influencers know this better than anyone. Influencer marketing is effective in many ways, but it must benefit both your brand and the influencer’s audience.