How Do You Win Over Digital Influencers?
How do you perform a successful digital influencer outreach? Find appropriate influencers and convert them into long-term brand advocates with the following approach:
1. Identify what you are looking for in a relationship
- What are you trying to accomplish? Define your goals and what tools and metrics you will use measure your progress.
- Who is this message intended to reach?
- What topics and content are you looking for digital influencers to promote?
2. What is your type? What is your best digital influencer match?
Many different influencers exist in the digital realm. To help you segment your potential influencers, look to “The Many Faces of Influence” infographic below from Traackr.
You must properly define your ideal influencer and identify who they influence. If the digital influencer you have selected does not influence your target audience, they will not impact your goals. You should develop a list of criteria for influencers to meet.
Ask yourself:
- What really makes them influential?
- Is influence based on the number of followers or their Klout score?
- Are they a thought leader in their community?
- Who out there is answering questions and providing solutions to problems that my customers or audience have?
- What social media networks must they be active and influential?
3. How do you find your type of digital influencer? Research your options.
So now that you know what you need in a potential digital influencer, you need to identify and select users with real influence on specific topics. Use the following tools to help you find the best digital influencers for your product or service:
- Traackr is the friend who introduces you to new and compatible influencers and expands your network. You can use this tool to discover social influencers, view their relevant content, connect with target influencers and monitor your influencers.
- Look to users in your community who are already sharing and linking to your content.
- Find digital influencers interested in the content you wish to promote by using SocialMention.com to search by topics. You can also refine your searches to specific digital media.
- Perform a Google Blog search to find niche and relevant blogs.
4. Too many fish in the sea? Narrow down your digital influencer candidates.
It is better to have a few amazing influencers, who are aligned with your product, than many unrelated users promoting your product.
Refine your digital influencer outreach list by:
- Using Klout, Peer Index and Kred to measure their overall digital outreach and influence.
- Making sure that the influencer has many posts relevant to you. You don’t want to waste your time with someone who doesn’t share the same interests as you.
- Finding industry thought leaders who are knowledgeable on the topic.
- Measuring engagement of followers. Do their followers actively comment and share the influencer’s content? Do they engage with the material related to your topic?
- Eliminating influencers with blogs or websites with a low PageRank
- Performing a search of their name, blog and related articles to see their reach.
- Using marketing analytics tools like Alexa for visitor traffic and Moz’s Open Site Explorer to see if their inbound links are coming from relevant pages. These tools will help you evaluate if the website has a strong following, domain authority and credibility.
5. Study their digital profiles and content
- Get to know their interests and material they post
- You don’t want to turn them off by immediately asking them out
6. Tell them you like them
But first, consider the best outreach approach.
- Share or comment on their content
- Strike up a conversation and build a rapport about something they like
7. Develop a friendship
Remember, these influencers have most likely been approached to be brand and product advocates in the past. You will need to develop a friendship before asking for anything.
- Give to them
- See if they are willing to guest blog
- Consider what is in it for them
- What incentives can you provide that are ethically sound?
8. Ask them on a date
After building a friendship, you should have a better idea of what tone to use during your pitch. Once you feel confident that you have been a useful connection, provide the intended content to them.
- Don’t tell them what to write. They know their audience.
- Make sure your calls-to-actions are clear
9. Nurture the relationship
It is important for you to remember what you discussed and where you are in the relationship.
- Keep track of conversations and interactions
- Use what you know about them to build the relationship
- Keep personal and relevant information organized in a CRM or spreadsheet
- Be consistent and responsive
- Show that you appreciate them by communicating with them on significant days
- Don’t forget birthdays and anniversaries
10.Evaluate digital influencer long-term potential
- Have you reached your goals?
- What do the metrics say?
- Have they generated traffic and shares?
- Keep providing unique and valuable content specific to each influencer.
Use this information to guide you through the treacherous digital waters in search of digital influencers. These tools will help you discover and connect with individuals with the greatest reach and potential for long-term relationships. It is up to you to make each relationship successful.
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