How to Find Social Media Influencers
Trust is both the most important thing to build with your customers and the most difficult. Which is why 86% of digital marketers in 2017 turned to influencer marketing.
Even if you haven’t heard the term, you probably already know what an influencer is. You’re probably following more than a few in your own social feeds right now. An influencer is someone who helps to inform or to sway opinions about a product or service via social media platforms.
You may also sometimes know influencers as “bloggers,” as the two terms have morphed in the last few years. Instagram influencers, for example, are popular and perhaps the most well-known, as the platform’s native ad format and endless scroll design lends itself well to short, simple recommendations from one user to another.
The power is that because your potential customer follows the right influencer, they already trust them—they’ve let them into their digital world.
This is so powerful, in fact, that influencers have become one of the most effective forms of marketing. Nearly half of all consumers surveyed by Twitter said they depend on influencer recommendations.
So, with all that potential for growth and trust on the line, the next question is: How do you get started with your influencer marketing campaign?
1) Search important keywords and hashtags
Finding someone to launch an influencer campaign can be as simple as browsing through the keywords and hashtags you’re already tracking. For example, if you’re a local sandwich shop, you may look through tags like “foodie” or “food lover” to see if any accounts catch your eye.
And you definitely want eye-catching—accounts with vivid, engaging images that make you stop what you’re doing will definitely have an impact on your customers. This applies to every channel, regardless of whether you’re looking at tweets or Facebook posts.
You may be tempted to immediately jump to working with influencers with a huge number of followers, but all those views don’t have the same impact as an account with an engaged and active audience. This means you should also be looking to see what’s happening in the comments section. Essentially, you want to see that people are responding to and engaging with the content your potential influencer is posting.
Of course, as a local small business owner, you may want to work with someone local to your community to build credibility. In that case, look through keywords more specific to your town or city. You can also see what’s being posted and tagged with a location in your area.
2) Spend quality time with each potential influencer profile
Next, you’ll want to compile a list of potential influencers—and don’t stop at 2 or 3. Because you’ll be spending some time watching each profile on your list to see how their account behaves regularly.
Some factors to consider:
- Do they post regularly?
- Do they post on a schedule?
- Do they stay on-brand throughout the entire week?
- Is the quality of their work consistent from day to day?
As you watch each account, you’ll notice that some will begin to drop off your initial wish list.
Additionally, you’ll want to take a few moments to scroll back through old posts. Looking at an influencer’s posting history can also help you get a sense of their expected future routine and trends—like if they post more promotions during the holidays, for example. Pay attention to dates and times on each post, as it can help you understand what kind of schedule they may (or may not) be on.
3) Go through an agency or sign up for a platform
If you don’t have the time to research influencers yourself, you can go through dashboards or agencies that will connect you with just the right person. Companies like IZEA, for example, will work with you to understand your brand, your small business needs, your social media presence, and your target audience. Then they may present you with some accounts to choose from, each with a varying price point and expertise.
If you’re looking to keep things on a tighter budget, then you can look into a dashboard-style platform like Buzzsumo, which allows you to find major accounts related to certain keywords and demographics.
You’ll notice that although going through an agency or dashboard service makes your search simpler, you’ll still need to have a clear idea of who, and what, you’re looking for in an influencer.
4) Pay attention to your mentions
As a local business, one of your most powerful assets is the comments or responses section. More enterprising up-and-coming influencers have been known to leave notes or send direct messages asking about potential opportunities for collaboration. Ensure your business page or profiles are up to date, and monitor any comments, mentions, or direct messages you receive.
You will, of course, still need to do your due diligence and check this potential partner’s social footprint to see if they’re a good match. But don’t let a little double-checking put you off. Much like falling in love, it’s sometimes possible that your perfect match finds you, rather than the other way around.
