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Influencer Marketing

How to Reach Influencers With Facebook

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How to Reach Influencers with Facebook

Social media is an ever-changing landscape and influencer marketing is a trending topic. Business owners, brands, and marketers know that they must evolve or eventually fail. Influencer marketing is a hot topic but it is not new. Celebrities have endorsed and pitched products at us since television was in black & white. We are just using other channels to reach out to our audience. Look below at a graph of Google Trends influencer marketing [Figure 1] and it is easy to see that searches for the phrase “influencer marketing” has been increasing especially since 2015.


Figure 1

Brands and marketers are increasing their budget for influencer marketing. Depending on the source, some 50 to 60% of online marketing strategies plan to incorporate influencers. Although product launches and promotions are some of the most common reasons to work with influencers, there are other purposes for influencer marketing too. Finding and targeting influencers can be a challenging and time-consuming task, but there are a few money saving strategies to use on Facebook and Instagram to get in front on influencers.

Why Facebook for Influencer Marketing?

Instagram is typically the social channel that brands want to incorporate in their influencer marketing strategy. However, the influencers themselves have a slightly different opinion of influencer marketing strategy. According to a SheSpeaks survey of influencers, Facebook was their most preferred social media platform for influencer marketing! It is no surprise Instagram was a close second. Twenty-four percent of those surveyed saying it was an important channel. Proof that Twitter is still alive, Twitter ranked third with 18% saying it was best. Surprisingly, Pinterest came in at 10%.

How to Get in Front of an Influencer on Facebook

Organic social posts are free, but due to algorithm changes, they are probably the least effective way to get your content front of the desired audience on Facebook. The reach just is not there anymore. If you have a Facebook page that is liked by influencers or an email list of influencers – there are strategies that can be utilized to target them with a Facebook boosted post.

Be sure to install the Facebook tracking pixel on your landing page first to track the campaign. If you have an email list, upload it to Facebook and create a custom audience of Facebook users that are on your list. Targeting your email list of influencers can get your content in front of them easily, assuming the list is good.

Upload a Facebook post that resonates well with your followers. If you don’t already have a good idea of what content works, then try posting a video that gets your message across.

Next, boost that post. Target the Facebook audience of influencers you just created. If you do not have enough influencers following your page, then use Facebook interests and behaviors to develop your target audience. Alternatively, target those who like your page and their friends. Your customers can be your best advocates. Many of them may already be micro influencers who are interested in working to promote your brand. A good influencer is a genuine user of your product.

Boosting a social post at a targeted audience is cheap. Below is a screenshot of a post we recently ran. Their content was seen by over 5,000 influencers and had a 25% conversion rate. All for $20. [Figure 2]


Figure 2

The Value of Influencer Marketing

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The Value of Influencer Marketing

Influencer marketing is a hot search term. A quick check with Google trends shows us the searches for the phrase “influencer marketing” is increasing rapidly. The increase became even more dramatic since approximately February 2015.

Brands have embraced the idea of influencer marketing, but struggle to find the right mixture of influencer audience size, blend of social media channels and the right content for each.

Online marketers have known for some time that consumers trust word of mouth marketing. They will consider the recommendations of people who have tried a certain product, stayed at a hotel, or previously enjoyed a meal at a restaurant they are considering – even when the recommendation comes from someone they do not know!

Micro and macro influencers were defined in a previous blog post. Many think that influencer marketing is new, but it is not. Yesterday, I watched John Hamm pitch H&R Block tax services during a television spot yesterday. We are accustomed to seeing celebrities and sports stars endorse products. Online marketing through micro influencer blogs and macro influencer social media posts is relatively new, but gaining popularity.

An ExpertCity study showed that 82% of consumers have a “high tendency” to follow the recommendations made by a micro-influencer. Micro influencers are effective because they are sincerely interested with a product or service and they are engaged with their audience – whether they be a social media following, YouTube viewers, or blog subscribers.

More than 60% or online marketers plan to use influencer marketing this year. As with any other strategy, measuring return on investment (ROI) is important. A campaign managed with the NeoReach platform hit an amazing 5-to-1 ROI for fantasy sports league client FanDuel!

Besides sales and increased website traffic, there are perks to using influencers marketing: Campaigns can help your search engine optimization (SEO) strategy! Influencers eventually have to send their audience shopping via a link to your eCommerce website. The traffic and sales data is how they justify their existence. Be sure that links are not set as “nofollow” links. Lower ranking websites will at least yield more backlinks, but a link from a higher ranking website can really boost your organic traffic!

With loyal and sincere influencers, you also end up with positive reviews and conversation about your products and brand. Good reviews are very important to your eCommerce survival!

Influencer Marketing – The Power of Fewer Followers

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Influencer Marketing – The Power of Fewer Followers

Influencer marketing is not new. Brands leverage celebrities and professional athletes on television commercials, traditional media as well as digital campaigns. One sponsored plug from a recognizable celeb can cause sales to spike. High-profile socialites have spurred on many unintentional promos stepping out sporting her favorite designer.

Few can afford to hire that level of fame. A-list celebrities are able to be fussy about who they work for. Their prices are unaffordable to most brands plus there is the hassle of working through an agent.

Data shows that there is a more engaging and affordable group of influencers. These smaller influencers have an audience of between 10,000 and 250,000 followers on social media. They are referred to as the magic middle, or more commonly the “power middle.”

influence noun in·flu·ence \ˈin-ˌflü-ən(t)s, especially Southern in-ˈflü-\
“the power or capacity of causing an effect in indirect or intangible ways”

Working with the power middle is not simply a trade-off to a more affordable and reachable influencer campaign. Statistics support that they have better engagement rates as well!

A Markerly study of over 2 million social media influencers and their organic (unpaid) Instagram posts showed that “like” and comment rates decreased with the number of followers. Instagram accounts with under 1,000 had a like rate of approximately 8%. Accounts with between 1,000 and 10,000 had like rates of 4%.

Instagram influencers with 10,000 to 100,000 followers had a 2.4% like rate. Once the influencers is over 1 million followers, the like rate drops to only 1.7%.

We see value in working with the power middle influencers! They have better engagement rates! However, we recognize that we need many micro influencers to have an effective campaign. Of course, many would argue they prefer 1.7% of 1million rather than 8% of 1,000 likes or comments! Other major issues remain. The super influencers are super expensive. Also, they may elect to not work with you!

Micro influencers are simply more affordable and easier to work with. They are eager to provide content and value to their followers. Working with a brand helps them build up their own social media channels and traffic to their blogs if they have one.

Why do these influencers want to get involved with a brand? It helps them provide value to their followers. Influencers benefit by getting more content, advanced or exclusive access to product information, free products. All of this helps them provide fresh content on their social channels.

What is Influencer Marketing – Part 2

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What is Influencer Marketing – Part 2

In Part 1 of the Influencer Marketing Explained series, I talked about the basics of influencer market, and what it means to the consumer. Influencer marketing is the fastest-growing online customer-acquisition channel. About 65% to 75% of marketers plan to include influencer marketing in their strategy this year. Influencers can include celebrities, social media pundits, the media, and local food critics, product reviewers or anyone who is a go-to source for opinions and information. Many animals (yes, you read that right!) are also influencers with enormous social media audiences!. Check out the hashtag #dogsofInstagram on Instagram, of course, and you’ll find some working dogs and their industrious owners.

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Influencers work for variety of reasons including getting early access to information on new products and offering fresh content to their readers. Some influencers are compensated for their opinions a brand or agency, but many work for free product samples.

Data from Adweek.com and The Shelf shows that 92% of consumers trust recommendations from others. This means they trust people they don’t’ know over branded content such as a corporate website or brochure! In addition, 70% say that online reviews are their second-most-trusted source for product information while 47% of U.S. readers consult blogs to monitor trends & ideas (1)
Stats support that customers acquired through influencer marketing programs tend to be loyal customers. Customers acquired through word-of-mouth have a 37% higher retention rate. (2)

The following influence millennial women’s shopping decisions: (3)

  1. Reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations 84% of the time
  2. Social media: 75% of the time
  3. Brand websites: 41%
  4. Magazines: 39%
  5. TV: 36%
  6. Mail catalogues 21%
  7. News websites: 16%

How do you know if your product or brand is a good fit for influencer marketing? Moreover, how do you find the right influencer? Check back for Influencer Marketing, Part 3.

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(1) “Why Influencer Marketing Is the New Content King [Infographic].” SocialTimes. Web. 16 Mar. 2016.

Why Influencer Marketing is the New Content King [Infographic]

(2) “Why Influencer Marketing Is the New Content King [Infographic].” SocialTimes. Web. 16 Mar. 2016.

Making the Market for Influencer Marketing

(3) “Infographic: Here’s What Millennial Women Want-and Want to Give-This Holiday.” AdWeek. Web. 16 Mar. 2016.
http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/infographic-heres-what-millennial-women-want-and-are-gifting-holiday-season-168639

Influencer Marketing Explained Part 1

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Influencer Marketing Explained Part 1 Video

The last blog post gave an influencer marketing introduction to the concept of influencer marketing. This is part one of a series on digital influencer marketing. Consider enlisting people (and sometimes animals!) with large social media followings to help promote your business online.

Since much of finding the right influencer for influencer marketing content comes in the form of social media and YouTube videos, I decided to make a video out of it. Below is another digital marketing tutorial on influencer marketing. Check it out on my metrony YouTube channel, or watch it below

What Is Influencer Marketing?

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What is Influencer Marketing?

Have you ever tried new restaurant because a friend raved about it? Perhaps you asked co-workers for a hotel recommendation for a business trip. If so, then you relied on word-of-mouth marketing to help you make a purchase decision. Your friend told you about an experience, and you considered it because you trusted their opinion. This is referred to as word-of-mouth marketing. Word-of-mouth marketing drives sales, and it does so very effectively!

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Shoppers also trust the opinions of consumers they do not know. For example, have you ever consulted TripAdvisor before booking a hotel or cruise? I have! I want to see the reviews for of off-brand and sometimes even name brand venues. People are willing to look to each other, reviewers, bloggers, vloggers, and celebrities for recommendations. This is called influencer marketing.

what is Influencer marketing is the process companies work with key brand ambassadors to promote their product, service, or brand. They may work with one famous celebrity in a pricey campaign comprised of TV spots, press releases, and social media. However, many brands are enlisting the services of small and medium influencers though social media and blogging campaigns.

Influencer marketing is the fastest-growing online customer-acquisition channel. I had a hard time nailing down this statistic but let us call it at about 65% to 75% of marketers plan to include influencer marketing in their strategy this year. That may include actually paying an influencer. However, it may likely mean working with a group of influencers who are compensated with early product testing, free samples, and advance information!

What-Is-Influencer-Marketing