Summary
In this episode, Bryan and Loren sit down with their officemates Nate and Charlotte of Soapbox Influence to talk about influencer marketing. They discuss what brands need to know about influencer marketing, what makes a good influencer, and why a smaller following that is highly engaged is better than a large following that does not interact with the content you post. Don’t forget to stick around for the rapid-fire questions at the end!
Shownotes
(1:21) What are you obsessed with this week?
(7:22) Introducing Soapbox Influence
(11:57) What companies need to know about influencer marketing
(18:40) Being an influencer is a real job!
(23:36) Qualities of a good influencer
(26:39) Micro-Influencers
(29:12) Advice for brands looking to get into influencer marketing
(32:42) What’s next for Soapbox Influence?
(35:27) Wrapping up
(37:30) Rapid Fire
Links
Quotes
“The hand selection, the hand vetting of influencers and the way you, you know, create an application process for an influencer to partner with a brand is extremely important that they feel comfortable. You know, that the brand persona fits their audience persona, that the demographics align, and that you know they actually believe and stand behind these products. And then it does work, and it works very effectively that way.” (16:58)
“When it comes to promoting products, I think it’s people just being passionate about what they have and what they do, and what is making them better. And that’s what we’re doing with our jobs too, you know. I feel like they’re just getting to do it solo.” (19:31)
Grow your Business with Influencer Marketing
Influencers. What are they? How did they get so many followers? Are they really making a living from posting on Instagram? Why do people keep telling my company to utilize influencers for marketing? How would that help drive sales?
Influencers have become quite the topic of conversation these days. Whether they are persuading you to buy a product on Instagram or unabashedly taking selfies in public, influencers are hard to ignore. With their hundreds of thousands of followers, they often make at least a portion of their income from advertising products on social media, or influencing as millennials call it.
While it can be a difficult form of marketing for more traditional businesspeople to get behind, influence marketing is only a new adaptation of word of mouth marketing for the digital world. Influencers are yet another opportunity for companies to revise and grow their marketing strategies to be effective in a world and market that is driven by technology.
Are you a company that is ready to jump into influencer marketing but has no idea where to start? Here’s a short guide to what makes for a quality influencer:
- What is their reach? – An influencer’s reach is the number of people they reach through their following. While it seems simple to look at someone’s follower count, it is a bit more complicated. Checking to see how many followers someone has is not a bad place to start, but it is also essential to know where they are geographically. Are they nationwide or worldwide? Are 90% of them in Texas? These are critical things to know, as they directly affect who sees your advertising.
While it can be easy to check the number of followers someone has, this number can be misleading. An influencer’s followers must interact with their content. If the following does not interact with the content, the person’s impact may be inconsequential. Similarly, it is vital to know that the followers and engagement are real and genuine, not bots or pay-for-follower programs, as these scenarios also lead to ineffective marketing. It is often more important for an influencer to have a smaller, engaged following than a larger, inactive following by general rule.
2. Authenticity – Your business must reach out to influencers who are authentic. You want them to believe in your product or service because it is noticeable in the way they post and market for you!
“The hand selection, the hand vetting of influencers and the way you, you know, create an application process for an influencer to partner with a brand is extremely important that they feel comfortable. You know, that the brand persona fits their audience persona, that the demographics align, and that you know they actually believe and stand behind these products. And then it does work, and it works very effectively that way.” (16:58)
3. Agencies – If you are interested in influencer marketing but do not know where to start, reach out to an agency. A quality agency will hand-select influencers that match up well with your brand, saving you trouble and continuing you on a path to success.
“When it comes to promoting products, I think it’s people just being passionate about what they have and what they do, and what is making them better. And that’s what we’re doing with our jobs too, you know. I feel like they’re just getting to do it solo.” (19:31)
To get connected with an agency today, click here.
