There are more social media influencers out there now than ever before. If you are not familiar with what an influencer is, this is someone online that can persuade their viewers to view or make purchases. They are someone that people look up to and that post regular content that users like. If they promote a product or brand, fans are likely to copy them and make purchases.
Indeed, it is very beneficial for brands to work with social media influencers. They have a lot of power over buying decisions. When you choose the right influencer, they can increase sales, as well as spread the word about your brand.
Choosing the right social media influencer for your brand is something that is going to take some time and research. It is not as easy to choose an influencer as it may appear. This person is going to be like an ambassador for your brand. You want to ensure that you choose the right individual for this task.
Know your Budget
Sure, you want your brand to be seen by as many people as possible on social media. That is why brands look for social media influencers who have millions of followers. But, the truth is, this is going to cost you a lot of money. If you are willing to pay for this then that is great. But, it is common for brands to have a budget. This is something you want to decide on before you reach out to influencers.
Know that just because you have a small budget, this does not mean you cannot get a good influencer. You just have to do some research and find a more niche figure. They are going to deliver fantastic results and will suit your budget. Often, a marketing agency is going to be able to help you with this task.
Look for Relevance
Again, there are a lot of influencers out there that have a large following. But, do not be fooled by the numbers just yet. You need to focus on choosing influencers that are relevant to your brand. For example, it is not going to make much sense to ask a basketball player to represent a makeup brand. They do not have the right audience that is going to be interested in your company. What’s more, you want to make sure that a social media influence portrays the right message for your brand. Again, if they are vegan, it will not be beneficial to ask them to represent your brand if you offer only meat products.
Avoid Controversy
You are trying to build your brand. You want to stay away from controversy and negativity. This means that you have to choose social influencers very carefully. Unfortunately, there are some content creators out there that become embroiled in bad stories and this is not something you want to associate your brand with. In this way, you have to be quite selfish from an early stage. You have to do your research and find influencers that are squeaky clean and that are not going to damage the reputation of your brand.
But, do not be afraid to support influencers that stand up for what they believe in. This should not be viewed as controversial. For example, there are a lot of vegans, gay and political activist influencers out there that stand up for their beliefs. This is something that brands can benefit from if they align with these views.
Check Out Engagement
A social media influence can have a lot of followers. But, you also want to check out their engagement levels too. For example, you want to know that people are commenting and interacting with the posts they put on their accounts. This is going to be more beneficial to your brand and it will mean that people will follow up with posts they make about you. A social media influencer with a high engagement level is going to be a better investment for your brand.
Watch Their Content
When you work with a social media influencer, you want to ensure that the content they create is going to reflect well for your brand. For example, if they are a comedian, you do not want them to make fun of your company or the products you offer. Likewise, if you are wanting them to post an image of your brand on their social media accounts, you want this to be something you like. Take a look at the content they have posted over the last year and see if your brand fits in with this.
