This document provides a guide to influencer marketing. It defines influencer marketing as focusing on key individuals rather than entire target markets, and orienting marketing activities around those influencers. Influencers can be celebrities, athletes, bloggers, and other opinion leaders. The guide explains that influencer marketing works because influencers have built audiences who trust their recommendations. It discusses two standard approaches - using celebrity endorsements or sponsored influencer networks - and their advantages and disadvantages. Finally, it outlines the right approach as doing in-depth research on the target audience, sourcing authentic influencers for that audience, and letting influencers create content in their own style to engage their audiences.

1. A GUIDE TO INFLUENCER MARKETING
MAY, 2017

2. WHAT IS INFLUENCER MARKETING?
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3. INFLUENCER MARKETING FOCUSES ON KEY
INDIVIDUALS (OR TYPES OF INDIVIDUALS)
RATHER THAN THE TARGET MARKET AS A
WHOLE. IT IDENTIFIES THE INDIVIDUALS
WHO HAVE INFLUENCE OVER POTENTIAL
BUYERS, AND ORIENTS MARKETING
ACTIVITIES AROUND THOSE INFLUENCERS.
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4. INFLUENCERS CAN BE… IT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW
THAT INFLUENCERS…
• Celebrities
• Athletes
• Musicians
• YouTube Stars
• Bloggers
• Critics
• Chefs
• National & Cultural Figures
• Will not reach every one of a brand’s target
demographic
• Know their audiences better than you do
• Are not just spokespeople for your brand
• Should represent your brand in ways that
are authentic to them
• Are trusted more than brands based on
their recommendations
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5. WHY INFLUENCER MARKETING WORKS
Influencers have built-in, niche audiences.These audiences
more often than not trust the opinions and recommendations
of the influencers. Likewise, these influencers will naturally
appeal to like-audiences who are not yet fans of your brand.
A brand message from an influencer will come across as more
authentic and engaging to a target audience, especially if that
audience lives in the digital world.
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6. ALL EGGS IN
ONE BASKET
SPAGHETTI ON
THE WALL
2 STANDARD APPROACHES
Many brands spend huge budgets on
celebrity endorsements.
ADVANTAGE:
Popular celebrities can reach a wider
swath of potential consumers.
DISADVANTAGE:
Less content, more restrictions and
a perceived inauthenticity in the
recommendation of the brand to
target audiences.
Sponsored influencer networks ensure
campaigns are seen in several different
places online.
ADVANTAGE:
Many people with a lot of content to
reach different audiences.
DISADVANTAGE:
Less control over assets or messaging,
questionable level of influence and
disclosure laws are making the content
feel less authentic.
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7. WHAT IS THE RIGHT APPROACH?

8. STEP 1
LEARN YOUR
TARGET AUDIENCE
Begin every campaign with
comprehensive research. Learn
everything there is to know
about the people who make
up your target demographic:
their buying habits, their
lifestyle habits, their social
media habits and the kinds of
recommendations they trust.
Most importantly, identify the
brand messaging that is going
to resonate with that segment,
resulting in real ROI for your
brand.
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9. STEP 2
SOURCE
INFLUENCERS
Don’t just throw out big names
or sloppily put a call out to
unknown influencers. Scour
the web to find influencers who
are already fans of your brand,
have established reputations
on point with your brand’s
messaging and have built-in
audiences who look just like
your target demographic.
Then partner with them to
make episodic or promotional
content that will go the extra
mile to make your brand’s
voice heard.
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10. STEP 3
LET THEM DO
WHAT THEY DO
BEST.
It should be your priority
that brand messages from
influencers come off as
authentic as possible to the
consumer.This means allowing
influencers’ personalities and
creative styles to shine. When
giving influencers high-level
guidelines regarding goals and
brand messaging, you can then
let them have creative freedom
to develop assets that will
engage their built-in audiences
and attract new ones to your
brand offerings.
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11. THANK YOU
Social Control is a full service social media marketing agency located in Los Angeles, California.
Visit us at www.socialcontrol.com