Objective was to counsel clients for implementing an influencer marketing program providing guidance for key ‘best practices’ for reaching and engaging influencers.

1. INFLUENCER MARKETING

2. Since the Social Web is powered by conversations and personalities, a Brand’s efforts must be rooted in
relationship building through active participation, cultivation, and nurturing. The new social initiative must
recognize the stature and influence of those influencers it is hoping to connect with as well as to fuel the sharing
of the Brand’s news, activities, and events across the social graph.
When considering an Influencer Marketing program, online influencers can be efficiently identified using a series of search
tools readily available, however, engaging with influencers in a meaningful way is an art and science unto itself. A Brand can
not simply ‘pitch’ potential influencers or ask them to retweet, post, or comment on its activities. In social media, Brands must
lead by example.
The social web is powered by the practice of ‘paying it forward’. Part of the success will require active reciprocation and
recognition of those who comment on Facebook and Tweet on Twitter – to show that we are listening.
Savvy Brands understand this process is an investment. One which the investment requires time and patience with an
overwhelming commitment to build a two-way dialogue. There is no ‘absolute’ way to engage with influencers. Each Brand is
different and may take different approaches through experimentation to find the best strategies and tactics to produce the
most desirable results.
The following should help explain some of the key basics for an Influencer Marketing program, along with identifying some
key ‘best practices’ for reaching key influencers. The information contained herein should only be viewed as a starting point,
where continuing efforts will grow and evolve as expertise and the program matures.
PAY IT FORWARD

3. Influence
noun [in-floo-uhns] the ability to cause
desirable and measurable actions and
outcomes
INFLUENCE

4. Exposure . Engagement . Influence . Action
Influencer
 It can help drive the social media execution.
 It can be a core part of a search engine optimization strategy.
 Ultimately, if done correctly, it will drive sales and position a
Brand as one of the leading experts in the field.
Why is an influencer strategy so important ?
INFLUENCER

5. There are three categories of
influencers. Each have value for a
Brand and its marketing efforts.
Pyramid structure does have an implied hierarchy with the size of the Influencer
population for each category dependent on the Brand’s market and consumer
demographics.
number
of
influencers
scale
Social
Broadcasters
Mass Influencers
Mass Connectors & Mass
Mavens
Potential
Influencers
Source: Forrester Research
UNDERSTANDING INFLUENCERS

6. 1-to-1: Social PR,
blogger outreach
Mass: Invitation,
opportunity to
express opinions
Mass: Easy
sharing tools
1-to-1: Social PR,
blogger outreach
Unique experiences
and content,
recognition
Share-worthy or
customizable
content
Awareness
Awareness,
consideration
Awareness
Social
Broadcasters
Mass Influencers
Mass Connectors & Mass
Mavens
Potential
Influencers
Source: Forrester Research
INFLUENCER NUANCES
Engage with Reward with
Marketing
Value

7. Social
Broadcasters
Bloggers and pundits who have wide reach and
offer an avenue for elevating awareness of
programs and products to cultivated audiences.
Influencers of this type can be categorized across
the social spectrum as A-List, magic middle, or
long-tail influencers. These influencers are
appealing because of their large followings, but
they tend to assist more with awareness than with
preference.
Source: Forrester Research
SOCIAL BROADCASTERS

8. Mass Influencers
Mass Connectors
& Mass Mavens
Dominate the online discussions about products
and are responsible for 80% of the influence
impressions and posts about products and
services in social channels.
Mass Connectors are social media users who create a
great number of impressions (influencer impressions) about
brands and services in social networks, like Twitter and
Facebook, and
Mass Mavens are individuals who create and share
content (influencer posts) about products and services in
other social channels such as YouTube, blogs, forums, or
ratings and review sites.
Source: Forrester Research
MASS INFLUENCERS

9. Potential
Influencers
The vast majority of social media users who have
modest networks rich with trust. They are
consumers who have networks comprised largely
of people they know offline and who trust them
which offers the potential to sustain viral
marketing.
Source: Forrester Research
POTENTIAL INFLUENCERS

10. Reach
Proximity
Expertise
Relevancy
Credibility
Trust
Influence
Behavior
P I L L A R S O F I N F L U E N C E
Source: David Armano
Six significant factors used to analyze and rank influence.
Outcome
DEFINING INFLUENCE

11. Keywords – words, tags and variants relevant to the Brand
and its market are used to isolate potential influencers of
note
Social Tools – a combination of tools are used to research
and identify influencer candidates via qualitative and
quantitative analysis
Parsing & Ranking – candidates are methodically
evaluated based on a set of pre-defined filters and
parameters (Pillars of Influence) and ranked as to influence
Brand Monitoring – as an ongoing effort, listening to the
Brand or market conversation identifies additional vetted
influencers
Grouping – an IMS (influencer management system)
categorizes influencers into groups for developing unique
engagement approaches and opportunities
All Brands have social
characteristics which can be
used to research influencers.
IDENTIFYING INFLUENCERS

12. Many campaigns may require geo-targeting influencers by
world geography. Geo-targeting is a proven strategy where
emphasis is placed on markets of greater appeal.
However, the Social Web in itself is a global web.
Regardless of where conversations may be initiated, any
conversation can easily travel and find resonance in any
corner around the world supporting a holistic effort.
When choosing to geo-target influencers, all geographies
may not necessarily be created equal in social relevance.
Therefore, the degree of using geo-targeting and the
priorities of it for select geographies need to be considered
carefully with emphasis placed on geographies that have
the greatest potential impact and benefit.
GEOGRAPHIC CONSIDERATIONS

13. SOCIAL
BROADCASTERS
are bloggers and
pundits who have wide
reach and offer an
avenue for elevating
awareness of programs
and products to
cultivated audiences.
 Be a valued resource, comment on posts, re-tweet tweets, participate,
interact, engage - comment with helpful information (not sales) after you
understand their perspective
 Build goodwill by offering special benefits, exclusivity, appreciation gestures
to make them feel important as a way to cultivate increased loyalty
 Contribute (offer) content to stimulate and expand the social broadcaster’s
own community and follower appeal
 Package branded content into comprehensive and easy to integrate vehicles
for sharing and including into posts and threads
 Co-collaborate on special projects and programs, co-host or sponsor
webinars and special events
 Continually conduct host briefings with influencers as news is available
 Where appropriate, support influencers as advertisers
 Form an advisory board for special projects among leading influencers and
bloggers
ENGAGEMENT
BEST PRACTICES REVEALED

14. MASS
INFLUENCERS
are social media users
who create a great
number of impressions,
or are individuals who
create and share
content about products
and services .
 Develop an engaging and inviting social persona
 Follow and Friend influencers on social platforms of choice: ask them to
reciprocate and make them feel part of an exclusive club
 Be a valued community member: comment on posts, re-tweet tweets, share
content, participate, interact, engage - comment with helpful information (not
sales) after you understand their perspective
 Build goodwill by offering exclusive opportunities, special offers, unique
content, and appreciation gestures to make them feel important as a way to
cultivate increased loyalty
 Offer loyalty incentives and rewards
 Build Brand ambassadorships with personalities of note
 Continually ask for opinions, feedback, surveys with recognition
 Reinforce a genuine sense of community appreciation with frequent
recognition
ENGAGEMENT
BEST PRACTICES REVEALED

15. POTENTIAL
INFLUENCERS
are the vast majority of
social media users who
have modest networks
rich with trust.
 Develop an engaging and inviting social persona
 Build a vibrant community by following and friending influencers on social
platforms of choice
 Engage often with the communities by participating and interacting: respond and
comment to posts, re-tweet tweets, send @replies and DMs, answer questions,
offer loyalty incentives and rewards
 Develop social programs, applications and content to build lasting Brand loyalty
 Continually ask for opinions, feedback, surveys with recognition
 Structure social platforms with complete transparency and openness to allow
community members to contribute publicly comments, values, beliefs and
sharable content
 Build social destinations to offer a steady flow of consistent fresh consumable
Branded content that reinforces the lifestyle experience
 Develop additional content and discussions that are relevant to the interests of
the targeted demographic (social characteristics) and which the topics are
already being discussed in social circles
 Seek opportunities to cross-promote social assets and to collect community
information for integration with all forms of marketing
 Reinforce a genuine sense of community appreciation with frequent recognition
ENGAGEMENT
BEST PRACTICES REVEALED

16. Activation
Program Architecture

17.  Define goals for the program
 Define key performance indicators (KPI) and overall
metrics to measure success
 Develop and test Keyword sets to form basis of initial
research
 Select tool set and conduct analysis for geographies
 Parse, categorize and rank the Social Broadcaster
and Mass Influencers into an Influencer Management
System (IMS) by geography
 Begin isolating key Potential Influencers – parse,
categorize and rank
PHASE ONE
BUILDING THE FOUNDATION

18.  Architect engagement mechanisms for the influencer
categories (and as needed rank hierarchy)
 Develop the creative and programming (social
influencer campaigns, programming, objects and assets)
 Define the timeline of implementation
 Define additional milestones, metrics, KPIs, and
measurement cycles
 Define ownerships of implementation responsibilities
PHASE TWO
DEFINING BEST PRACTICES

19.  Execute and manage defined timeline per ownership
responsibilities
 Analyze performance metrics in pre-planned cycles
 Make early adjustments and refinements as needed
for greater impact and influence
 Use a Listening program to continually re-assess
influencers and/or add influencers
 Continue to isolate top-tier Potential Influencers –
categorize into the IMS system – develop additional
outreach programs
 Perform a comprehensive 90 or 180 day program
review – assess new strategies and creative to
improve overall performance
PHASE THREE
PROGRAM EXECUTION

20. Daniel McKean . danielmckean@gmail.com . 949 338 4762