Influencers are a rising force in the social media arena. With those fickle eyes and a mastery of the copy, an influencer can instantly have a social following to rival that of major celebrities and a marketing budget worth a six-figure-plus salary.
Most brands and agencies dedicate marketing budgets to these people, and pay millions of dollars for digital campaigns. Small retailers might not have the resources to send a team to New York, London or Shanghai to find these people, who have the wealth of content-driven tools like Instagram, and they might not have the time to learn the ins and outs of social media.
The best way to find influencers is by following Facebook’s guidelines. That way, brands can get a small direct audience and earn a lot of organic, built-in “attention” from their followers. These influencers also won’t be driving people to sell products or telling them how to buy.
It’s important to follow these tips:
- If they have more than 10,000 followers, follow them on Facebook to find out more.
- If they have fewer than 10,000 followers, follow them on Instagram, because that’s where the people are who are really active.
- You should include a piece of advertising with every story you share. For example, if you post a picture of an attractive woman, include a link to a coupon.
- Be careful. Once you start following, if you find a “bad” model, don’t follow them. Only follow people you know will behave properly.
- Don’t pay someone to create content. A photo is worth a thousand words. If you can tell through the photo who the influencer is and who the company is, which makes the brand much more likely to remain valuable to the influencer.
Be aware, though, that some brands have decided to change their social strategy. What are they looking for from influencers?