This Idea Spark blog post is the result of the discussion during our Friday morning Creativity Coffee. If you’d like to join us (in person or via web/phone conference), please sign up here. There’s no charge or obligation. We just love ideas and open discussion!
Our last Creativity Coffee generated a few very thought-provoking ideas. The topic of the week—identifying influencers—is a topic of interest to brand marketers around the globe. What are the hallmarks of an “influencer?” How do we identify and reach them? Are the same criteria applicable across brands, or is it very specific to a product, a market, or even a target market? Here’s some food for thought.
- What is an influencer?
- Has credibility. A genuine voice is important. Is this person a subject-matter expert?
- Has a voice. People listen and comment on what this individual says.
- People relate. People relate to this individual on some level.
- People trust them. An influencer has established credibility through impartiality and expertise. People see their voice as genuine. Peers can be influencers—and often are; people tend to trust their peers more than companies or brands.
- Has a following. Friends/followers is an indicator. But…
- It’s not just a numbers game.
- Numbers are only the start. Numbers signify the potential reach of an individual, but it’s not the whole story.
- If someone has 10,000 followers on Twitter, does that make them a key influencer? Or a number jockey?
- Engagement is key.
- Seeing how much other people are sharing an individual’s content is key to identifying an influencer.
- How often is the individual engaging with others?
- How often are they tweeted/retweeted?
- How many people comment on their blog and engage in discussion?
- Influence is very market-dependent, but there’s a method to every market.
- Who is in your target market?
- What communities attract that target? Where are they active?
- Who are the most active people in those communities? These are the potential influencers (positive and negative).
- Follow the breadcrumbs: Twitter lists, people being retweeted, people who put out great content, people who have tons of blog comments and hits…
- Recency and relevancy are important. Are they posting content and comments that are trending? Are they relevant to your target market? How often are they engaging in that community?
- Does celebrity = influence? Sometimes.
- Celebrities are influential when there is relevance. Basketball players and sports apparel are a natural fit—”on brand.”
- In most cases, the celebrity is influential both offline and online.
- Celebrities may have lots of followers, but are they heard? Are people paying attention?
How have you identified the influencers in your market? More importantly, how have you engaged them?
Please let us know what you think. Comment below, or join us (live or via conference) for our weekly Creativity Coffee.
