We recently wrote about influencer marketing -
identifying and engaging with those who hold power in your industry – and how it helps your reach your targeted audience. But how do you find those influencers?
The Hunt for Influencers
Every effective influencer marketing plan starts by identifying the people who have potential to help you increase your brand’s message or campaign. As you read these four strategies for identifying influencers in your industry, keep in mind it’s not enough for a potential influencer to have a large number of followers. They must also have expertise and credibility that your target audience values and trust.
Strategy #1: Set Up Social Media Monitoring
Monitoring and measuring social media authority helps you understand which online consumers are truly relevant in the topics that matter to you. There are dozens of metric tools you can use to sort and rank possible influencers; three of the biggest and best known are Kred, Klout, and PeerIndex. A fourth is BuzzSumo, which has a tab devoted specifically to influencers and an export feature so you can use the results on other platforms. All work by monitoring specific terms you choose – for example, number of retweets – to provide you with the reliable information you need to identify influencers.
Strategy #2: Read Other Blogs
One of the fastest ways to identify influencers in your industry is by reading their blogs. Look for blogs that provide content that reflects your own brand’s image and message, and are regularly updated with the latest news and trends. You can find blogs by using search tools such as Alltop and Moz’s Follerwonk, which helps you connect with new influencers in your niche. Paid service GroupHigh offers a blog search engine that allows you to search by dozens of filters, including content, reach, location, and social following.
Strategy #3: Analyze Twitter Accounts
Twitter is the number one tool for identifying influencers. Don’t only look for people with the highest number of followers, but for those whose followers would most likely be interested in your brand. The typical industry influencers have a large following, actively engage via retweets, and lead people to their blogs where they tend to have high shares and comments. It doesn’t matter if someone only has 500 followers on Twitter, what matters is if those 500 people can be influenced to follow your brand.
Strategy #4: Search Engines
A Google search is a good start, but don’t rule out other search engines, especially those that are niche driven. Use them to discover who else is writing about your industry and, in particular, using your keywords. It’s a quick and easy way to expand your options for finding industry influencers. A simple tip: include the word “blog” in your search. Then take your search results and analyze them using a social media metrics tool such as that offered by Hootsuite.
To learn more about how to discover the top influencers within your industry, contact us at ADTACK at 702-270-8772.
