Reading Time: 2 minutesIt was found that 61% of marketers consider finding relevant influencers for their campaign to be difficult. When it comes to selecting influencers, numerous factors need to be taken into account. In a previous blog post, we differentiated between the effectiveness of Macro-influencers vs. Micro-influencers. Here we will break down the steps you need to take when considering which influencers will maximize the success of your campaign/cause.
Identify your “Tribe”
The first step in selecting the best influencer for your cause is identifying your audience or ‘tribe’. Some examples of tribes include college students, young mothers, and fashion gurus. It is important to identify tribes so that your content reflects organically. Your tribe’s needs are your top priority when selecting influencers so that you stay true to your tribe and cater to your cause toward them.
It is easy to think that picking the most popular influencers would be the most successful tactic because of their blanket reach. However, this is nowhere near the case. Our study results showed that oftentimes smaller influencers can have the strongest impact. With countless audience analyzer tools available, you can easily identify your tribe and their needs to identify the influencer you should select.
Remember to keep the overarching values of your tribe in mind. Take our #HealthyTexas campaign, for example. Throughout this campaign, we vetted influencers who abided by CDC social distancing requirements and stay at home guidelines. We were sure to check in often to make sure these influencers kept our audience’s best interests at heart. With careful consideration of the influencers we selected for this campaign, our engagement and reach soared. This goes to show that an in-depth understanding of your tribe will result in a more successful execution of your cause overall.
Assess Applicable Influencers
The next step in the selection process is actually finding influencers. As you track down influencers who meet the needs of your campaign, be sure to cross-check their feeds to ensure their content fits the overall campaign requirements.
Moreover, when searching for influencers, pinpoint their ‘niche’ and be sure it correlates with your cause. This will increase your influencer’s relevance to your tribe. An influencer’s niche is the main theme of their feed (i.e. online gaming, sustainable fashion, parenting, etc.). When influencers have more direct content and specific niches, they can more effectively reach your targeted audience. This will also result in more passion on the influencer’s end and the content they produce for you will be more organic. Your tribe will value organic content because it adds a personalized element to your cause.
Compare your options and make your selection
Once your tribe is identified and you find a variety of influencers who connect well with your goals and values, it comes time to make final selections. One way of narrowing your influencer search is by doing a direct comparison of the identified influencers. Our online tool allows you to directly compare data of various Instagram accounts. These insights are valuable in identifying those who could potentially perform the best for your campaign. Be thoughtful during this step of the process and weigh your options accordingly to ensure you are selecting the appropriate influencers for your campaign and cause.
There is a lot of research, time, and energy that goes into selecting influencers for your cause. The effort pays off (literally) because at the end of the day, the closer that your goals match up with your influencers’, the better your audience reacts to your cause.
