Blog Post By: Emily Bangen, Baer Performance Marketing Intern
Social media is an amazing way to connect with people all over the world. It is also a good place to run a marketing campaign and even better to do it with a social media influencer. A social media influencer uses platforms like Instagram and YouTube to connect with an audience on a personal level. They commonly brand themselves within a specific industry, like beauty, fashion, or food, and promote content relevant to that industry. The steps below can help you connect with an influencer to enhance your brand’s social media marketing strategy!
Step 1: Decide what kind of influencer you want.
Who do you want to be representing and promoting your brand? You need to make sure you choose someone who accurately represents your brand. Look at their past posts. If you are promoting health food, find someone who has blogged or posted about living a healthy lifestyle. Take time to research the influencer you want to make sure you are connecting with someone who will benefit your brand.
Step 2: Follow them.
After you identify an influencer, start to follow their social media. Follow their blog, YouTube channel, Facebook page, etc. You want to be able to connect with them and talk about what they have been posting and what they are interested in.
Step 3: Reach out in an informal way.
Start by liking, sharing and commenting on their posts. You need to be engaged with their content. You can also connect with them via Direct Message and send them a message about how much you like their posts. You want to get your toes wet before you jump in and ask them for a favor.
Step 4: Send a formal email.
After you have been connecting with them on their pages and through direct messages, it is time to send them a formal email. You can usually find their email addresses right on their account pages. When you send the email, only ask for one thing from them. Ask for them to meet up with you or to connect via a communication platform like Skype to talk about their career and your company. You are still trying to make a connection with them. You do not want to request something right away. They are people, too, and will want a personal connection before they work with you.
Step 5: Make an offer.
Once you have met with or connected with the influencer on a more personal level, do not just flat out ask the influencer for what you want from them. Make your offer something beneficial to them as well. They likely have many people wanting to connect with them. Make sure your offer stands out! Ask yourself, “How can they help me, AND how can I help them?”
Throughout this whole process it is important to be patient. You cannot grow a strong connection overnight. The process takes a great deal of time and energy but can definitely pay off in the end!
Sources:
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/305024
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/global-yodel/what-is-influcner-marketing_b_10778128.html
