Find Influencers Inside And Outside The Box

Use Google searches and Twitter searches to find people who are already interested in your industry, or in your target demographic. People talking about your brand and your competitors’ brands are your first tier of influencers, but remember to look outside those areas. A company that makes interior decor might also want to check out fashion blogs, DIY blogs and construction blogs— look for interesting overlaps. You can use tools like Klout and Kred to determine who has the biggest reach, but even someone with a small network may have a lot of influence. Social network management tools like Sysomos Heartbeat make it easy to talk to many of them at once.

Big-name influencers are great to get, so by all means work on bringing the movers and shakers in your industry into your network, but don’t forget the up-and-comers, who will have more incentive to be the first to mention something new and cool. If you identify must-have influencers, their competitors will probably be valuable too.

You can also follow your current network to other influencers. A rule of thumb to build a good Twitter network is to follow ten new people every day. Some of them may not turn out to be particularly helpful influencers, but some of them will follow you back, and some of those will turn into influencers for you.

Use Measurement To Cultivate From Within

People are probably already talking about your brand and other brands in your industry. Similarly, your best influencers may already be in your network—people who pay attention to your social media presence and know who you are.

Tools like Sysomos Heartbeat can help you identify these conversations so you can add the influencers to your social networks and begin reaching out to them.

While it can be incredibly beneficial to get a mention from a celebrity, customers are actually most influenced by what their friends and family do and like, followed by people they consider “like them”—their friendsof-friends network, and people with similar demographics. Your network is probably already full of people who can be minor influencers by speaking to their friends and family about your product. We’ll discuss how to get them talking a little later, but for now, don’t discount the local influencers in your network.

Recognize And Reward Influencers

Everyone likes to feel special and in-the- know—to be that friend who’s always able to recommend the next new thing. And social media influencers are no exception. Your outreach strategy should include tactics for recognizing and rewarding important players in your social media circle. Consider creating an influencer network whose members get first crack at special content, deals, offers and news as well as free demos of your product or service. You can also tap particularly dedicated influencers for feedback about new products or services—brand loyalists will love to feel like they’ve had an impact.

Asking your followers to re-tweet or “Like” something you post for a contest entry or coupon is a good way to get alot of quick mentions—just be aware that most of these people may fade away after the initial excitement. If you want to keep them engaged, keep giving them topical, timely rewards and information.

Big social media blitzes are good for sharing big news, but the strategy shouldn’t end after the first burst of interest.

Be Personal

Everyone likes the one-on-one touch. Engaging a social influencer, especially one with a big readership, is a lot like reaching out to a reporter or journalist—but there are a few differences to keep in mind. For instance, influencers are deeply passionate about their topics and probably know more about your market than you do. They will ask tough questions, and you have to be prepared to answer them.

Learn about their interests and engage with them on their turf and on their terms. A social media monitoring tool with historical archives will not only inform you about what topics these influencers posted or commented on but will also tell you how long they have been discussing the topics. Be patient and tactful: It takes time to build relationships to the point where you can start putting your product in front of these influencers and ask them to promote it.

Remember, influence online is a two-way street. Your influencers have helped you out by talking you up—keep the relationship going by giving them a mention. For example, try picking three to ten influencers a week to mention on your blog or other social media platform. Feature influencers with a range of reaches—your smaller influencers will be thrilled to be mentioned with the big names.

Tailor The Tactic To The Platform

Influencer behavior on Twitter doesn’t look the same as on Facebook, Google+, Quora, or any of a hundred blogs and social platforms. Twitter’s reach is at its best with short, pithy updates that can be re-tweeted.

Many marketers make it a rule to update their Twitter feeds no more than once an hour (except to carry on conversations), and no less than once every business day.

Facebook users update less often and influencers are much less likely to share something purely commercial for fear of losing readers. Facebook is a great place for games and shareable experiences, and especially socially conscious initiatives like donation programs. Dr. Pepper’s Tuition Giveaway is a great example that combines a contest with a shareable social good— everyone knows someone with a college student in the family.

Other social media sites reward different tactics. On many blogs and discussion platforms, becoming part of the dialog is the best way to engage users. The most effective marketers maximize their social media efforts by cross-pollinating. For example, they share great blog posts (with their comments) on their Twitter feeds, and share great Facebook photos on Pinterest.

Keep Up With The Social Media Conversation

Being an integral part of the social media conversation in your industry is a great way to get influencers talking about you organically. JetBlue on Twitter is a particularly good example of this—the airline is an engaging presence in the conversation between frequent flyers and other travel companies. Its Twitter updates are youthful and cheeky, just like its brand, and JetBlue is not afraid to say something a little sassy to its competitors.

That sort of personality isn’t right for every brand, but every brand can benefit from being part of the conversation. Share industry news, your reaction to it, and what you think it means for the future. If a competitor does something impressive, give it a compliment. Be gracious or snarky on your social channels, but don’t shy away from having an opinion. That’s what keeps people thinking and talking about you.

The social media conversation— and even the platform where it’s happening—is constantly evolving. So are your influencers. Just like in the old days, there’s no substitute for good relationships to drive sales. Use measurement tools to keep your pool of influencers fresh, understand how they’re talking about you, and continue to grow your network.

Watching who your influencers are and how they are talking about your brand and your industry can give you valuable information that can affect all marketing initiatives, and even the future of your company. Engaging with social media influencers takes time and attention, but it can pay huge dividends in highly credible buzz about your brand, increased sales, and new customers and customer segments.