Why Everyone Is An Influencer By David Incorvaia

Introduction

Business today is evolving as rapidly. New tactics bud daily, and older strategies are manipulated in an effort to maintain a strong competitive advantage and, in short, make you money so that you can continue to enjoy your standard of living. Right now the focus of businesses has shifted to social media and its infinite possibilities just waiting to be harnessed.

Erik Qualman, author of Socialnomics: How We Social Media Redefines the Way We Do Business defines socialnomics as “the value created and shared via social media and its efficient influence on outcomes (economic, political, relational, etc.).” Social influence is not a new concept; rather it is a repackaging of older concepts onto modern platforms. Rather than Mary Sue gossiping about her brand new vacuum cleaner to the other ladies in the town grocery, Jane is posting about her latest life-changing gadget on Facebook.

Today, the public not only demands information, but also expects to be the judge and jury of matters that have widely accepted importance. Simply turn on your computer or iPhone and look at your news feeds. Instantly, a myriad of information comes crashing through as fast as you can absorb it. So, it is no hidden secret that social media is increasing in today’s business sectors as businesses not longer have the luxury of choosing whether or not they do social media; the only choice is on how well they do it.

So as your business dives into the world of social media, there is one highly sought after resource that separates the winners from the losers: influencers.

What Is An Influencer?

In today’s social media economy, influencers are simply individuals whose message is received and interacted with. It's often retweeted, reposted, liked, pinned, and so on. Influencers can also be defined as industry experts, semi-public community members, journalists and media representatives, celebrities, government officials, the list goes on.

Influencers have personal characteristics that make them attractive to said ‘masses.' Some of these qualities are based on attributes such as the influencer’s

credibility, expertise, enthusiasm, and network. For example, if you are shopping for new music, you are more likely to go and check out a popular blog, listen to an Internet DJ because you enjoy or line up with their cultural tastes, or listen to a friend’s recommendation that you share many personal experiences with. All of these options present themselves to the end user by different influencers; however, more or less they produce the same result – a decision based on word-of-mouth recommendations.

The influence emitted becomes a new form of word of mouth as individuals can now post exactly what they are doing, where they are eating and shopping, and when they are doing all of it, all the while connecting back to the brands through links and hashtags. In the traditional sense, word of mouth diffusion has had its limitations within small social circles, but now it can be amplified throughout the web. When messages are passed digitally, conversations can evolve between consumers and brands, breaking down the walls of disconnection. Social media makes these messages public, observable, and shareable.

Finding Your Influencers

Marketers can either develop digital influencers internally (such as with a company or employee Twitter account) or look to more organic influencers who possess significant sway within their vertical, which is much more effective. It is important to remember that an influencer has the power to influence public opinion, the adoption of innovations and new products, and brand awareness within their following. Companies must not merely take into account the individual mind but the interlocking group formations and loyalties within society. By just reaching one sensitive nerve, in this case an influencer with significant sway, you can put into motion an automatic response from the masses (their following).

So where do you find this sensitive nerve? By finding the influencers of your target audience.

While everyone can be an influencer, not everyone can be an influencer for your specific campaign. Their personal identity needs to be in line with your brand and industry, and their followers must fall into your target audience.

Why The Number of Followers Doesn’t Matter

Despite what many believe, the number of followers someone on social media has doesn’t make them or not make them into an influencer.

Based on the scale of your campaign, you may need a local influencer within a small community who may not have hundreds of thousands of followers, but they do have a hyper-targeted audience of a few hundred that will drive valuable conversions. On the other hand, you may be doing a global campaign that requires an influencer who reaches beyond national borders and oceans, which, in this case, does require thousands if not millions of followers. And, of course, there are all of the campaign sizes in between.

Then, there is this misconception that a large following equates to quality. Followers can be faked, but engagement cannot. No matter the scale of your campaign, the higher the engagement of an influencer’s followers the higher quality they are.

Lastly, there is a reason why it is called a social media network. While an influencer may not have a large following his or herself, they may inspire someone within their network who does to share, retweet, or further engage with their post, thereby amplifying your message.

Conclusion

It is important for companies to invest in social media, and develop comprehensive strategies to tackle the ineffective communication between brand and consumer to help continue positive public relations and drive sales. Taking advantage of the wide array of already established social networks and amplifying a brands message through valuable influencers is crucial for any firm to maintain competitive advantage. So do yourself a favor and remember that anyone can be an influencer no matter the industry they are in, where in the world they live, or the number of followers they have.