Top 3 tips to create an influencer marketing strategy

Kristina: What impact to you believe the Cambridge Analytica situation is having on digital marketing?

Ted Dhanik, CEO, engage:BDR: Consumers are rightfully upset about the situation, and I expect many brands to respond by shifting spend away from Facebook, in line with the response to YouTube’s recent brand-safety issues. A great option for brands shifting budgets is influencer marketing, where targeting is done around content niches and is clear to consumers.

Kristina: You have said that influencers can be key to consumer engagement. How can marketers create an influencer marketing strategy while still protecting consumer privacy?

Ted: Be strict about relevance and fit: influencer marketing targets niche audiences, so fit is of key importance. Your brand will be best received if it is intuitive to the audience, so make sure you aren’t just looking at numbers around reach.

Audit engagement: For influencers of any size, it is important to look at engagement metrics and understand how their audience interacts with posts. Someone might have millions of followers, but it’s important to look more deeply at how often people like, comment, view videos, and respond to stories. Additionally, the nature of this interaction is important. Do the comments follow patterns that feel like spam? If so, keep looking.

Make use of available tools: influencer marketing is a high-touch process, so you should take advantage of efficiencies where you can, whether that is using analytics tools for quick statistical snapshots, or working with independent platforms who offer curated rosters that are pre-vetted.