I still see a lot of that – brands that have no understanding of social media influence and relationship building. Are the influencers you ask to work for you really worth $5? Really?

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Conventional understandings of social media marketing and influence are often far off the mark. I strive to share insights into this sector through real, often contrarian, analysis.
I still see a lot of that – brands that have no understanding of social media influence and relationship building. Are the influencers you ask to work for you really worth $5? Really?
Related:
Oh-oh, all Micro+ SMI have been there – the Instagram 7,500 followers quantity limitation…grrrrr….:
I guess the platform’s reason for setting this rule was that:
Continue reading Oh oh They Hit the 7,500 Limit Once Again?It’s super popular to hire SMI* these days — for many good reasons (if done the right way): they bring attention, awareness, trust, influence, change opinions, and offer advice on turning your business around to meet the needs of relevant communities as never before.
*SMI = Social Media influencers. Source: Who is an influencer?
So, how much should a brand pay influencers, one might ask?
For sure yes, you/we should pay them. Their social media accounts are the way they making a living, and if you find a good SMI, make them even better by taking them seriously.
Continue reading How much to pay Influencers (recommended rates included)?Branding Your Social Media Profile (BSMP) is a new 1-on-1 program that helps brands bring their social media profile and presence to the next level. This series of articles is an introduction to some of the techniques and experiments that have been proven to make this underutilized real estate work for you. Brands and others looking for customized analysis and guidance specific to their profile(s) can register for 1:1 coaching here.
So far we have proposed ideas for leveraging YOUR** unique branding using underutilized real estate on your social media profile: your profile photos, extended name, profile description, hashtags, update line, the use of SMI (Social Media influencers), and even a URL in the profile. Now it’s time for me to show you how NOT to do it right…
Let me show you two examples of doing BSMP* the wrong way, this time from the merchant retail industry. I’m talking about The Vitamin Shoppe and its (somehow) competitor Walgreens.
*BSMP = branded social media profile, a term that was coined by… me.
Continue reading What is the magic number of followers on social media to qualify as an influencer?The magic is not the quantity of followers, but your relationships with your followers and the content you produce.
That’s right, if you’re a brand, choose your SMI* candidate carefully (e.g. evaluate their engagement in their post comments, their language, and make sure to answer questions such as of use whether they will they sign a clear contract with milestones, whether they will influence or just bring a large audience of uninterested people, etc. In short, vet them just like you’re supposed to do with any other partner.
If you’re an SMI, choose the brand you want to work with carefully (e.g. is their value aligned with yours, are they respectful to your community, do other SMI enjoy partnering with them, will they pay you on time, etc.).
*SMI = Social Media influencers. Source: Who is an influencer?
Continue reading Vet customers first. Never get in bed with bad people. #InfluencerMarketingIf you pay well for Influencer sponsorship then YES. But – usually not right away. When an Influencer recommends your brand or product, people listen, and remember. Their purchase might be later though. So don’t expect to see immediate sales as proof of a campaign working.
Sign a contract, though.
A blogger writes a blog, usually on a website. Bloggers can be Influencers if they… influence! Influencers can be non-bloggers. For example, someone who works on Instagram only and doesn’t have a website.
I analyze the trends in Influencer Marketing and the return on investment it brings daily. Based on that, and my experience as an Amazon vendor, here is my advice for my fellow Amazon vendors about how to take advantage of this new marketing tool.
But first, some background:
Continue reading Why it makes sense for Amazon vendors to create their own Influencer accounts and how can they do itWe – the SMI (social-media influencer) teachers – I admit – were wrong. It is not true that the mega-influencers lost their influence. It is not true that micro-influencers took over. Or it’s not the whole story at least. Let me explain:
First –
Continue reading Mega-influencers don’t help? Think again.