Finding the Right Influencer for Your Brand

Influencers are in high-demand as a modern marketing tool for a reason- it’s one of the easiest ways to get your business seen! …but even the best influencer won’t be effective if they’re incompatible with the company you’re trying to create. Learn how to find the right influencer for your brand so you can truly benefit from the leverage that these promotions can have.

Steps to Finding an Influencer

Just because someone is well-liked or has a large following doesn’t mean they are the best representative for your business- but by following these simple steps you’ll be able to find an influencer who is the perfect fit for your brand!

1. Know your advertising goals: to find someone who aligns with your company, you need to first understand what exactly you’re trying to accomplish (not all influencers are the same!). Things like building awareness, inspiring purchases, establishing social proof, creating loyalty, saving money, etc. are examples of what an influencer can do for your business once you know what you’re looking for.

2. Create a short list: finding a range of possible influencers that match your brand’s persona and message (especially if you’re a smaller business) can be challenging. Luckily, we now options that can help with the discovery process-

· Influencer platforms: this will be the most convenient and secured place to find and compare influencers- on platforms influencers are often already vetted, have pre-determined pricing lists clearly stated, and the entire transaction can be completed through the internal messaging system. This might be the most expensive route but it’s also the easiest.

· Influencer marketplaces: slightly less comprehensive and more of an introductory service- marketplaces are not doing their own influencer evaluations, and most won’t allow payments through their site (so not as secure or reliable), but these platforms still make it much easier to find and hire influencers than it would be otherwise.

· Utilize software, do searches, ask around: if you are more of a do-it-yourself type of person, there are software options that can help find an unlimited variety of influencers, in addition to basic keyword and hashtag searching, or even asking other people familiar with your industry for recommendations. Discovering someone yourself is doable but it will take a little more effort.

3. Choose your influencer: after finalizing your short list, do a little more investigative research on each of them. Look for real interactions with people, quality content consistently posted, or even fake followers being used to exaggerate their actual reach. There’s no way to know 100% for sure that you’ve made the right decision until the effects of the first post are apparent… but by doing a thorough investigation your brand can mitigate its risk.

When you’ve decided on your influencer, make sure you clearly communicate what you’re looking for- and be sure to understand what they expect in return. Don’t be afraid to negotiate before writing up that final contract! Once you have the perfect influencer in place, find the perfect payment processor as well- contact Align eCommerce to learn how.

Here are some articles that might help you in your journey:

1. The Pros and Cons of Subscription-Based Businesses

2. How to Host a Successful Networking Event

3. Why Branding is Important for Your Business

4. What is Influencer Marketing?

5. Choosing the Right Partner For Your Credit Card Processing

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