Brian Wallace shared the History, Evolution, and the Future of Influencer Marketing that did a fantastic job of defining the influencer and how brands were interacting with them. I’ve been very outspoken about how brands work with influencers and vice versa and I believe this infographic from MDG Advertising does an exceptional job in detailing what a successful influencer marketing relationship looks like.
The infographic, The State of Influencer Marketing: What Every Brand Needs to Know, discusses the most effective tactics and approaches to influencer marketing.
Most Effective Influencer Marketing Tactics
- https://martech.zone/referral/neverbounceOngoing Ambassadorships – currently, I have an ongoing ambassadorship with Agorapulse. It may be one of the best relationships I’ve ever had with a brand. I pursued a relationship with Agorapulse after I was frustrated with other social media platforms when handling a plethora of social media accounts. The user interface works very much like a task list or inbox, where your teams can easily manage external interactions. The combination of my reach and my passion for their product opened a door where Emeric and his team signed me up for the Ambassador program. Without any pressure, and full disclosure, I speak about Agorapulse when people are seeking a platform to manage their social media.
- Product Reviews – Shure sent me an MV88 microphone for my iPhone about a year ago to test. The expectation was that I’d share my review online and then return the microphone. Shure realized they had a fantastic product and wanted to market through podcasters with influence. Well, I fell in love with the microphone so deeply that I continue to show it to everyone… and I asked Shure if I could keep it.
- Brand Mentions – Neverbounce is a company that helps businesses keep their email database clear of problematic addresses that could negatively impact their ability to get in the inbox of their subscribers. I have an article, Why, How, and Where to Verify Your Email Marketing Lists Online, that is consistently read by readers with an intent to look for solutions like this so Neverbounce reached out. After testing their platform along with others, I knew they had the best product out there, so I accepted an offer to prominently display their service on that post. We, of course, also display full disclosure.
- Event Coverage – With our publication and our portable studio, I’m often asked to cover events in exchange for pay, travel, and expenses to events. At the event, we publish articles, record podcasts, do Facebook Live sessions, and live-tweet the events. I’ve even brought staff to develop highlight brochures to mail home with attendees after the events. Most recently, I did this for Dell World where I partnered with Mark Schaefer on their Luminaries podcast. An incredible event and opportunity. Aside from being up on the stage, this is my favorite way to experience a conference!
- Sponsored Content – While I don’t mind sponsored content, I really am picky about the companies with a partner with. They truly have to be leaders in their market segment and provide value to our readers, listeners, and followers. If it puts my brand at risk, I won’t do it. I’ve turned a ton of companies down over the years because I couldn’t vouch for the company or product. You’ll often find sponsored content in the way of the marketing events we share.
Marketers say the most effective content comes from credible, experienced influencers. Of course, I agree with this. I believe credible, experienced influencers have spent years, perhaps decades, building their authority in their industry. With an investment like that, they would not easily just put themselves out for sale to the highest bidder. I’m certain I could double or triple my influencer marketing revenue, but I simply won’t do it at the expense of losing respect by my readers. What I’m paid by a brand doesn’t compare to the effort it took for me to build my credibility, and I won’t risk it.
The State of Influencer Marketing: What Ever Brand Needs to Know
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