There's a lot of talk about including so called influencers or influential people in your social media strategy. But, how do you identify these people?
The first step is to understand what an influencer is and how they can help your business or website.
An influencer is someone (usually online or offline) who is very influential in a specific niche or community and when they talk everyone listens. Actually, you might know several influencers in this community or on one of your favorite sites. These people will typically be the driving force behind innovation and change and if you can get them on your side, it's easier to move your business in the direction you want.
A very good place to find influencers is on Google+ (where a lot of indepth conversations take place) or Twitter.
Don't just look for people who have a lot of followers or fans, find the ones who's fans talk back to them, where real conversations are going on.
These people have a receptive audience and that's exactly what you want to tap.
Once you have identified the person you want to add to your influential circle, you can easily start building the trust relationship by sharing their content, talking with and gaining access to their inner circle. Later, you should offer access to your products or services, such as via free trial or preview.
You won't want to rush in, pitching ideas up front. Take time to build the trust first. The effort you put into cultivating this professional relationship will pay off later as they are recommending your site or services to the ones in their circles.
The first step is to understand what an influencer is and how they can help your business or website.
An influencer is someone (usually online or offline) who is very influential in a specific niche or community and when they talk everyone listens. Actually, you might know several influencers in this community or on one of your favorite sites. These people will typically be the driving force behind innovation and change and if you can get them on your side, it's easier to move your business in the direction you want.
A very good place to find influencers is on Google+ (where a lot of indepth conversations take place) or Twitter.
Don't just look for people who have a lot of followers or fans, find the ones who's fans talk back to them, where real conversations are going on.
These people have a receptive audience and that's exactly what you want to tap.
Once you have identified the person you want to add to your influential circle, you can easily start building the trust relationship by sharing their content, talking with and gaining access to their inner circle. Later, you should offer access to your products or services, such as via free trial or preview.
You won't want to rush in, pitching ideas up front. Take time to build the trust first. The effort you put into cultivating this professional relationship will pay off later as they are recommending your site or services to the ones in their circles.
