Influencer marketing best practice [podcast]

Influencer marketing best practice. In this podcast we look at some of the themes of influencer marketing best practice.

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Chris Lee invited me and fellow independent consultant Ste Davies to discuss influencer marketing today - its evolution, best practice and what’s happening next in the industry.

In this second of two podcasts recorded at the PRCA we look at influencer marketing best practice and examine the best ways to identify and select influencers, how to work best with them and why you should avoid BANJO influencers at all costs.

In this episode

4 S Filter for identifying best-fit influencers (search, surface, screen, select)
Why you should avoid BANJO influencers at all costs
How to vet potential influencers
Why it's sound business sense to resist short-term, tent pole campaigns in deference to long-term mutually-beneficial relations

Influencer marketing best practice

Influencer identification and selection

Identifying the most appropriate influencers at scale is a blend of art and science. The influencer identification 4 S Filter breaks the process into core elements of Search, Surface, Screen & Select.

The model offers a best practice blend of:

Using third-party vendor automation tools
Embedded contextual intelligence of PR practitioners
Institutionalised knowledge management

how_to_identify_influencers_using_the_4s_filter

Avoiding BANJO influencers

BANJO influencer marketing is where those with a large social media following ‘Bang Another iNfluencer Job Out’ in return for quick money without any affinity for the brand that’s sponsoring the content. Their days are numbered as the discipline becomes more results focused.

Co-created content

Influencers are influential because they consistently create compelling content that resonates with a select audience. The content resonates because it’s authentic.

The more you try to control the message via a straight-jacket of a creative brief, re-write requests or pushing for further edits, the more the authentic voice is diminished to a whisper.

Influencers have grown their audiences because their opinions chime with those of their audiences. So, let them speak. Let them speak in their voice. That’s why it’s so important to ensure you’re working with the most appropriate influencer in the first place.

In praise of long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships

Brand and influencer tie-ins work best when they are nurtured over the long-term. Communicators should ditch the tactical and temporary in pursuit of long-term, business-growth partnerships with influencers.

First episode

In our first of two podcasts Chris Lee, Ste Davies and I talk about the evolution of influencer marketing over the past 24 months.

In the first podcast we discuss:

Is the perceived erosion of trust in influencers justified or a symptom of tall poppy syndrome?
Influencer fails force a maturation of the industry
Has influencer marketing hit the peak of the hype cycle?
Preoccupation with reach moves towards a better understanding of Return on Investment
Rise and rise of micro influencers and brand advocates

You can listen to the first influencer marketing podcast here.

With special thanks to Chris Lee for the interview request and podcast production and to the PRCA for hosting the sessions.

Resources

Scott Guthrie

Scott Guthrie is a professional adviser within the influencer marketing industry. He is an event speaker, university guest lecturer, media commentator on influencer marketing and active blogger. He works with brands, agencies and platforms to achieve meaningful results from influencer marketing. That tells you something about him but it's not giving you a lot of detail, is it? So, read more here.