How to Vet Influencers

Creating influencer marketing campaigns and finding a good influencer in your industry can boost the appeal and performance of your brand in no time. That’s been proven. Choosing ideal influencers can propel your business into the upper rank of competing brands and help you garner a big slice of your industry’s market share. Let’s look at several factors to consider when choosing influencers for your upcoming campaigns.

Find the Right Tone

Spend time reviewing posts and content from various bloggers to find writers that resonate with your brand’s tone. Determine what type of consumer category the prospective influencers fall into. Who are their target audiences? Is their tone edgy or middle of the road? Make sure the influencer you select matches the message you want to convey and align yourself with online.

Consider Reach vs. Impact

Influencers in your industry must, of course, have followers, but prepare yourself for a big disparity in terms of the number of followers among the various social media influencers. When vetting a group of influencers, don’t get too hung up on the number of unique monthly visitors or the individual’s total number of followers.

Instead, look at total traffic to quickly measure audience engagement. Then, balance that with how well the influencer delivers relevant content that ties in with your brand. The total number of followers is important, but a prolific food blogger with 25,000 followers may be more beneficial to an artisan cheese company than a travel blogger with 75,000 followers.

Expect Authentic Content

Unsurprisingly, studies show influencers who deliver engaging, compelling, and authentic stories garner a higher number of comments and shares than those who simply create “sponsored posts” about various products. A blogger who reviews products for a living tends to come off a bit sales-driven, while those who simply talk about their favorite brand as it relates to their own lives will appear as a trusted resource and advocate for the brand.

Gauge Consistent Activity

Not every blogger has to deliver a 5,000-word dissertation every day to remain relevant and visible. Instead, look for frequent, smaller posts that drive traffic and engage return visitors. You might not capture the prospective customer’s attention on the first go-around. Look for an influencer that can drive multiple touchpoints with customers to give you the best chance at earning a share of the customer’s buy-in. Quality is absolutely vital, but a bunch of words in a blog doesn’t mean much if the content isn’t compelling and well-written.

Strike a Good Balance

An influencer will typically have a niche. On the surface, it might not seem their content completely gels with your product or service. Keep the influencer’s total body of work in mind when deciding if they are a good fit for your brand. Look for a person who provides value to an audience. Not every influencer marketing strategy is the same. If it’s an influencer you want to bring attention to your brand, consider different options, such as a partnership, Instagram takeover, or brand ambassadorship.

Vetting influencers is time-consuming yet incredibly important. Ensure your brand is represented in the absolute best way possible, a way that is authentic to your brand.