{"id":2573,"date":"2016-03-10T14:36:26","date_gmt":"2016-03-10T19:36:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/felicitypr.com\/?p=2573"},"modified":"2016-06-10T14:37:59","modified_gmt":"2016-06-10T18:37:59","slug":"harnessing-influencers-right-way","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/felicitypr.com\/harnessing-influencers-right-way\/","title":{"rendered":"Harnessing influencers, the right way"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published by Strategy Online<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"harnessing-influences\"As marketers in today\u2019s fragmented \u2014 yet converging \u2014 media landscape, we are faced with a conundrum: while social media makes it easier to reach target audiences, it\u2019s getting more challenging to engage and influence them. Consider the fact that\u00a074% of consumers<\/a> rely on social networks to guide purchase decisions, and yet,\u00a0according to a recent study<\/a>, only 19% of Canadian women report having had a meaningful interaction with a brand on social media.<\/p>\n

In an increasingly virtual world of interactions, how can brands go beyond traffic to gain traction? Marketers and media agree that \u201cauthenticity\u201d is an essential part of the mix. But authenticity is a two-way street, something that is inextricably linked to reciprocity. Brands can no longer expect media, stakeholders and influencers to get on board without offering them something in return.<\/p>\n

To find out what brands are doing right, what brands are doing wrong, and what they wish brands would do to engage with them, we went straight to the source: journalists, bloggers, YouTubers and other highly-sought after experts in their fields. Here\u2019s what they had to say.<\/p>\n

Get to know me, then engage me<\/h4>\n

According to leading nutrition expert and communications consultant Sue Mah<\/a>, the most successful brands enable her to do her job better. One brand in particular engages dietitians in the development of its materials, whether created for other health professionals or the end consumer. If members of the intended audience are involved in the development process, they can help a brand course-correct if they are about to tread into dangerous territory, such as being overly-branded or lacking scientific back-up. \u201cGet to know me before you connect with me,\u201d Mah says. \u201cThen engage me, involve me and invite me to an exclusive event. Tell me what\u2019s new, how you can help me and how I can help you.\u201d Furthermore, since Mah is often called on to comment on breaking news, by giving her a heads up on any newsworthy issues before they break, she is in a position speak in an informed manner about the science impacting a brand or category.<\/p>\n

The value is in the relationship<\/h4>\n

Erica Ehm, founder and creative director of YMCWorks.com <\/a>and publisher of YummyMummyClub.ca, says that \u201cearned media\u201d doesn\u2019t really exist in the blogosphere. And while bloggers want brands to realize the value of their time to attend an event or write about a product, the trend is moving away from this being a pure \u201cpay to play\u201d transaction (i.e. $100 for one blog post). Overwhelmingly, bloggers are eager to establish longer-term relationships with brands, where they have more discretion over if, when, and how they share content integrating that brand. This is where authenticity really comes into play, giving bloggers the opportunity to support and promote brands that they understand and believe in.<\/p>\n

YouTube vs. Boobtube<\/h4>\n

YouTuber Rachel David<\/a> echoes Ehm\u2019s emphasis on relationships. She cites Telus <\/a>and NYX Cosmetics <\/a>as brands that come to the influencer with ideas and empower them to put their own take on it. NYX goes so far as to feature YouTubers and Instagrammers as their models. \u201cBrands also have to put trust in the creator. It isn\u2019t easy being a YouTuber, actually quite the opposite,\u201d says David. \u201cIf a YouTuber has been able to carve out a loyal fan base then the brand needs to surrender a big portion of creative control and trust that the creator knows how to communicate effectively with them.\u201d<\/p>\n

David also suggests that while brand plans may be developed months or even years in advance, \u201cYouTubers operate in the present.\u201d Content that is timely and relevant makes YouTube effective, and maximizes its viewership and viral potential.<\/p>\n

Measuring influence<\/h4>\n

One thing that has remained constant as the media landscape has evolved is the question of measurement. How does a marketer know if their efforts are literally paying off?<\/p>\n

The answer hasn\u2019t changed either. Brands, and the agencies with whom they partner, should begin by looking at bottom line business goals and then use those to orient communications goals and strategies. As a business school graduate working in the PR world, I\u2019ve often been surprised when my agency colleagues or big brand clients begin a partnership by asking the question: \u201cHow many media impressions are we looking to get?\u201d or \u201cHow many \u2018fans\u2019 or \u2018likes\u2019 do we want?\u201d\u00a0 I believe these are the wrong questions to ask. Media partnerships will only work if you know what you\u2019re looking to achieve from a business perspective.<\/p>\n

This sentiment is echoed by influencers. According to David, looking only at numbers is not effective, since followers can be \u201cbought.\u201d Instead, the focus should be quality vs. quantity: fit with your brand, engagement levels and the composition of the influencer\u2019s viewership or readership.<\/p>\n

As marketers and influencers navigate this new ecosystem, it\u2019s evident that there\u2019s room for everyone not only to co-exist, but to collaborate. This may not be easy for marketers who have come to rely on predictability and total control over their messaging, but the trade-off will pay off for those willing to put the right pieces in place to develop an integrated narrative strategy, from both the inside out, and the outside in.<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Originally published by Strategy Online. As marketers in today\u2019s fragmented \u2014 yet converging \u2014 media landscape, we are faced with a conundrum: while social media makes it easier to reach target audiences, it\u2019s getting more challenging to engage and influence them. Consider the fact that\u00a074% of consumers rely on social networks to guide purchase decisions, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2574,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[196],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHarnessing influencers, the right way - Felicity PR<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/felicitypr.com\/harnessing-influencers-right-way\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Harnessing influencers, the right way - Felicity PR\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Originally published by Strategy Online. As marketers in today\u2019s fragmented \u2014 yet converging \u2014 media landscape, we are faced with a conundrum: while social media makes it easier to reach target audiences, it\u2019s getting more challenging to engage and influence them. 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