By its founder and CEO Evan Nierman Red baniaAn international crisis communications company, and author of the Amazon bestseller Avoid crises.
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Businesses and brands trying to reach new audiences must embrace the power of social media as effective marketing is growing at an astonishing rate. In my experience, it’s the fastest way to make the most impact and reach the maximum audience with measurable results.
The impact of influential marketing has skyrocketed in the last five years. What started out as a conventional marketing practice has turned into a $ 13 billion industry. In fact, a study by the Pew Research Center found that 48% of U.S. adults receive their news “often” or “occasionally” from social media.
Companies that need to get their message across quickly and efficiently can’t ignore effective marketing. Impressions are gained in a fluid, global, diffused way. It is clear that the reach and urgency of social media is rapidly surpassing conventional media.
The power of social media has not been lost on the Biden administration, which recently met with 30 top ticklers to share information and answer questions about Russia’s war against Ukraine. The administration realizes that TikTok stars have become an important link to young people who rely on platforms to get information on all things. A recent study published by Forrester showed that 63% of Americans between the ages of 12 and 17 use TikTok on a weekly basis. With millions of them getting news from social media, the move has become much more meaningful.
How Influencer Marketing Works
If you are not already familiar with this, you will probably be curious about how effective marketing works right now. In most cases, a business will target specific social media personalities who have demonstrated the ability to grow and engage a specific audience, thus influencing those audience purchasing decisions. Businesses can then sponsor an influencer’s online content in the hope that the influencer will later support the business’s brand, product or service.
The goal is to increase sales by creating buzz about a product or service. The key to success is to partner with someone who can reliably use business products or services. If the influencer and the product or service are not compatible, the approvals may be flat.
Getting started
Social media marketing as a whole provides a unique new way for businesses to communicate directly with customers and can be used to improve customer relationships or online reputation. If you are interested in launching your own influential marketing campaign, here are five key elements to make it a success.
1. Get to know your audience. Who is your target audience? To get a thorough understanding of the population of the customer you’re trying to contact, then contact the social media platforms they use. Are your target audience made up of teens who spend most of their time on TikTok or adults who are more likely to surf Facebook?
2. Speak in a voice that will resonate. If you want to be successful, you must speak and walk or your words will fall on deaf ears. Is your message relevant to your target audience, and is it presented in a way that is compelling and memorable? Finding a way to stand is half the battle.
3. Identify the influencers who align with the core values of your business. What does your company stand for? Not all influencers are the same, so do your research and make sure you’re signing up for what. Do you feel comfortable with the content of your chosen influencer’s social media accounts? Is it suitable for your target audience? Most importantly, is it credible for an influential person to approve your product or service? Doing your homework ahead of time can save time, money and heartbreak.
4. Create opportunities to tell stories. The sky is the limit when it comes to content creation on social media, so explore the possibilities. Video storytelling can be very effective, but the cost may not be within your budget. Have fun exploring your options and finding new ways to focus on your brand or services
5. Set measurable goals. What do you want to achieve through influencer marketing? Set your top goals and rank them accordingly. Do you want to create brand awareness, generate more web traffic or drum up new leads? Without goals and relevant metrics, you can’t measure the success of any campaign. If you have no way of measuring ROI, you are spinning your wheel.
Social media is not the wave of influential marketing of the future. This is the current way for businesses to deliver their messages lightning-fast and reach a huge new audience. Companies that want to stay in the forefront of communication cannot ignore this growing form of brand-to-customer communication that provides benefits for marketing, SEO and customer service.