Written by: Lewis Muller, Managing Director
If you are on any type of social media platform, then you are well aware that influencer marketing is booming. In fact, according to the annual Influencer Marketing Benchmark Report, the market size of the industry has seen a yearly 50% increase ever since 2016.
This of course begs the question of how and why those of us in the advocacy industry should leverage this powerful marketing medium.
We are not talking about enlisting the services of Kim Kardashian or DJ Khaled. We are referring to “Everyday influencers.” Individuals who are relatable and therefore viewed as authentic by their audiences. This makes them trusted messengers who are able to elevate the relevance of an advocacy campaign.
As it is with selecting the right tactics and placements with paid media, identifying the appropriate influencers requires research and customization. Based on the make-up of your target audience and where they spend time online, you may want to recruit influencers who are more popular on Reddit or LinkedIn versus Facebook or Instagram. Then, consider the type of content these influencers are organically broadcasting and determine how best your messaging can weave into their style and personalities. You may think that your issue is too wonky or complex, but this is where influencers can be helpful in simplifying the issue and recruiting advocates.
Just look to the COVID-19 pandemic when there were all kinds of conflicting reports and misinformation. Infectious disease researcher Laurel Bristow grew her Instagram following from a few thousand to 330k+ by posting Covid-related information.
Influencer marketing might not be the best fit for every campaign. However, it is certainly worth testing and mixing it with the other paid tactics we have been accustomed to for running successful advocacy campaigns.