Influence marketing is not just for big businesses and consumer brands. Experts like Javon Charleston in Lexington, SC, say influencer marketing can benefit B2B companies. Suppose you are not familiar with the term. In that case, influencer marketing is social media marketing that focuses on using key leaders to drive your brand’s message to a larger audience.
Think about it this way: If you want to reach more people with your message, who better to do it than someone who already has a large following? An influencer can help you spread the word about your product or service naturally rather than forcefully. Moreover, when done correctly, this strategy can result in some serious ROI.
Let us look at why every B2B company should consider influencer marketing as part of their overall digital marketing strategy.
It Helps You Reach a Wider Audience
As we have already established, one of the main benefits of working with an influencer is that he/she can help you reach a larger audience than you could on your own. However, how exactly does this work? When you partner with an influencer who has a significant social media presence, he/she will promote your content to his/her followers. In addition, since these individuals already trust and respect the influencer’s opinions, they are more likely also to be interested in what your company has to say.
This means that by working with an influencer, you have the potential to tap into an entirely new group of individuals who may not have otherwise heard of your brand.
Increases Your Credibility and Trustworthiness
Javon Charleston says in today’s digital world, consumers are bombarded with ads and promotions from companies all vying for their attention. As a result, breaking through the noise and establishing yourself as a credible source in your industry can be challenging.
One way to set yourself apart from the competition is by working with an influencer who can vouch for your products or services. When a respected voice in your industry talks about your brand positively, it can go a long way toward increasing consumer confidence and making them more likely to do business with you.
Boosts Engagement and Interactions with Your Brand
When done correctly, influencer marketing can also help increase engagement and interactions with your target audience. By featuring user-generated content (UGC) from an influencer on your social media channels or website, you are more likely to encourage comments, shares, and other forms of engagement from their followers — all of which can help raise awareness for your brand.
Moreover, when potential customers see that real people are interacting positively with your company online, it goes a long way toward increasing their perception of your brand and making them more likely to do business with you in the future.
Diversifies Your Marketing Strategy
If you are like most B2B companies, your marketing strategy is probably focused on inbound marketing tactics like SEO and content marketing. In addition, while there is nothing wrong with this approach, it is essential to diversify your efforts to reach the broadest possible audience. Influencer marketing can help you do just that.
Javon Charleston says by working with an influencer, you can tap into new channels and platforms that you may not have otherwise had access to. In addition, by promoting your content through these channels, you can reach a whole new group of potential customers who could benefit from your products or services.
Drives Long-Term Results
Finally, it is important to note that influencer marketing is not a short-term solution. Rather, it is an investment that can pay off handsomely over time. You might see a spike in traffic or engagement after working with an influencer. However, the real value lies in the long-term relationships you build with your followers.
By partnering with an influencer, you have the opportunity to develop a rapport with his/her followers and establish yourself as a trusted source of information in your industry. As these individuals continue to engage with your brand over time, they will be more likely to become paying customers.
How to Get Started with Influencer Marketing
You might wonder how to get started now that you know the many benefits of influencer marketing. Fortunately, it is not as difficult as you might think.
Here are a few tips to help you:
1. Define Your Goals & Objectives
Before reaching out to influencers, you must step back and define your goals and objectives. What are you hoping to achieve by working with an influencer? Are you looking to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, or boost sales?
Answering these questions will help you narrow your search and find the right influencer for your needs.
2. Identify Your Target Audience
Once you know what you want to accomplish, you can start identifying your target audience. Who are the individuals that are most likely to be interested in your products or services?
Javon Charleston says your target audience should be more than just a demographic. It should also include information about their interests, needs, and pain points. The more specific you can be, the better.
3. Research Potential Influencers
With your target audience in mind, you can start researching potential influencers. There are several different ways to do this, but one of the best is to use social media listening tools like Mention or Hootsuite Insights.
These tools allow you to track specific keywords and phrases across all social media platforms, which can be a great way to find influencers already talking about topics relevant to your business.
Final Thoughts
Influencer marketing is a powerful tool to help you achieve various marketing goals. While it is not without its challenges, the potential rewards make it more than worth the effort.
If you are looking for a way to take your marketing efforts to the next level, consider partnering with an influencer. It could be the best decision you ever make.
