The Influencer Continuum™ is our proven methodology for engaging influencers and cultivating them into Super Advocates™ for your brand. In this free eBook, we'll teach you how to tap into the Influencer Continuum to building trust with key influencers and ultimately, convert them into brand loyalists.

1. F R O M I N F LU E N C E R TO S U P E R A DVO C AT E T M
The roadmap for influence marketing

2. From Influencer to Super AdvocateTM
An influencer causes others to take
Most brand advocates are “fans” action. He/she is an opinion leader,
of a brand but they may not have a has a popular blog or strong social
platform, offline or online, from presence, speaks offline to press or
which to influence others. to audiences, and/or has a strong
network online and off.
A Super AdvocateTM is the best of both: a brand fan who also has a platform
from which to advocate for the brand.
The Influencer ContinuumTM begins with influencers – those who
cause others to take action – and moves them to
deep connections and advocacy
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3. The Influencer ContinuumTM
Creating a Super AdvocateTM from an influencer takes place in stages:
• Providing education/awareness
• Building trust and credibility
• Creating an emotional connection
• Creating brand loyalty
It may not be your intention to convert a newly identified influencer into a
Super AdvocateTM in every case; you may only need an influencer to transition from one
phase of the Influencer ContinuumTM to another in order to accomplish your goals
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4. Mapping the Continuum
We recommend an initial mapping process which will assist with influence
marketing planning:
1. To begin the mapping process, identify the influencers you wish to move
through the Continuum. Influencers are most effective when they are
contextually relevant
2. Map current influencers in their place along the Influencer ContinuumTM
3. Map current/planned brand assets to be used with influencers
4. Determine how to move influencers across Continuum phases by utilizing
company brand assets
Use the Continuum matrix on the next page
to help map and plan your influencer program;
these are examples to spark ideas for your organization
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5. Continuum Matrix:
Creating Influence Marketing Programs
Influence Clusters are highly-
Influence Cluster
focused groups of topical +
influencers aligned to a particular Brand Assets
niche, goal or objective
=
Influencer Program
Brand Assets are resources
tailored against specific phases
of the Influencer ContinuumTM
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6. INFLUENCER CONTINUUM T M PHASES
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7. Build Awareness
Phase Delivery
The first phase in the Continuum: generate • Add value through transfer of unique content and information
that’s easily shareable
awareness and educate topical
influencers about your brand, product or • Deliver relevant messaging that makes the influencer more
knowledgeable about the space and issues
issue
• Allow them to be more knowledgeable amongst their peers
Definition
The education of key influencers on your
Considerations
brand attributes, features, issues, products • Content is a powerful tool; creating content gives audiences an
and/or services opportunity to engage with your business, interact with it, and
give feedback.
Objective • Education/awareness is the catalyst for conversations and
Build awareness and/or shift perceptions of dialogues, leading to further progression along the Continuum.
who you and your brand are.
• In this phase, strive to understand the other things, beyond your
topic, influencers are talking about. This helps craft future
programs.
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8. Influencer Program:
Moving Influencer to Awareness
Naffa International
• B2B engineering resource company founder used Twitter and other social
channels to build his business relationships
• Established him as thought leader in the space and brought recognition to
and awareness of the company
• Social activity included sharing of influencer’s content, engaging with them
across multiple platforms
• Awareness led to followers plus led to increases in traffic to company website
as well as significant sales
TAKEAWAY
Creation of social channels,
such as a company blog or
Twitter account, can help to
generate awareness for
companies large and small
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9. Build Credibility
Phase Delivery
Once in the Awareness phase, it is • Quality vs. quantity in communication strategies
essential to build trust with your • Take a consistent approach without overselling
influencers in order to progress into the • Strive for two-way communications vs. message broadcasting
credibility phase
Considerations
Definition • Focus should be on building a working relationship with people
Develop trust with influencers and help based on mutual respect; begin by developing understanding of
them to identify value in your brand, your influencers’ interests and preferences.
product or service • Interact with influencers on a friendly basis, comment on their
posts, share their content, and join their online conversations.
Objective
• Show that you’re not just pitching, rather, you're listening and
Build goodwill and brand resonance
have something interesting to contribute.
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10. Influencer Program:
Moving Influencers from Awareness to Credibility
Cabot Cheese
• Mid-sized consumer brand uses Pinterest to highlight their own
cheese recipes and those from around the web
– Their
own
recipes
are
repinned
frequently,
as
they’re
adding
credible
content
to
the
conversa;on
– Cabot
also
searches
out,
pins
and
repins
cheese
recipes
from
prominent
food
bloggers,
as
well
as
others,
to
gain
awareness
and
a>en;on
from
them
and
their
communi;es
TAKEAWAY
Establishing credibility with
influencers can have
carryover effect to non-
influencers as well
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11. Create Emotional Connection
Phase Delivery
Forge an emotional connection: this • High touch experiences with the brand
can be done by creating programs • Establish a common value system; speak the same language as
that show that the brand is human, your influencers
has a face, a voice and a personality
Considerations
Definition • Acknowledge influencers, solicit feedback on company initiatives
Humanize the brand and directly and industry trends, aim to learn which approaches, topics, and
engage influencers in brand activities activities would most inspire them to speak and share on your
and content brand’s behalf.
• Networking and social media connections become personal, not
Objective just avatars and usernames.
Humanize your brand and further
• Offline relationships can be extremely powerful in this phase:
differentiate it from others in
events, meetings and in-person activities will cement influencer-
influencers’ minds
brand relationships.
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12. Influencer Program:
Moving Influencer from Credibility to Emotional Connection
Lucky Community
• Appinions client Lucky Magazine created a user-generated section of their
website, Lucky Community, to showcase blogs and content from up-and-
coming fashion voices
• Lucky provides a platform for these influencers to reach a broader audience
while making them a part of the Lucky family
• Interaction and engagement amongst community members helps Community
content bubble up to the Luckymag.com homepage, further cementing the
relationship between Community members and the brand
TAKEAWAY
Showcasing influencers and
elevating their content is a
natural way to create strong
relationships
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13. Create Loyalty
Phase
Delivery
Develop deep brand loyalty by
• Reward positive behavior
translating personal capital into brand
• Trust and emotional connection
capital through referrals and believers
• Provide predictable brand experiences
Definition
Create Super AdvocatesTM for the brand
Considerations
by involving them in longer-term, regular • Leverage influencers’ loyalty by regularly seeking their expertise
actions and programs or advice.
• Ingraining them in the company’s strategy and allowing them to
Objective not only be an influencer but a change maker, will be the catalyst
Ensure long standing loyalty by for conversion to a Super AdvocateTM.
providing a reward for positive
• Recognize influencers when they impact the company’s direction
behaviour, displaying trust, maintaining
an emotional connection and providing • Loyalty – and Super Advocacy – is a long-term commitment and
a consistent predictable experience relationship, not campaign-based.
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14. Influencer Program:
Moving Influencer from Emotional Connection to Loyalty
Ubisoft Brand Champions
• Ubisoft, a multi-platform (Wii, Xbox, etc.) family game developer, created a
“brand champion” program populated by influential parenting bloggers
• Engages Champions in events (online and off), promotions, and content
creation for the brand
• Champions receive review copies of games for their families, represent the
brand at events, and host events on behalf of the brand
TAKEAWAY
A great match between brand
and influencer will yield/create
Super AdvocatesTM with
long term loyalty
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15. The Influencer ContinuumTM
• To effectively engage with influencers and convert them to Super
AdvocatesTM, the Influencer ContinuumTM is your road map to success
• It takes time to move influencers through the Continuum
• The relationships being developed between your brand representatives
and your influencers need to be nurtured and maintained on an ongoing
basis
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