Please note this is not my work but is shared in the interests of community awareness,

1. HOW TO GET
SOCIAL MEDIA
INFLUENCERS
TALKING ABOUT YOU

2. Who are Social Media Influencers?
Why are They so Important?
A social media influencer is someone expand your customer base, and launches, news and deals. It takes
who talks positively about your brand ultimately drive more sales. Word some legwork, but will have an
and products on Twitter, Facebook, of mouth has always been the most immediate payoff whenever you want
Google+, Pinterest or any other social trusted way for a potential customer to get your message out quickly. New
media platform. He or she can be to hear about your product. Social tools make it easier than ever to find
anyone from a mom on Facebook who media makes word of mouth digital. these influencers—but how do you
likes to mention her favorite products bring them into your circle and get
to a big-name blogger in your industry. Maintaining a database of your them talking positively about you?
influencers that includes the size of Below are 6 tips for doing just that.
Getting the right people excited and their networks and other demographic
talking about your brand is one of the information is a great way to create
best ways to improve brand recognition, instant outreach lists for new product
TIP
1 Find Influencers Inside
and Outside of the Box
Use Google searches and Twitter searches Big-name influencers are great to get, so by
to find people who are already interested in all means work on bringing the movers and
your industry, or in your target demographic. shakers in your industry into your network,
People talking about your brand and your but don’t forget the up-and-comers, who will
competitors’ brands are your first tier of have more incentive to be the first to mention
influencers, but remember to look outside something new and cool. If you identify must-
those areas. A company that makes interior have influencers, their competitors will probably
decor might also want to check out fashion be valuable too.
A rule of thumb blogs, DIY blogs and construction blogs—
look for interesting overlaps. You can use You can also follow your current network to
to build a good
tools like Klout and Kred to determine who other influencers. A rule of thumb to build
Twitter network a good Twitter network is to follow ten new
has the biggest reach, but even someone
is to follow ten with a small network may have a lot of people every day. Some of them may not turn
new people influence. Social network management tools out to be particularly helpful influencers, but
some of them will follow you back, and some
every day. like Sysomos Heartbeat make it easy to talk
to many of them at once. of those will turn into influencers for you.
HOW TO GET SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS TALKING ABOUT YOU 2

3. TIP
2 Use Measurement to
Cultivate from Within
People are probably already talking about While it can be incredibly beneficial to
your brand and other brands in your industry. get a mention from a celebrity, customers
Similarly, your best influencers may already are actually most influenced by what their
be in your network—people who pay attention friends and family do and like, followed by
to your social media presence and know who people they consider “like them”—their
you are. friends-of-friends network, and people
with similar demographics. Your network is
Customers are most influenced by what probably already full of people who can be
minor influencers by speaking to their friends
their friends and family do and like.
and family about your product. We’ll discuss
how to get them talking a little later, but for
Tools like Sysomos Heartbeat can help you now, don’t discount the local influencers in
identify these conversations so you can add your network.
the influencers to your social networks and
begin reaching out to them.
TIP
3 Recognize and Reward
Your Influencer
Everyone likes to feel special and in-the- Asking your followers to re-tweet or “Like”
know—to be that friend who’s always able something you post for a contest entry
to recommend the next new thing. And social or coupon is a good way to get a lot of
media influencers are no exception. Your quick mentions—just be aware that most
outreach strategy should include tactics for of these people may fade away after the
recognizing and rewarding important players initial excitement. If you want to keep them
in your social media circle. Consider creating engaged, keep giving them topical, timely
an influencer network whose members get rewards and information.
first crack at special content, deals, offers and
news as well as free demos of your product
or service. You can also tap particularly
Give your influencers first crack
dedicated influencers for feedback about new at special content, deals, offers
products or services—brand loyalists will love and news.
to feel like they’ve had an impact.
Big social media blitzes are good for sharing
big news, but the strategy shouldn’t end after
the first burst of interest.
HOW TO GET SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS TALKING ABOUT YOU 3

4. TIP
4 Be Personal
Everyone likes the one-on-one touch. but will also tell you how long they have been
Engaging a social influencer, especially one discussing the topics. Be patient and tactful:
with a big readership, is a lot like reaching out It takes time to build relationships to the point
to a reporter or journalist—but there are a where you can start putting your product in
few differences to keep in mind. For instance, front of these influencers and ask them to
influencers are deeply passionate about their promote it.
topics and probably know more about your
market than you do. They will ask tough Remember, influence online is a two-way
Pick three to ten questions, and you have to be prepared street. Your influencers have helped you out
influencers a to answer them. by talking you up—keep the relationship
going by giving them a mention. For example,
week to mention Learn about their interests and engage with try picking three to ten influencers a week to
on your blog them on their turf and on their terms. A social mention on your blog or other social media
or other social media monitoring tool with historical archives platform. Feature influencers with a range
media platform. will not only inform you about what topics of reaches—your smaller influencers will be
these influencers posted or commented on thrilled to be mentioned with the big names.
TIP
5 Tailor the Tactic to the Platform
Influencer behavior on Twitter doesn’t look a contest with a shareable social good—
the same as on Facebook, Google+, Quora, everyone knows someone with a college
or any of a hundred blogs and social student in the family.
platforms. Twitter’s reach is at its best with
short, pithy updates that can be re-tweeted.
Update your Twitter feed no more than once Update your Twitter feed no more
an hour (except to carry on conversations), than once an hour, and no less than
and no less than once every business day. once every business day.
Facebook users update less often and
influencers are much less likely to share Other social media sites reward different
something purely commercial, for fear of tactics. On many blogs and discussion
losing readers. Facebook is a great place platforms, becoming part of the dialog is
for games and shareable experiences, and the best way to engage users. Don’t forget
especially socially conscious initiatives like to cross-pollinate. Share great blog posts
donation programs. Dr. Pepper’s Tuition (with your comments) on your Twitter feed,
Giveaway is a great example that combines and share a great Facebook photo on Pinterest.
HOW TO GET SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS TALKING ABOUT YOU 4

5. TIP
6 Keep Up with the
Social Media Conversation
Being an integral part of the social media That sort of personality isn’t right for every
conversation in your industry is a great brand, but every brand can benefit from
way to get influencers talking about you being part of the conversation. Share industry
organically. JetBlue on Twitter is a particularly news, your reaction to it, and what you think
good example of this—the airline is an engaging it means for the future. If a competitor does
presence in the conversation between frequent something impressive, give it a compliment.
flyers and other travel companies. Its Twitter Be gracious or snarky on your social channels,
updates are youthful and cheeky, just like but don’t shy away from having an opinion.
its brand, and JetBlue is not afraid to say That’s what keeps people thinking and talking
something a little sassy to its competitors. about you.
Don’t shy away from having an opinion. That’s what keeps people thinking
and talking about you.
Influence is Always Changing
The social media conversation— of influencers fresh, understand how all marketing initiatives, and even the
and even the platform where it’s they’re talking about you, and continue future of your company. Engaging with
happening—is constantly evolving. to grow your network. social media influencers takes time
So are your influencers. Just like in and attention, but it can pay huge
the old days, there’s no substitute for Watching who your influencers are dividends in highly credible buzz about
good relationships to drive sales. Use and how they are talking about your your brand, increased sales, and new
measurement tools to keep your pool brand and your industry can give you customers and customer segments.
valuable information that can affect
HOW TO GET SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS TALKING ABOUT YOU 5

6. About Sysomos
Sysomos, a Marketwire company, brings business intelligence to social media, providing instant
and unlimited access to all social media conversations to quickly see what’s happening, why
it’s happening, and who’s driving the conversations.
Through the use of contextual text analytics and data mining technology, Sysomos collects data
from blogs, Twitter, social networks, forums, video sites and major news sources.
Our products give you the ability to quickly discover the tone of the conversations and identify
sentiment by gender, age and location.
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contact@sysomos.com blog.sysomos.com
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HOW TO GET SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS TALKING ABOUT YOU 6