Video: Most Marketers Dismiss Social Media Influencer Research

Let me clarify. Most B2B marketers dismiss social media influencer research.

It’s true but let me explain.

I developed a model called the Supply & Demand of Brand Relevance, which can help marketers and PR pros find market white space. On the right side are different audiences groups that should be important to you, one being the influencer community. Using social media influencer research, you can understand their media consumption and the topics, trends, and conversations that keep them up at night. The stories that are “Demanding” their attention.

The left side of the model represents brand messaging. Using a similar analysis, you can uncover the stories, messages, and narratives pushed into the marketplace. This is the “Supply” of storytelling.

The question you have to ask is whether you are meeting the audience’s demand with your supply of content. Most of the time, you’re not.

An image of a social media influencer research model that can help find market white space.

Social media influencer research can give you the insights you need to adapt your messaging and align it to what’s top of mind with the influencers you are trying to reach. I put together an influencer analytics example that should help get you started.

Is this approach considered influencer marketing?

Yes, and no.

Yes, because research is always an important component of marketing. No, because social media influencer research doesn’t require you to create a campaign or program. All you do after the research is implement the insights into your PR, marketing, and content programs. You will then be meeting the demand of your audience.

Why this matters:

If you want to be relevant to an audience, you have to relate to them. Speak the same language. Use the same buzzwords and vernacular. This helps with content discovery by the influencer community and the audiences, and B2B buyers they influence.

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Michael Brito

Michael Brito is a Digital OG. He’s been building brands online since Al Gore invented the Internet. You can connect with him on LinkedIn or Twitter.