Influencer Marketing: Building Trust and Authority

We hear a lot about influencer marketing these days. If you’re paying any attention, you know that you want to be associated with influencers, to seek them out. You also know that you’d really like to be an influencer yourself. 

So what is an influencer? 

At its most basic level, an influencer is someone with a large social-media following. That following represents a lot of purchasing power. Your goal is to build a relationship with that person because you want his/her endorsement. Mentioning you and your great product on a regular basis in the influencer’s blogs and social media posts will help elevate your own status because that person is highly regarded, trustworthy and widely read.

What separates an influencer from a wannabe?

The most obvious differentiator is the size of a social following. But it transcends quantity. An influencer has integrity and experience. An influencer walks the talk, is an industry thought leader and has name recognition.

Let’s say that Sara is trying to be a travel influencer

Sara talks about her fabulous vacations and has a website and travel blog with endless photos of herself at glamorous destinations. Clearly, Sara doesn’t go anywhere without her selfie-stick. She loves resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean and apparently spends a lot of time poolside with frothy drinks. Her social media followings continue to grow, but there’s never any activity or comment. Her blogs receive very little response. 

Zoe, on the other hand, is an adventure junkie who’s been traveling all over the world for more than 30 years. She has a website, blog and more than 200K followers on her social sites. Unlike Sara, Zoe travels because she’s interested in how other cultures live. Their customs, history and politics, their food and architecture. She shares with her readers the best ways to get around—the tuk-tuks, chicken busses and trains. Where to find the best farmers markets, lodgings and interesting, off the track attractions. You trust Zoe’s recommendations because she’s built trust.

Zoe is an influencer

People want to be mentioned on Zoe’s social sites and blogs because she’s widely read by real travelers—not those who just hang out at resorts. Travel product companies love to be mentioned in Zoe’s blogs. They want to get recommendations about their pickpocket-proof clothing, convertible backpacks, the latest USB charging stations, etc. 

Influencers have Instagram accounts, YouTube channels, social sites, and blogs. They’ve spent time developing their communities and built their brands that make fellow travelers or wannabes want to follow them for their content—not just their words. 

Zoe keeps it light and lively, yet informative

Zoe has visited more than 30 countries on every continent. She has cultivated her community, and her loyal followers read and share her content. It’s lively and informative, and there’s always a nugget to tuck away for her readers’ next trip. 

Are you trying to build your brand and influence in the new year? Contact Top of Mind Marketing. We’re writers and content marketing experts. 

In an Era of Personalization, Creating a Personal Brand

Brand is something we used to talk about all the time. Though it may not dominate conversations anymore, its importance has never diminished. But the brand conversation has evolved. It’s grown from the way your company is perceived to the way you, the owner, are perceived. In an era of personalization, you also need to create a personal brand.

So how is a personal brand different from your business brand?

According to Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room.” With the advent of social sites, personal branding has become a fundamental part of the landscape. A personal brand is how you present yourself to the world. Separate from your company brand, it should also complement it.

Oprah may be the goddess of personal branding

Oprah’s continually building equity in her brand, estimated at $2.5 billion. She has always stuck to her core competency: Challenging her millions of viewers to live the best lives possible by understanding their potential. By being true to herself, Oprah has inspired millions to be their best selves. And really, how can you not love Oprah?

Think of Richard Branson: Smart, rich and wildly successful–a great personal brand

Richard Branson is one of the most visible, successful and well-known men of our era. He has stayed true to his core values, seeking adventure and taking some big-time risks. By being himself, he has often done exactly what other business leaders cautioned against. He’s not afraid of crazy publicity stunts like dressing as a flight attendant for a competing airline. His unorthodox style and commitment to his passions have helped him create a powerful personal brand. “Too many companies want their brands to reflect some idealized, perfected image of themselves. As a consequence, their brands acquire no texture, no character and no public trust.” You have to hand it to Branson–this formula has worked well for him!

Humanizing your brand builds trust

Particularly for small businesses, putting a real, human face to a brand name helps develop the loyalty and trust that are fundamental to building relationships. Think about your website, specifically your Aboutpage. Does it tell a story about you? This is where we go to find out about the people with whom we’re going to be meeting, talking or potentially working. We’re looking for something special; something personal that elevates the person we’re going to meet. We’re also seeking commonality–shared interests and/or passions that will help us feel connected—it could be anything–sports, gardening, biking, hiking, travel, schools, our kids’ activities or our pets.

It’s not enough anymore to create a company brand

Our social channels have forever changed the landscape. With phones as our constant companions, people are now sharing their lives online. For many, it’s way too much of their lives. There is a need to constantly be proving that we lead impossibly busy, fascinating lives. Think about the information you’re sharing across your social channels. Your online narrative should be consistent with how you want people to think of you.

Do you need help developing your brand? Contact Top of Mind of Mind Marketing @ 510.292.1843. We’re writers, strategists and internet marketing experts.