6 Tips for Spotting a Social Media Influencer

Author: Joseph Cole / Source: Business 2 Community Before you delve into the world of influencer-generated content, you need to know the a

Author: Joseph Cole / Source: Business 2 Community

Before you delve into the world of influencer-generated content, you need to know the answer to an essential question: What is a social influencer? The answer varies slightly depending on your industry and goals, but you can spot a social media influencer by looking for a few key traits.

Social media influencers are people who have:

Credibility in a specific subject area
Access to a large group of followers
Built a brand around their personalities, interests, hobbies, or skill sets
The ability to encourage followers to take certain actions
Learned how to engage with their audiences
Developed a unique voice that identifies them to their followers

Let’s break down these qualities so you can better understand your options.

Credibility

If your friend lies to you once, you might not believe anything she says down the road. She’s lost all credibility with you.

Online, social influencers build credibility through transparency. They build trust with their audiences by telling their truth, keeping promises, and demonstrating as much authenticity as possible.

Influencers can establish credibility in numerous ways. For instance, some are established authorities in a specific industry. A physician could turn into a social media influencer because of his established medical knowledge.

Still, others create credibility simply by showing up for their followers. They post on a regular schedule, provide content their audience likes, and otherwise remain truthful.

Followers

It’s true that some social media influencers have small but devoted audiences. These influencers typically post or blog around a very targeted niche, so they don’t need a big audience to make a difference.

Depending on your industry, however, you might want to work with a social influencer who has a larger following. You’ll reach more people and gain enhanced brand visibility. Keep in mind that an influencer’s reach doesn’t stop with the people who follow her on Twitter or Facebook. Followers can share her content, extending the reach even further.