WHO IS AN INFLUENCER
When a brand marketer calls our agency and says they want to do 'celebrity influencer partnerships' we know what they likely want as a result of a social influencer campaign - but often times what they think they are asking for isn't actually it.
Today, there is a very fine line nowadays between 'celebrity' and just 'a big-deal social influencer.' But a very different deliverable is achieved based on who you work with. In this blog, Hollywood Branded shares an infographic cheat sheet prepared by Jason Quey of The Storyteller Marketer, and our insights on choosing the influencer you want to work with - really.
The Celebrity...Who Has Social Media
When someone says they want to partner with a celebrity for social media - sometimes they really do mean they want to partner with a musician or actor. And we happily create those partnerships. But they are VERY different from a partnership with a social influencer.
Celebrities have followings that can be very engaged. And sometimes they have big followings - and sometimes, really not so much so, making them not the best bet for a brand. For example: a celebrity male who is over 40 and an actor - don't bet on their even necessarily having a social media account. And even if they did, if your brand is targeting other men and hoping to use this celebrity to do so - your consumer demo isn't following them.
Celebrities (again, the TRUE form of celebrity that we think of typically) are also not going to go above and beyond and actually CREATE content for the brand marketer. Typically content is fed to these celebrities, with suggested imagery and text written and supplied for them to tweak and post.
And a celebrity may also not want to partner with your brand if the general category could lead them to bigger dollar endorsement deals. And their asking price? Higher than you expect, as their social media numbers aren't going to support any sort of CPM that you find realistic. After all, they are CELEBRITY - and the general feeling is that their value of partnering with you extends far beyond their social reach.
The Social Influencer Who Is A Celebrity To Many (Millennials)
And then there is the "celebrity social influencer". These are people that have MASSIVE social media footprints all based on the content they choose to align themselves with and post. Entrepreneurs in the true sense of the word, these individuals have started with the exact same social media accounts you (may) have, and built them to have hundreds of thousands or even millions of people tune in to their every post. There are TV networks out there that don't have the reach of some of these individuals.
And they are powerful! Not only are they seen as being authentic, they know how to create content that gets attention. Which means they know what hashtags to use for you too... Social influencers are not talented in the general way we have thought of Talent - but they are talented at creating a persona that people want to engage with.
And they command some significant dollars as well. Just because these people aren't on TV or in music videos doesn't mean they don't get paid - because with a partnership with them, there will be significant dollars attached - even for a single post. But just like celebrities, what these influencers are REALLY looking for is a longer term partnership with a brand for a designated time frame - where they can help create content for the brand, and drive traffic and engagement through their social media. And brands be wise - these guys know what they are doing and how to best engage their followers.
The Infographic
The infographic below helps provide a better understanding of the various types of influencers brands (and our agency!) work with, and how best to work with them beyond a phone call or email. It was originally found on Jason's article on SumoMe.
Now That You Have A Better Understanding...
Take a moment and check out these five blogs we've written that dive more deeply into how you can successfully create an influencer marketing campaign:
- 3 Insights To Create Affordable Influencer Marketing Campaigns
- 3 Things Brands Need To Understand About FTC Guidelines On Influencers
- 3 Tips To Make Your Brand Appealing To Top Social Media Influencers
- 5 Signs Your Brand Should Invest in Influencer Marketing
- 8 Step Guide On How Much To Spend On Social Influencer Marketing
You can learn more about how to successfully partner celebrities to your brand - without spending a million?
Learn the ins and outs of making Influencer and Celebrity Marketing work? Access Our Full-Length Videos, Transcripts, Audio Files Infographics & More!! Hollywood Branded's Influencer Marketing School advances your influencer marketing game. These courses are for brand and agency marketers to provide insight into how influencer marketing strategies work, and the best practices and strategies to make them do so.
