In an ultra digital world, campaigns are increasingly looking for influencers to promote their candidates. Traditionally, we think of Instagram influencers; people with thousands, even millions of followers. However, influencers can be much more local. They could be an editor of a newsletter, a blogger, or even the moderator of a large Facebook group.
For example, do you want to raise public awareness about the child tax credit? A good opportunity may exist to target suburban parents through the local PTA president with a huge Facebook following or a parent who runs a popular neighborhood blog.
While campaigns have relied on endorsements from individuals and groups, influencers particularly have a large digital presence through social media or the web. They have typically built this level of influence by their relevance and expertise in their content.
“The level of influence someone has depends on their reputation and degree of involvement with that target audience,” Ian Rushton said. “You need to bring on highly qualified, well-versed individuals who can communicate effectively with an audience of people who care about a topic and are knowledgeable about disseminating information.”
Rushton does discourage using only content creators with large audiences.
Despite their influence, these influencers can’t provide the groundwork that is needed in a local area. Additionally, it’s imperative that small businesses, campaigns, and organizations create a social media toolkit to assure the partners are on message when an influencer marketing program has launched.
It’s important that your social media toolkit is easy to use for your influencers and volunteers. Include sample messaging and tips for keeping messages on point to your overall communications strategy. Make sure your social media toolkit is clear, concise, and can be adapted for multiple content platforms. Post your toolkit on your website so even your campaign volunteers can access it.
Rather than working solely with content creators that are not directly connected to a campaign, be sure to turn your volunteers into social media ambassadors. These volunteers can promote your campaign message to their networks, share your social media posts and boost engagement in their networks. These “brand champions” are just as important as your supporters who knock on doors or donate.
Adapting to a changing social media landscape can be made easy with influencer marketing. Want to leverage the power of influencer marketing? Contact us today and speak with one of our experts.