Influencer Marketing 101 – Making Powerful Connections

The PRSA Phoenix luncheon on Tuesday had a huge “influence” (literally) on local PR pros and ASU PRSSA members with Scott Pansky, co-founder of Allison+Partners and Katie Marlark, senior director of research for Allison+Partners. When it comes to influencer marketing, their presentation was an overview of how influencers can make a difference for brands, nonprofits and the cause-space overall and included examples of campaigns using influencers to their greatest advantage and tips on how to build success.

What did the research say?

According to their research 43 percent of followers engage with a cause at least once a month and younger generations are particularly willing to engage with cause campaigns with 34 percent of Millennials volunteering or donating at least once a month. In addition, of those engaged with a cause, more than half have shared information or made a financial donation because of a digital influencer.

What were some additional key points?

• Target Audience is key: An influencer isn’t always someone with the highest number of followers. It is about the audience they have that is the audience you are trying to reach.
• ART- Influencer campaigns must be “ART”: Authentic, Responsible & Transparent and a top-down, celebrity-focused view of influencer marketing may undermine credibility if not done authentically. Consumers look for real messages from influencers who have been touched by a brands efforts.

What were some of the their suggestions as takeaways for practitioners?

• Go beyond reach to find the right influencers for your message
• Work with your influencer to determine how to best bring the message to life for their audience
• Tailor your platforms to your audience and message
• Arm your influencer with information about your cause, efforts and results
• Be prepared to measure more than basic digital engagements.

Did you attend? What was your favorite highlight?