Networking with online influencers for added social media traction

What if you threw a party and no one came?

That’s the nightmarish possibility looming over any marketer launching a new content-based campaign online. The best content won’t go far if you can’t get anyone to look at it. It helps if your brand already has a massive online following. But if it doesn’t, and even if it does, you can still earn added traction in social media by networking strategically with online influencers. These are people whose blogs, twitter feeds or videos are relevant to your keywords and have a massive online following.

A single retweet, comment or share from a relevant online influencer can dramatically multiply your campaign’s visibility and reach. But influencers are aware of their power and their responsibility to use it responsibly and retain their reputation. You can’t just draw up a list of the top 10 bloggers you want to reach out to and mail them with a request to plug your content. You need to work on networking with them, building a relationship over time. Here are some ways to get there:

1. Start following them: Choose less than 10 influencers to follow. Subscribe to their blog, connect to them on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and so on. Attend a live event featuring them if you can.
2. Support them and their community: Start sharing their updates and posts, buy some of their offerings. Better still, write a detailed review about their offerings and ideas. Get active in their community, if they have a discussion forum or a group on a social networking site. Help keep the discussions alive – they will appreciate the effort!
3. Help out: As you follow your chosen influencers, look out for chances to help them out. Let’s say they’re travelling to a place they’ve never visited before and want some context on what to expect. If you can offer personal insights, or at least link to a great resource, they’re likely to remember you positively.
4. Offer your expertise for free: Ultimately, you are trying to get your influencers to promote an offering that is relevant to them. Let’s say you’re a bespoke furniture maker reaching out to a leading interior design expert. Write to him or her and offer a free consult on one of their projects. Seeing your expertise in action will help make them into advocates.

There are several other possibilities, most of which are variations on these four key concepts. Remember, the social web is about two-way conversations and passing it along. If you give attention and value, you’re more likely to make it worthwhile for others to do the same for you.

On that note: Did you like this blog post? Found it useful? Let us know!