Content marketing and social media platforms are very important tools when it comes to reaching customers or a mass audience. This is especially important for those in competitive industries trying to break through and command consumer attention.
Social media is one of the most effective marketing platforms, as almost every consumer you could want to target is active on at least one of the many platforms. Whether it’s Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or Snapchat, using the leverage of a celebrity influencer is a great way to place your business in front of a large audience, attracting them and then converting them into customers.
Celebrities often have large and loyal followings, and when they introduce your offer to their following the trust is already established. Their followers immediately trust your brand because of the celebrity introduction. This strategy can be wildly effective, however, there are certain factors that you need to consider before hiring a celebrity influencer for your business.
The number of followers.
The first thing that you need to consider is the number of followers the celebrity influencer has. The more followers your influencer has, the more people that will potentially be exposed to your brand and offer.
“While followers don’t automatically translate into sales, it’s a good idea to target celebrities with a decent amount, as the cost will typically be high, so you want to get the most out of your budget,” offers Darryl Howard of NuWays MD.
You also want to do a little audit of their followers, and make sure they align with your offer. Large numbers alone won’t help. You need to make sure their audience is one that will be interested in what you offer. For example, a fitness celebrity’s followers aren’t going to be interested in a candy brand. Target larger audiences based on audience and not just sheer numbers alone.
Celebrity status.
The status of the celebrity is also a huge factor that needs to be taken into consideration. For instance, a celebrity that has a strong online presence will have more influence on the audience that one that isn’t highly active online. To put it in other words, a celebrity that interacts more on an online platform will be able to generate more value-packed influence on his or her followers than a celebrity who is not that active online.
“So, if you are planning to hire a celebrity influencer you need to make sure that he or she has a strong online presence to go along with a great number of followers — that is the only combination that will benefit your business,” says Diana Martin of PianoHunter.
The type of content they post.
Another thing that needs to be considered is the kind of posts usually posted by a potential influencer. “Remember, an influencer that you hire is representing your brand. If they have questionable or controversial content on their account it can reflect poorly on your company by association. Spend time to really make sure their content suits your brand’s message,” says Jake Braun of ChopperExchange.
When you look at a celebrity like The Rock, you know that his message is always positive. He is never in trouble and doesn’t post content that is offensive and rude. A comedian, on the other hand, might have video clips or posts with foul language that your brand would not want to be linked to.
Social media outlet.
Each brand or business needs to have a good understanding of what social media platforms their target audience is most active on. “A company that is targeting senior citizens, for example, wouldn’t want to hire a large Snapchat celebrity, as their audience doesn’t use that platform. Know where your audience is active, and then find celebrities that dominate those platforms,” suggests Optimally Organic’s CEO, Christopher VanDeCar.
So, if you are planning to hire a celebrity influencer you first need to make sure that he or she caters to that particular social media platform. Otherwise, there is no point hiring that particular influencer for your business, as there will be little to no return.
Audience engagement.
You want to target influencers that have high engagement rates in terms of likes and comments, but you also want to look for those that actually engage back with their following.
“You could do well by having a large account post about your product, but if you work with an influencer that will drop back into the comments and engage with the audience on sponsored posts, it will cause much more engagement, and thus more exposure for your business,” says Luqman Khan, founder of best water dispenser 2018 review company Wireloo.
A good celebrity influencer not only puts up quality posts, but he or she also interacts with the audience. Regular interaction means that they are likely to pay more attention to your posts.
