Nicole Perrin on Emarketer writes about the life stages of a social media influencer summarizing it’s value from a recent white paper from ICOM, a division of Epsilon Targeting, which suggests that demographic variables do not reveal the key differences in word-of-mouth behavior between influencers—individuals are most likely to talk to their friends and social network about a product or brand—and average users also depending on their life stages. You can request the pdf report from here (form request)
The study shows that there is no universal influencer – consumers are influencers strictly within product categories, not across all categories. In addition, few commonalities exist within demographics for influencers. They cross gender, age, income levels and channels. While influencers tend to do their talking in person, there is an opportunity to broaden their message through new channels such as social media.
According to Gillian MacPherson, Senior Director, Product Marketing & Insight, “This study is the culmination of three years of research. While we already know that influencers are a prime audience for today’s marketer, it is critical that we also understand their attributes, channel preferences, and behavior. Only then will marketers be able to effectively communicate with this valuable segment of the population.”
Tips for engaging influencers:
- It’s not about targeting a specific demographic or channel; understanding the behavior of influencers is critical
- Once targeted based on their behavior, influencers can be engaged with a tailored message across multiple channels, thus becoming a brand ambassador
- Messages should be familiar and conversational, since influencers talk more frequently person-to-person
- Influencers are highly motivated by being able to give feedback directly to brands and manufacturers ; Influencers are also more likely to sign up for brand websites or e-newsletters as they like to be one of the first to hear about new products and information
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