Influencer Marketing Overview

Geoff Nelsongeoff@ivyworldwide.com

Influencer Marketing - It identifies the individuals that have influence over potential buyers, and orients marketing activities around these influencers.

Our objective – Give influencers compelling and ongoing reasons to talk about your brand, products and services.

A definition

Influencer marketing:

Where does it fit within marketing?

Why is it an important part of your marketing mix?

Secondary research findings

When we enter the workplace we do not cease being consumers. The habits we exhibit as consumers carry over into how we search and evaluate information in our B2B roles..

• Influencer Marketing is not Public Relations• PR = broadcasting a message (press releases, media pitch)• Influencer marketing = online community relationships

• Influencer Marketing is not Social Media• Social media = brands connecting with customers, buyers• Influencer marketing = brands connecting with influencers

• Influencer Marketing is not Content Marketing• Content marketing = you create branded content• Influencer marketing = influencers create earned content

What influencer marketing is not

Implications for marketersOnline influencers’ sway now outweighs that of marketers

1. Buyers may not contact salespeople until they are 70% through their decision journey (CDJ)

2. Buyers search online to read what trusted experts and your customers say about your products

3. You must now think like a publisher, engaging online influencers to generate content that influences buyers in the initial 70% of the buying cycle

©2014 Ivy Worldwide, Inc. 6

Source: McKinsey & Co

Results of Behavior ShiftEmpowered buyers rely less on brands for product information

Trend A:

Buyers have been shown to trust third parties (friends, peers, industry experts) more than brands.

Impact:

Paid and owned media have less influence the further buyers progress in their decision journey.

Trend B:

Buyers are conducting their own product research and waiting until nearly 70% through their decision journey before contacting a salesperson.

Impact:

Brand sales channels have less interaction with buyers to make the sale.

©2014 Ivy Worldwide, Inc. 7Source: McKinsey & Co

• Three primary ways influencers can be leveraged:• Communications (deliver messages to their audience)• Promotions (deliver offers to their audience)• Insights (solicit feedback from their audience)

• Why it Works:• Trust – influencers don’t work for your brand• Reach – access to incremental audiences• Leverage – influencers create content for you• Cost – you’re not renting eyeballs (e.g. paid media)• Effectiveness – earned content is indexed by search engines and is

visible for years, while paid media ceases to be visible when the ad buy expires

Influencer tactics

• Remember: Trust is a process – not an event• Understand what is important to them:

• Follow target influencers• Read target influencers

• What they want - Add value to their brand• Provide expert content and access to your resources• Give them experiences with your product, brand and customers• Sponsor events• Contribute to conversation threads (educate their audience)• Offer exclusive audience benefits• Offer unique insight about your company for their audience

How to woo them

• Business advocates - influencers that are extremely familiar with your

services and perspective will share this knowledge with their readers

• Increased Agility – Fast-twitch marketing - your competitors to become

reactive to your messaging and perspective

• Competitive advantage - Insights into trends and competitive offerings

• Earned Credibility – people don’t trust brands. But they trust brands

recommended by others.

• Valuable Long-term Relationships – This is the most important. Influencers

have vast networks. Your brand will benefit by investing in this relationship.

Indirect Benefits

• Informed Leads – Potential customers that are on a mission rather than

on a shopping trip

• SEO for Life – BLOG=Better Listings On Google. And Google never forgets.

• Compelling Content – Bloggers are storytellers. That’s how they’ve built

their audience.

• Targeted Awareness – Direct connection to readers that are looking for

what you offer

• Door-opener content for your sales force – And proof points to help close

deals

Direct Benefits

Implications for marketersOnline influencers’ sway now outweighs that of marketers

1. Buyers may not contact salespeople until they are 70% through their decision journey (CDJ)

2. Buyers search online to read what trusted experts and your customers say about your products

3. You must now think like a publisher, engaging online influencers to generate content that influences buyers in the initial 70% of the buying cycle

©2014 Ivy Worldwide, Inc. 12

Source: McKinsey & Co

Results of Behavior ShiftEmpowered buyers rely less on brands for product information

Trend A:

Buyers have been shown to trust third parties (friends, peers, industry experts) more than brands.

Impact:

Paid and owned media have less influence the further buyers progress in their decision journey.

Trend B:

Buyers are conducting their own product research and waiting until nearly 70% through their decision journey before contacting a salesperson.

Impact:

Brand sales channels have less interaction with buyers to make the sale.

©2014 Ivy Worldwide, Inc. 13Source: McKinsey & Co

The ProblemBrands are spending in the wrong places

©2014 Ivy Worldwide, Inc. 14Source: McKinsey & Co

The SolutionReallocate funding across all media types for lead generation

©2014 Ivy Worldwide, Inc. 15Source: McKinsey & Co

2014 Ivy Worldwide All Rights Reserved

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