In 2018, #ad is out. #XPartner is the trend. And small business scores using micro-influencers to market their products.
Influence marketing came of age in 2017. Big brands gathered hefty influencers like groupies. Small businesses looking to grow their brand and sales set their sights a little lower, with just as much success.
Micro-influencers, those with 25,000 to 250,000 followers, is a perfect fit for small business marketing. Working with a few micro-influencers is a cost-effective way to get many eyes on your product and increase your revenue.
Authenticity is key to the relationship. The most successful relationship is the one where the micro-influencer loves and uses your service or product. Consumers can smell spam a mile away now, and #ad screams it.
The FCC also clamped down on influencer marketing last year, and transparency is required. Micro-influencers must disclose payment for hawking your wares, such as including #sponsored in their post. Both of you could be in trouble if they’re not.
The challenge for small business is locating the best influencers and then handling the relationship. Begin by perusing Instagram or YouTube for a good match. Don’t limit the search to these two social sites especially if your business successfully uses another social site.
Technology provides a solution if your resources are limited. Tapinfluence, Onalytica, and Upinfluence are a few who automate the process of locating and managing your micro-influencers. There is no reason not to invest in a little influence to increase sales and magnify your brand.
Author: Kris Keppeler, writer for Crossing Genres on Medium.com, and Does This Happen to You? on Channillo. Award winning podcast producer. Follow her @KrisKKAria on Twitter or on LinkedIn.
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