Influence marketing: Why is it important to target a small group of online influencers?

May 10, 2011

An important component of an expansion stage company’s online marketing strategy has to do with targeting the right group of influencers. It’s not about marketing to all possible influencers that are out there or to just the most well-known; it’s about finding the right group of influencers who are a perfect fit for what your product has to offer.

According to Pierre-Loic Assayag, the President of Traackr, there are three main advantages to this:

Relevant influencers create signals, whereas the “big fish” create noise. Traditional advertising, especially ads showcasing consumer goods, gave marketers the illusion that the more the noise, the higher the success rate. With online influencers, however, it is really important that you are able to attract the select few who have built authority and expertise, and can influence with the target audience you’re interested in. These influencers, even if they are few, will be better able to persuade your prospects as they already have a trusted relationship with them.
A targeted group of influencers increases the “engagement hit rate
. This means that you will no longer be wasting your time and energy on a large group of people who may or may not be interested in your product/service, and who may not even know about your field. Having a targeted list of influencers means that you will be communicating with people who are truly interested in your issues, industry and product/service.
Even the “big fish” are influenced by targeted voices.
This means that through a targeted group of influencers, you are likely to influence everyone else who is connected to your influencers. Also, the “big fish” are more likely to pay attention to the targeted influencers as they are the industry/product experts who in turn get interested in your product and cover your story. Engage them early and build a relationship with them. Let them tell your brand/product story. 
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Co-Founder

Faria Rahman is the Co-Founder of <a href="https://www.treemarc.com/">Treemarc</a> which, uses machine learning to make it easy for businesses to order custom packaging and product nesting in a few minutes. Previously, she was a Senior Associate at Northbridge Financial Corporation, a leading commercial property and casualty insurance management company offering a wide range of innovative solutions to Canadian businesses. Faria also worked at OpenView from 2010 to 2011 where she was part of the Market Research team.