Why You Might Be Thinking About Influencer Marketing All Wrong

Social Pros Podcast

Jason Falls, Director of Digital Strategy at Cornett, joins the Social Pros Podcast to debunk common myths and misconceptions around influencer marketing. We also talk about his new book, “Winfluence.”

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Full Episode Details

Is the letter “r” the only difference between "influence" and "influencer," or is there more to it than that?

Jason Falls, Director of Digital Strategy at Cornett, states that when you talk about influence, it’s not about the channel, the influencer, or even the person. It’s not a noun, it’s a verb. So, when you’re talking about influence, you’re talking about your strategic purpose. As Jason said in this episode of the podcast, “you want to influence an audience to take action.”

Understanding the difference between influence and influencer is so important. In this episode, Jason reveals whether it’s more beneficial to have a popular influencer promote your brand vs. someone who talks passionately about your brand to a smaller audience. We also dig into why he prefers the term "influence marketing" over "influencer marketing" and some common misconceptions around influencer marketing.

In This Episode:

• 08:59 – How influence shifts the perspective to the action rather than the channel
• 12:02 – Why we often make the mistake of relying on influencers rather than influence
• 15:18 – Why people tend to be skeptical of influencers and their authenticity
• 18:52 – What makes influencer marketing work
• 21:01 – How to find the sweet spot when searching for the right influencer for your brand
• 23:05 – Why it’s better to have fewer influencers who you have a relationship with vs. many influencers
• 29:53 – Who should be responsible for influencer marketing within an organization
• 31:38 – The pros and cons of asking an influencer to be category exclusive
• 38:01 – How social pros can use the three most important words in influence marketing to their benefit

Resources:

• Get the new State of Marketing report for free from Salesforce
• Find out more about the community at SocialMedia.org with a special form for Social Pros listeners
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• Get $30 off of your Tailwind Subscription!
• Read ‘Winfluence’ by Jason Falls
• Visit Jason’s website

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