Phoenix SEO - Today's consumers have grown weary and wary of traditional advertising. Unsurprisingly, a substantial amount of consumers put more trust in the recommendations of the people they know: friends and relatives. Compared to ads placed on radio, TV and print, word-of- mouth has gained more traction, especially when paired with social media.

One offshoot of these recent trends is influencer marketing where companies leverage the clout of individuals to influence the purchasing decisions of the people in their circles. Influencers refer to people who are popular, have a solid reputation, or are deemed to be experts in their fields.

In influencer marketing, the positive experience of the influencer can lend both credibility and recognition to your company.

But how do you get started with influencer marketing if you do not have ample resources to enlist the help of a celebrity? Here are some helpful tips from a Phoenix SEO expert.

Know who to look for and where

Your initial goal is to find thought leaders who have enough sway in the market you are targeting. For this purpose, there are a few online tools that can make the task easier for you. These include tools that measure an influencer's social media reach.

Next, set a criteria for the ideal influencer. Broadly speaking, your target influencer should be active online, especially on social networks. They should have a sizeable following from members of your target market and consistently engage with them.

A little background

When you have compiled a list of potential influencers, the next important task that you need to undertake is to monitor and assess their online activities and engagement with their followers. At the same time, you'd like to get clear insight into their voice and the topics they usually tackle.

Reaching out

Once you have narrowed down and refined your list further, the next thing that you need to do is to build a relationship with these individuals. The best way to reach out to them is to follow them on social media and share their content pieces. After that, comment on the content they post and begin engaging with them.

Engagement

Next, facilitate engagement between your target influencer and your brand. There are several ways to go about this, including citing the influencer in your content and asking for their insights about topics relevant to your industry. You can also try to solicit content from these influencers.

Making the final choice

Sometimes, your initial attempts with a particular individual may not work out the way you envisioned it to. It may be as simple as the influencer having too many commitments or your offer not generating enough interest. Don't give up; give it another try.

On the other hand, if an influencer has ignored your attempts to establish a relationship or has requested you to cross them off your list, stop.

Another way to eliminate candidates from your list is to measure the results they have achieved or failed to achieve for you, whether you are eyeing an increase in sales or in the number of subscribers.