By: Crisel Mills, Account Manager 

There are a number of reasons why you should consider influencer marketing as part of your overall PR strategy. Influencers today aren’t just endorsing a product. Yes, they do that too, but tap into the right influencers whether it’s moms, fitness, travel, personal tech, etc., and you’re able to amplify your reach based on their number of loyal followers.

As you look to 2018, here are six reasons to consider an influencer program:

  1. You’re a new player in a crowded space or trying to create a new category altogether. All brands can benefit from an influencer program, but when you’re the new kid on the block, you may find that you have more educating to do. Influencers amplify the awareness generated by your PR team and allow you to tout your benefits in a friendly environment.
  2. You seek control over your message. There’s a reason earned media is highly coveted – it gives your brand credibility, but there’s also no guarantee all your messages will appear in a published article. If you want more control over messaging and how your brand is presented, consider supplementing your pitching efforts with influencers to reinforce the messages media may have missed.
  3. Your marketing calendar has dark periods. While a savvy agency partner will work with you to generate news, having an influencer program in place ensures your brand remains top of mind even when you don’t have any announcements to share.
  4. You need to drive immediate awareness. If you’re planning a PR stunt or unique campaign, consider amplifying your efforts with influencers. They are quick to activate and extend your reach, setting your campaign up to go viral.
  5. You seek content to repurpose. Although you’re paying for the blogs and/or video, most influencers today will only partner with brands that align with their core values and beliefs. So even though the content is paid for content, it’s written in a way that is still true to their voice and therefore ideal for repurposing.
  6. You seek measurable results. Most platforms whether full service or DIY give you the analytics to track engagement against your goals. As your campaign progresses, you have an opportunity to apply learnings to ensure you’re on pace to reach those goals.

If you can relate to any of these scenarios, you may want to consider incorporating influencers into your overall marketing strategy. If you have any questions or would like to inquire about an influencer program, contact us at pr@msrcommunications.com.