INFLUENCER RELATIONS 2015

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Mervyn Cannon
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1 REPORT INFLUENCER RELATIONS 2015 A Study Highlighting Current Approaches, Opportunities and Key Challenges

3 Introduction 4 Key findings 5 Why invest in influencer relations? 9 Maximizing your influencer relations: the basics 12 3

4 INTRODUCTION Influencer relations (or influencer marketing) has developed into a discipline in its own right. However, it s clear that communications practitioners are still struggling to get the right foundations and framework in place in order to maximize activity. LEWIS recently conducted a study with over 100 senior B2B PR, communications and marketing professionals from across EMEA. From the study, we have built a picture of current approaches, opportunities and the key challenges of influencer relations. 4

5 KEY FINDINGS With 49% of respondents unclear on future investment, it is evident that influencer relations lacks a strategic approach in many organizations. It s encouraging to see that organizations do have an influencer relations program in place, and are planning further investment in the next twelve months. What is concerning however, is that there is still no clear home for the practice, but it rather seems to reside within either marketing, communications or PR for many organizations. Whilst communications is generally becoming more global, largely because of the adoption of digital, influencer relations is still widely practiced on a regional level. This shows the gap between influencer relations and wider communications strategy. 5

6 KEY FINDINGS 45% have no influencer program in place WHY? Lack of resources Lack of knowledge on benefits of influencer relations Not a priority for investment *13% other LEWIS PR / Influencer Relations Report 2015 / Fig. 1 6

7 relations pr Of those with an influencer relations program... Who owns influencer relations activity? 52% Programs are regional 42% Programs are global 6% Not sure 34% Combination of marketing, comms and/or PR departments 29% PR department 22% Marketing department *15% other Why implement an influencer relations program? Key targets for influencer relations activity: 1 2 Enhance the brand Meet influential people/networking 1 Media 4 Think tanks 3 4 Customer acquisition Impact policy 2 Bloggers 5 Members of Parliament 5 Speaker engagement 3 Industry bodies 6 Academics LEWIS PR / Influencer Relations Report 2015 / Fig. 2 7

8 Biggest challenges of influencer relations 1 Engagement 2 Identifying the most influential people 3 Identifying the right forum 4 No clear understanding of ROI 24% 27% Future investment 49% % Not sure Main drivers for investment Will increase influencer relations budget in next year Will NOT increase influencer relations budget in next year Shift in communications strategy 26% 30% 32% Not sure Shown greater results than other activities *12% other LEWIS PR / Influencer Relations Report 2015 / Fig. 3 8

9 Report Influencer Relations WHY INVEST IN INFLUENCER RELATIONS? 9

10 Report Influencer Relations

11 Report Influencer Relations Social based advice has become the number one source of influence, yet brands tend to treat social platforms as another media outlet rather than leverage the opportunity they offer to build valuable relationships. Influencer marketing is about concentrating brands efforts on those few individuals who will maximize the impact of engagement because they have the capability to shift opinions and behaviours within their community. Media relations are increasingly incorporating social media influencers into their traditional outreach. Developing specific programs for those stakeholders can provide a huge impact through their own channels. Influencer relations has evidently proved challenging for many brands in terms of identifying the right individuals, building relevant content and developing effective engagement plans. However, best practices are now emerging based on long-term and successful relationship programs that focus on collaboration and shared value for influencers and brands alike. Nicolas Chabot, VP EMEA, Traackr 11

12 MAXIMIZING YOUR INFLUENCER RELATIONS: THE BASICS 1. Develop a clear strategy aligned with your business objectives and goals. Do you want to implement an influencer relations strategy to raise brand awareness? Acquire new customers? Enhance your brand reputation? 2. Ensure your influencer relations activity is owned by the relevant team within your organization for maximum results and integration with your overall marketing communications strategy. 3. Develop audience personas to understand your audience and their motivations. From there, you can identify your target influencers based on aligned interests and who impacts how your audience discovers, evaluates and, ultimately, makes that purchase decision. 4. Monitor your target influencers closely to identify opportunities to interact, engage and collaborate with them. What content are they creating and sharing? What topics do they cover? How do they engage online? What questions are their audiences asking them? 5. Measure your results and refine your strategy and tactics accordingly. Track how your influencer relationships are progressing and how this is translating into tangible actions (visits, introductions, mentions, leads). Learn and iterate. 12

13 For more in-depth best practice advice on how to plan, measure and implement your influencer relations strategy, download The New Rules of Influencer Relations ebook. LEWIS PR is a global communications agency. In addition to traditional media and analyst relations, LEWIS specializes in social media, digital marketing and creative services. Traackr is an influencer management platform that allows you to discover your influencers, manage key relationships, and measure their impact on your Copyright LEWIS Communications all rights reserved. 13

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REPORT Report Multichannel Marketing MULTICHANNEL MARKETING A Study Highlighting Current Approaches and Investment, Opportunities and Key Challenges 1 2 Introduction 4 Key findings 6 Conclusion 19 3 INTRODUCTION