Here are some tips for building great relationships with influencers.

YouTubers have ranked in the top 10 "dream jobs" for junior high students (according to Sony Life Insurance), and camera girls going solo as Instagrammers are flooding the streets. The influence of influencers active on social media these days is truly staggering, isn't it? Naturally, this momentum has also swept into the marketing industry. YouTubers are being cast in commercials, Instagrammers are collaborating on product development, and Twitter users are being invited to experiential events. Cases of so-called influencers collaborating with companies are skyrocketing.

What is an influencer?: A person whose actions have a significant impact on society (from Wikipedia: as of July 31, 2017)

Well then, "What kind of influencer should we collaborate with?" is a common question I hear lately.
"Well, someone with a lot of followers who handles funny, viral content!" No, no, no... That's way too reckless! What I always say is: "You should approach them with the same care and caution you'd use when trying to date someone!" You can't just see them as mere media outlets; it's crucial to evaluate their individual personalities. In other words, you want to build relationships while considering who could genuinely enhance your own value.

Otherwise, even if you manage to build a relationship, unexpected breakdowns could be waiting around the corner. For example, when trying to make new friends, what criteria do you use to choose someone? In those teen movies I often watch (old-school!?), characters frequently scheme to befriend the popular kid—the campus queen or king with tons of friends—to instantly elevate their own status. But is that really the right approach?

If you truly want to make real friends, you really need to think about the future and carefully observe what kind of person they are from various angles before deciding. Plus, if the feelings are one-sided, you can't become best friends in the first place. In other words, the best relationship is mutual admiration and connection with influencers. So, today I'll write about good communication techniques with influencers. Let's get started!

Engagement Rate, Not Follower Count

So, let's look at the actual criteria for finding influencers you want to collaborate with. As mentioned earlier, "having lots of friends = follower count supremacy" just won't cut it. While follower count is certainly an important factor, take Instagram for example: if your engagement rate (the percentage of all followers who actually like or comment on your posts) isn't high, your content is less likely to show up as a popular post suggestion when people search hashtags.

If you choose influencers based solely on follower count without knowing this, you might later find yourself wondering, "Huh? It's mostly just their regular followers, and it's not really reaching new people?" even though your goal was to spread the word. The same applies to YouTube and Twitter—each platform and follower base has its own characteristics that should inform your decision-making. So, the golden rule is: "Don't just jump at numbers blindly!"

Find common ground with your audience!

Next, focus on what each potential influencer is interested in. Or, what their profile is like. Basic info like marital status, whether they have kids (and if so, their ages), and whether they have a driver's license (and if so, if they're a paper driver) is a given. If you're aiming for collaborations in fashion or beauty, you should also thoroughly research their recent favorite brands and areas of interest from their posts. For lifestyle projects, it's absolutely essential to know things like whether they prefer beer or wine, iPhone or Android for their phone, and if they have pets, whether they're a dog person or a cat person!! (By the way, I'm strictly a Chihuahua person. Not just a generic dog lover, so don't get the wrong idea).

You'll want to start gathering this kind of information by analyzing the influencer's social media accounts, but of course, there's a lot you won't know unless you properly interview them directly. That's where you need to take a step further and have the courage to talk to them. This initial preparation is super important, so I strongly advise against making judgments based solely on written materials. Otherwise, when it comes time to actually collaborate, it's bound to fall flat.

Finding solid common ground between their interests/profile and your proposed project really gets the conversation flowing. Plus, if they get excited, they might even suggest great collaboration ideas themselves. You really have to talk things through directly—we're human, after all.

Influencers' professional spirit is seriously impressive!

Once the collaboration is set and you're moving forward with the project, here's what to watch out for—or rather, how to build a long-lasting friendship. The most important things are "consideration" and "respect for the other person." Honestly, I think a lot of people underestimate influencers. But influencers have a seriously amazing professional spirit.

For example, people with high engagement rates on Instagram really value their followers. They know exactly what kind of content their followers like, what kind of photos get the best reactions, and even what times of day their followers are most likely to read their posts. They're constantly doing tons of research to boost their followers' satisfaction.

Collaborating with influencers like that is incredibly reassuring—or rather, I just have to respect them. That feeling of respect is the first step toward making the collaboration better for both sides. Unlike content produced by mass media organizations, influencers' work is heavily influenced by their personal perspectives. Their ever-changing mindset even shapes their "editorial direction" in a way. That's precisely why I believe it's better to start the relationship with the mindset of being a constant partner, rather than just using them for convenience.

That said...

While these influencers possess incredible professional spirit, it's crucial to remember they aren't necessarily experts on every legal regulation or industry rule concerning each product or service. That's where we PR professionals come in to support them. As communication experts, we manage the traffic flow, including preparing the external environment, so their power can be maximized. We also provide integrated planning to make collaborations with influencers work even more organically! So, right now, give me a call!

Summary: To make collaborations with influencers successful

 

・When selecting influencers, prioritize engagement rate over follower count
・Check influencers' profiles beforehand
・Consider how the influencer's profile aligns with your campaign concept
・Can you genuinely respect the influencer?