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5 Things to Look for in Influencers for Small Business Campaigns

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Influencer marketing has evolved into a multi-billion-dollar industry throughout the past few years. Big companies from every industry have been known to employ this strategy. Influencer marketing can assist brands in reaching their goals in branding as well as engagement, sales and much more.

And you don’t need to be a large corporation to benefit from influencer marketing. Small, local businesses are able to benefit from the method, too.

But, the success of your campaign is contingent on identifying the best social media influencers to promote your brand. It can be daunting at times, especially for smaller brands with few resources. 

So, if you’re a smaller company that is interested in influencer marketing, read on to learn what you should be looking at when it comes to finding influencers.

Before we begin – where can you find influencers?

There are three methods of locating influencers:

  • Social media
  • Influencer marketing platform
  • Influencer marketing agency

The most efficient way to accomplish this is through an agency. However, it’s also the most expensive choice, which is probably not an option for many small-sized brands. And an influencer marketing platform requires a subscription, but it’s much less than an agency.

Utilizing this kind of software, you’ll discover influencers more quickly than if you use social media in a direct manner. However, if you have a very limited budget, do not rule out searching directly on social media. It’s not the easiest method and requires more manual work, however it’s completely free.

To decide which option is most suitable for you, consider your goals, the resources available and your budget. Whatever option you choose, it is essential you have access to performance metrics. They can be obtained through the agency you choose to work with or from an influencer marketing platform, or you can request that influencers provide you with their media kits.

What to look out for when it comes to finding influencers

Let’s examine the various metrics and characteristics small-scale businesses should take note of when it comes to influencers.

  1. A follower count that fits with your budget

Prices for influencers are affected by a number of variables, including follower count, engagement rate, country, as well as the type of content you’re asking them for.

Follower count is among the easiest methods to quickly gauge more or less how much an influencer will cost. To explain more about this, let’s first arrange influencers into six tiers:

  • Nano influencers, 1-5K followers
  • Micro influencers, 5-50K followers
  • Medium influencers, 50-100K followers
  • Macro influencers, 100K-1M followers
  • Mega influencers, 1M+ followers
  • Key opinion leaders, no particular range of followers.

The Medium tier is where influencers start to exclusively accept collaborations that include some type of fee for services, and rates begin to get higher faster. Mega influencers can cost tens of thousands of dollars per post, or even more! The unfortunate truth is that if you’re a small company, you simply can’t afford this.

Likewise, a KOL (or key opinion leader) isn’t always the best option for you, either. KOLs are respected experts in their industries, and their influence isn’t limited to social media (that’s why they have no set follower range). They can also be expensive and difficult to communicate with, due to very busy schedules. So for small companies, it’s better to look elsewhere for your collaborators.

Fortunately, there are plenty of alternatives for small-sized companies. Nano influencers, who have 1-5K followers, typically work with brands for free products alone. Micro influencers, with 5-50K followers, might collaborate for free products alone, or for products plus a small fee. 

You might think that these influencers, with relatively small numbers of followers, won’t be able to make any difference in your marketing campaign. But don’t be fooled, as they have the highest engagement rates among all influencers, which leads us to the next point. 

  1. Good engagement rate

Engagement rate is the measure of the interaction between an influencer and their followers. The more followers trust and like the influencer’s content, the more they’ll interact with it. And, the closer an influencer’s connections are to their audience, the greater chance they have of translating this engagement into a relationship with your company. 

As small businesses don’t have the resources to pay for influencers who have millions of followers across the globe, it’s more effective to market your brand to highly engaged, specific niches. You connect with fewer people, true. But, quality over quantity.

So how can you tell if an influencer has a good or bad engagement rate? Compare their rate with the average engagement rate of similar influencers. This can be done using the help of an influencer marketing platform, or get the influencer’s media kit and research the benchmarks of their segment.

Be aware that engagement rates averages differ based on the categories, social networks, and number of followers. Don’t make the mistake of comparing TikTok creators with the rates of Instagram influencers, for example. Also, don’t compare fashion influencers who have 5K followers against sports influencers with 500K followers.

Also, be on the lookout for extremely low or high engagement. If it’s extremely low, it means that people are not interested in the influencer’s content. Or, their followers might be inactive or fake. If it’s very high, it could indicate that the influencer has purchased fraudulent engagements (like fake comments or likes).

  1.  An authentic and genuine audience that matches your goals

Every marketing campaign must keep its target audience in mind. You can’t succeed if you don’t know who you’re directing your campaign at. Knowing your target audience also helps you make better choices when choosing which influencers to work with.

When you’re finding influencers, analyze their audience in addition to their performance stats. Examine demographics, such as gender, age, country, interests and language, to ensure that the influencer has the ability to get you in touch with the right people. If you don’t have access to these details, ask the influencer for that info.

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An audience location analysis, showing that more than half of this influencer’s audience is interested in surfing.

When you look at the audience of an influencer, be sure to verify the authenticity, too. Perform an audit on fake followers to eliminate those influencers whose audiences are made up of mostly bots. False followers are said to have cost companies $1.3 billion in the year 2019. And as a small company with a small budget, it’s important to avoid wasting your marketing dollars on bots.

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An authenticity analysis showing that 8.46% of the influencer’s followers have exhibited some type of suspicious behavior.

There are several ways to identify the presence of a bot:

  • No profile photo or biographical details
  • Names that appear to be random string of numbers and letters
  • Very little or no content, or content that looks like ads
  • Comments that appear out of place or unnatural, as they were they were not written by a real person

Validating the authenticity of your audience is a vital step in making sure that you choose the best influencers to promote your small business.

  1. Local presence

Large brands have the ability to work with influencers around the world because their businesses are internationally based. However, for small businesses the rules are different. And it is better to remain local.

Why is that? Local influencers will be able to better understand the culture of your brand and may even come to visit you if you have a physical store or location. In addition, local influencers can help you connect with people who live in your region, who are, at the end of the day, the people who are best positioned to become your customers.

  1. Personality and content that is aligned with your brand

The last one applies to every brand that is involved in influencer marketing: Look for influencers who are aligned with your company. That is, followers shouldn’t have to wonder why the two of you have teamed up.

This can’t be quantified by data, therefore it is essential to examine the profile of an influencer and trust your intuition. Think about questions like:

  • Does this influencer produce content in the same style that my company does?
  • Is their content quality in line with my expectations?
  • Will their voice be able to transmit my message?
  • Does the influencer uphold the values of my brand?
  • Does their style mesh with my own?

Prioritizing influencers who align with your brand’s values can lead to more authentic, credible collaborations.

Conclusion

Influencer marketing is an enormous market, and even small businesses can utilize this technique to improve their performance. Remember that the success of this strategy is contingent on the selection of the best influencer to work with.

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Business

Collaboration Chronicles: 5 Tips for Partnering with Other Businesses to Create Mutual Success

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Partnering with other businesses can be a powerful strategy for growth. By leveraging complementary strengths and resources, both parties can achieve more together than they could alone. It can increase your reach and lead to shared success.

However, successful partnerships require careful planning, clear communication, and a commitment to mutual benefit. Although you can buy corporate gifts to express appreciation, that’s not the only way to strengthen relationships. Also, consider the five following tips:

  1. Identify Complementary Businesses

The first step is to look for businesses that offer products or services that complement yours without directly competing. This creates opportunities for cross-promotion, referrals, and bundled offerings that appeal to a broader customer base.

For example, a wedding planner could partner with a florist, photographer, and catering company to offer comprehensive packages. A strategic partnership like this can also help in reaching new audiences and expand your reach in the market.

  1. Define Mutual Goals and Expectations

Before entering into a partnership, make sure both parties have a clear understanding of the objectives, expectations, and desired outcomes. Establish measurable goals, such as increased sales, expanded reach, or improved customer satisfaction. 

You’ll want to clearly define each partner’s responsibilities, timelines, and metrics for success so there’s no ambiguity about the end goal. And you should each know what to expect in terms of delivery to make that happen.

  1. Develop a Collaborative Marketing Plan

Create a joint marketing plan that leverages the strengths and audiences of both businesses. Collaborate closely to identify each company’s unique selling points, target demographics, and marketing channels.

Then, develop strategies that allow you to cross-promote and reach a wider audience by tapping into each other’s customer base. You can create co-branded content such as joint blog posts, videos, or social media campaigns that showcase how your offerings complement each other.

Consider package deals or discounted bundles where customers can purchase your combined products or services at a reduced rate. This incentivizes them to try out both offerings and experience the synergies firsthand.

  1. Foster Open Communication and Trust

Effective communication is essential for a successful partnership. Without open and consistent dialogue, misunderstandings and misaligned expectations can quickly derail even the most promising collaborations.

Schedule regular check-ins, whether weekly or monthly, to discuss progress toward shared goals. These meetings provide an opportunity to review metrics, address any concerns or roadblocks, and explore new opportunities that may have arisen.

During these check-ins, encourage transparency from both parties. Be open and honest about challenges, successes, and areas that may need adjustment. Maintaining transparency builds trust and allows you to address issues proactively before they escalate.

  1. Measure and Refine the Partnership

Establish a system for regularly tracking and reporting on key performance indicators (KPIs) that align with your shared objectives. This could include metrics such as sales figures, website traffic, customer acquisition rates, or customer satisfaction scores.

Gather data from various sources, including sales reports, website analytics, customer surveys, and financial statements. Analyze this data thoroughly to identify areas where the partnership is excelling or falling short.

This will help to keep you agile and open to change. As both businesses grow and evolve, the initial terms of the partnership may also need to be updated to maintain relevance and mutual benefit.

Establish Mutually Beneficial Partnerships

A strong partnership is built on clear communication, shared goals, and a commitment to creating a win-win situation for all parties involved. If you follow these tips, you’ll form a partnership that creates value for both businesses and their respective customers.

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Digital Fortresses: How Peniel Solutions Safeguards Valuable Data in the Cloud

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Earlier when technology was far from being intervened, the safety of one’s assets was a lingering threat. Now diverse fields across the world have advanced greatly in numerous domains. Resources are less likely to be in possible danger of any kind of burglary or fraud. Since then, mankind has attained a maximum level of civilization. This progression has resulted in tremendous security checks on one’s hard-earned valuables, not to forget the law and order sustained in order to get justice for those individuals suffering from wrongful acts of theft. 

However, the blessed progression in technology has also paved the way for unlawful acts of misconduct in terms of scams and embezzlement. The digital era being bountiful in modern times has also become the sole modem to one’s secret files and valuable data across the globe. This confidence in the virtual aspect paves a feasible path for notorious hackers to misuse treasured documents that can cause serious damage to one’s organization. The rise of serious concerns in the cybersecurity departments gave birth to noteworthy products like TransAccess GovCloud Records with its integrated user behavior utility (UBC) utility, developed by Peniel Solutions, LLC to help identify bad actors using our proven cybersecurity measures. TransAccess GovCloud Records which is the flagship software as a service (SaaS) solution developed by Peniel Solutions, LLC (PSL), was established in 2000 by early entrepreneurs James McGriff and Veronise J. Wright. The company was founded as a federal agency provider of outsourcing services with a focus on business process management. The goal of PSL is to make it easier for government agencies, its partners and businesses to share vital business information. The company’s top priority is innovation, with the goal of consistently creating new offerings within its current portfolio. Developing and acquiring new intellectual and technology assets is a key component of PSL’s growth strategy, which aims to increase client solutions and market penetration. 

PSL is an expert in transforming business processes for the federal government through technology. The company offers a 24×7 support model thanks to well-honed processes and procedures; it also regularly exceeds quality standards, accelerates service delivery by 10%, and improves client ROI by 20% on average.

The 4 major services that the company is known to provide are as follows;

Online Safety

Peniel Solutions offers continuous cybersecurity protection against growing cyber threats directed toward government entities in the United States. By correcting vulnerabilities in real-time, they provide comprehensive cybersecurity services that thwart known as well as emerging threats. Additionally, the program offers vulnerability and risk assessments and covers:

Risk Management Framework; Continuous Monitoring; Hacking Detection; Security Architecture Review; Systems Security Engineering; Security Operations Center

TransAccess Record Management GovCloud Records

They specialize in removing adversities associated with the conventional paper-based process by providing a scalable document management system with adaptable solutions and a streamlined user experience. This service makes sure that all organizational documents are easily accessible without requiring the installation of any software. 

Software Engineering Peniel Solutions

Utilizes scrum, agile, and DevOps approaches to provide ISO and CMMI Development-Certified software engineering solutions that prioritize quality in both traditional and mobile applications. Moreover, it covers end-to-end AI/ML DevSecOps strategies which are the ultimate solution for agencies and businesses that want to secure and streamline their software development process. PSL offers a comprehensive suite of features including static analysis of infrastructure-as-code, unsupervised anomaly detection on events, natural language query of documentation, automated red team attacks, predictive threat modeling, and self-healing and response. These cutting-edge features are designed to give agencies and businesses the confidence and peace of mind they need to reach their full potential. 

Cloud Solution

PSL helps clients with DevOps, cloud application migration, and application management by leveraging AWS’s GovCloud and its partner status.

PSL possessing more than 20 years of experience and a CMMI Level 3 accreditation, is an established Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB). As a GSA-approved supplier with expertise in Electronic Records Management Solutions (ERMS), PSL guarantees adherence to OMB and NARA’s M-23-7 requirements. Additionally, PSL has strengthened data management and compliance by successfully implementing an ERMS for the FHA’s Department of Urban Development. Furthermore, with the Highly Adaptive Cybersecurity Services (HACS) certification from the GSA, PSL offers security solutions to protect federal data.

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5 Ways to Ensure Security of Financial Transactions in Your Business

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In the present computerized age, where financial transactions happen at lightning speed and across different stages, guaranteeing the security of these exchanges is vital for organizations. With the consistent danger of cyberattacks and deceitful exercises, protecting your financial transactions is not simply a question of consistence yet additionally critical for keeping up with the trust of your clients and partners. From executing vigorous encryption conventions to instructing your staff about likely dangers, there are a few proactive measures you can take to reinforce the security of your financial transactions.

Safeguarding Data Integrity and Confidentiality:

One of the fundamental mainstays of guaranteeing the security of financial transactions lies in implementing robust encryption protocols. Encryption includes encoding delicate information communicated between parties, delivering it incomprehensible to unauthorized entities. By encoding monetary data, for example, credit card details, personal identification numbers (PINs), and transactional data, organizations can forestall capture by malignant actors and keep up with the respectability and secrecy of their clients’ data. Businesses can also enhance their financial processes by integrating robust security measures, including the adoption of free invoice software, to ensure the secure and confidential transmission of sensitive billing information. By coordinating encryption conventions into your financial infrastructure, you make a vigorous boundary against unapproved access and information breaks.

Strengthening Access Controls and Identity Verification:

In a time portrayed by heightening digital dangers and modern hacking methods, depending entirely on passwords for validation presents critical security risks. Multifaceted confirmation (MFA) offers an extra layer of guard by expecting clients to check their personalities through numerous means, thereby mitigating the likelihood of unauthorized access to sensitive financial systems and accounts. MFA regularly consolidates at least two verification factors, for example, something the client knows (e.g., a secret word), something they have (e.g., a cell phone or token), or something they are (e.g., biometric identifiers like unique finger impression or facial acknowledgment).

Regular Security Audits and Vulnerability Assessments:

A proactive approach that conducts routine audits and vulnerability assessments to find possible flaws and vulnerabilities in your financial systems and procedures is necessary for successful security management. By overseeing thorough security evaluations, you may assess the efficacy of present security measures, ascertain if they adhere to industry norms and standards, and spot any variations or inconsistencies that can indicate potential security breaches. By employing advanced methods and automated tools, such vulnerability scanning and penetration testing, you may imitate real-world attack scenarios and identify vulnerabilities before malicious actors do so.

Secure Payment Gateways and Fraud Detection Mechanisms:

The proliferation of e-commerce and digital payment platforms has revolutionized the way businesses conduct financial transactions, offering unparalleled convenience and accessibility to consumers worldwide. Notwithstanding, with the rising commonness of online fraud and installment related tricks, securing payment gateways and implementing robust fraud detection mechanisms is imperative for safeguarding the integrity of financial transactions. Secure installment passages utilize industry-standard encryption conventions and tokenization procedures to scramble delicate installment data and work with secure transmission among shippers and installment processors. By partnering with reputable payment service providers (PSPs) and adhering to PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) compliance requirements, businesses can minimize the risk of payment card data theft and unauthorized transactions.

Employee Training and Awareness Programs:

While mechanical arrangements assume an urgent part in strengthening the security of monetary exchanges, the human component remains similarly basic in moderating insider dangers and social designing assaults. Instructing your representatives about network safety best practices and encouraging a culture of safety mindfulness are fundamental parts of a far reaching security procedure. By enabling your labor force with the information and abilities to distinguish and answer potential security dangers, you make an aggregate protection instrument that reinforces the versatility of your association’s security act.

All in all, guaranteeing the security of monetary exchanges is a continuous cycle that requires a multi-layered approach encompassing technological solutions, proactive risk management strategies, and a culture of security awareness. By executing strong encryption conventions, multifaceted confirmation tools, and secure installment entryways, organizations can brace their monetary foundation against digital dangers and shield the trustworthiness of exchanges. By focusing on security and putting resources into thorough safety efforts, organizations can impart trust in their clients and partners, guaranteeing the drawn out reasonability and progress of their activities in an undeniably interconnected world.

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