Evaluating Marketing Influencers for Destinations

When are evaluating influencers for your destination, don’t assume that a bigger audience is better. If you are looking for engagement, an influencer with a tight-knit and rabid audience could help you achieve your goals better than one with a bigger but less enthusiastic group. Remember, people trust those that they know. By going smaller you can be very specific with the selected audience and personalized messages that resonate.

Five Criteria for Evaluating Influencers

Actually selecting influencers to partner with can be one of the most subjective and confusing parts of the process. After all, there are more than 330 million active Twitter users and 800 million Instagram users—only a small percentage of those are viable influencers for your audience. Consider the following when evaluating influencers.

1. Relevance and Style – First and foremost, the connection has to make sense and be a natural fit for both you and the influencer. That includes from a tone and visual style where appropriate. Think of it this way: would you naturally associate together? If not, pass.
2. Engagement – Does the influencer have two-way interactions with followers as peers? Are they leading a tribe from on high with one-way communication? Consider your goals and what you need for your brand.
3. Frequency – How often do they post? Is it infrequent but high-value, or a raging stream force of nature? Consider how your content will look to the audience and how much attention it is likely to receive.
4. Authenticity – Will the influencer’s audience believe the connection? As Convince and Convert have noted, often those “who have a smaller ratio of sponsored content tend to be more trusted and appear more authentic. Personal stories that include a genuine use or mention of a product, service, or brand are more trusted than straight product reviews.”
5. Cross-platform – While some influencers concentrate on one platform, many have multiple outlets, multiplying your exposure. Influencer marketing third-party standardized measurement company SYLO found that YouTube videos that were cross-promoted scored 47% higher in their measurements than those that weren’t.

Create a shortlist and dig into their background. You need to know their history with their audience and opinions, in addition to what their experience has been with other brands. Once the post is out there, you’re ultimately responsible because it’s your brand on the line.

Other considerations? Make sure that you plan for success with agreed upon KPIs and follow through. Learn more at Influencer Marketing for Destinations