You’ve followed all the SEO advice out there. Your traffic is ticking along, but it’s not nearly as much as you’d like. What we’re going to suggest next flies in the face of your standard SEO advice. SEO gurus will tell you that social media links don’t count.
That’s true – they don’t. But here’s the thing, you don’t go on to social media to get long-term traffic for your site. You go there to get more exposure, build brand awareness, and drive sales. Now, pair those goals up with the right influencer, and you have a recipe for success.
Why Consider Influencer Marketing?
It’s simple – traditional advertising is getting easier to block. In 2018, 47% of consumers used ad blocking technology. That means that your traditional PPC, or website ads stand a good chance of being blocked.
You can longer sit back and hope that your prospects will stumble on your advertising. They might never find it. Instead, you’ll need to look for ways to reach them where they hang out online. And social media is a great way to do that.
Why? Influencer marketing, when conducted correctly is highly effective. According to NeoReach, companies using influencer marketing in 2018 saw a return of 520% on their investment. This was based on a survey of 2,000 different businesses.
49% of consumers today rely on recommendations from influencers when purchasing a product. If teenagers are your target market, working with influencers is a good way to go – 60% of teens trust an influencer’s recommendation more than that of any other kind of celeb.
Getting Influencer Marketing Right
Before you head off to find an influencer to market your business, take a step back. Influencer campaigns can be highly effective, mediocre, or complete failures. In the latter instance, it’s normally due to a lack of research by the company.
It’s about more than just straight numbers, so don’t head for the biggest influencer you can find. Engagement drops as an influencer’s following grow. This makes sense – it’s a lot simpler to maintain a relationship with followers when there are fewer of them.
That means that you need to look at more than just the number of followers an influencer has. You should also consider how active the followers are on the channel. An influencer with 10,000 engaged followers could give you better value for your money than one with substantially more, thanks to engagement.
Influencers should be chosen very carefully. You’ll need to find an influencer that fits your brand as perfectly as possible. Do they have the same brand values as your company? Does their personal style fit with your brand image? Does their content go with your product?
Choose an influencer the same way you would a business partner. This is not something to rush into.
Final Notes
When it comes to boosting your SEO stats, influencer marketing can help you drum up some serious traffic. Influencers speak to your audience. They have a relationship with your target market. Take advantage of that, and you’ll see a spike in sales and traffic.