Social Media Influencers Can Boost Customer Service’s Image
A very vexing issue is how formal influencer relationships should be. Usually, companies start by simply following the person. Once their influence is understood, the desire to tighten the bond grows, and best practices become murkier. “A lot of our clients ask for our advice about compensating influences,” Wilson says.
Sprinklr’s Conn is against influencer compensation: “Paying someone immediately pollutes their credibility and validity. Even if the company does not try to hide its relationship, a level of mistrust develops. Who knows if the positive words come from their opinion or the money they are given? I also think such an approach is amateurish. Instead, the corporation should focus on engaging with its customers more effectively and providing them with amazing experiences. If you do that, customers will say something good about you.”
The other issue is that compensation can take many forms. Some companies might provide influencers with perks, like discounts, product samples, upgrades, loyalty program points, and public recognition. Each individual has unique preferences, so it is challenging to determine the best ways to encourage influencers.
Compensation also starts simply—say, sending influencers a thank-you note when they mention the company—and can ramp up to include sample merchandise, discounts, gift cards, and money. Paying individuals on a random basis avoids the appearance of impropriety and does not taint the trust that influencers have gained, according to Fiorella.
For those reasons, companies should make a conscious decision and install formal business processes for compensating influencers. “The same disclosure rules apply to social media as seen in other marketing channels,” Gartner’s Wilson says.
The Federal Trade Commission demands that companies identify anyone receiving compensation from them. Historically, that requirement meant separating actors from customers in traditional media advertising. Wilson recommends extending that approach to social media, even when it involves company employees.
Another challenge is that the term “influencer” itself is imprecise, and different categories are emerging. “Influencer is a rather subjective term, but the most common definition in marketing programs refers to individuals who have more-than-average influence in the purchase and loyalty decisions of others,” Minkara says.
Distinctions arise from the types of relationships forged between companies and the social media stars. Gartner labels influencers as individuals paid to talk about a brand without having a true connection to it.
Often, too, social media influencer programs take a shotgun approach. “Corporations relying on celebrities typically had a push strategy, where they cast a wide net and tried to catch as many fish as possible,” Fiorella explains. “They take the audience largely sight unseen and with little differentiation, so it is hard to track the ROI from such promotions.”
Another variation of influencer programs involves a process called advocate marketing, where companies look to existing customers who are loyal and convince them to speak up for the brand. Such work could start simply. “One of the biggest mistakes companies make is neglecting to ask satisfied customers if they will act as a referral or provide a testimonial for them,” Fiorella states. Once consumers agree, companies have to make it simple (a few clicks) for them to take that step.
Social media influencer marketing provides customer service leaders with an opportunity to leverage positive customer experiences. This area has been rising in importance, and the tools to track such initiatives have been rapidly evolving. Best practices are a work in progress. As a result, organizations need to tread carefully so they gain the potential benefits and avoid the many potential missteps in building successful social influencer campaigns.
Paul Korzeniowski is a freelance writer who specializes in technology issues. He has been covering CRM issues for more than two decades, is based in Andover, Mass., and can be reached at paulkorzen@aol.com or on Twitter @PaulKorzeniowski.