The Profile of an Influencer

So what do these compelling people look like? Social media influencers come in all shapes and sizes, but they share these four characteristics:

1. Credibility

A social media influencer must be trustworthy in order to have an effect. Health policy experts or veteran journalists, for example, may offer expertise in their field that gives their opinion weight. Reputation is important. An influencer should be known as someone who is thoughtful and accomplished.

2. Reach

The posts, tweets, and updates of a social media influencer should be seen by as large an audience as possible. This is where having bundles of Twitter followers, Facebook fans, and blog subscribers becomes key.

3. Quality contacts

A large audience isn’t enough in itself, however. Social media influencers should be able to prompt discussion and interaction within their networks – retweets, shares, and replies. Social media influencers’ contacts are quick to engage the content they share.

4. Relevance

The influencer that is right for you should be relevant to your field. A food critic might be credible, have reach, and quality contacts – but probably wouldn’t be the right representative to endorse your campaign on prison reform. They could, however, be great to engage about bringing a nutritious food program to schools.

Types of Influencers

1. The Social Butterflies

These influencers know everyone, and everyone knows them. Their contact lists are off the charts and they have a presence on most platforms or networks. Their strength is connecting people.

2. The Thought Leaders

They are the expert bloggers, the conference speakers, the academics. Credibility is their strong point – they lead and influence opinions about key issues. Their endorsements are reliable.

3. The Trendsetters

The first to try everything, these influencers are quick to discover and share the latest technologies and innovations. They have a knack for popularizing new initiatives.

4. The Reporters

Disseminating information is their forte; they have the connections with (or are themselves) the industry’s top journalists or bloggers. They know how to take a great idea and get it maximum coverage.

5. The Everyday Customers

Their sphere of influence is usually much smaller – friends and family – but their voice is still important because their testimony comes from experience. At your nonprofit, this person could either be a successful client or someone who ran a marathon to fundraise for your cause.

Determine which kind of influencer is right for your cause and keep that in mind while you’re doing your search.