influencer Influencing, swarm management & amplification

friends unfluencers ripples2

——

‘To prosper soundly in business, you must satisfy not only your customers, but you must lay yourself out to satisfy also the men who make your product and the men who sell it.’

=

Harry Bassett

“We are all manufacturers – making good, making trouble or making excuses. “

=

HV Adolt

=====

‘It’s hard to know who to trust and what is real.’

=

Marc Burrows

————————–

 

 

 

social channels influence

Well.

 

 

This morning I got absorbed in a story about a young social media entrepreneur who is now rejecting social media as ‘real.’

 

 

This is fascinating to me because while one minute she was using a social media platform to create income the next minute she is using a social media platform to create … well … I don’t know what yet <and I am not sure she does yet either … although … I will suggest if she does it well … it will also generate revenue>.

 

But here is what hasn’t changed – she is is still an influencer or a manufacturer.

 

Yup.

 

 

In today’s world if you are involved on any social platform … well … you are a manufacturer. You manufacture opinions, information, facts <or quasi-facts> and ultimately some influence in that you have made someone think about something.

 

 

For businesses … well … to prosper in today’s business you pretty much have to satisfy everyone … not just customers or employees or manufacturers … but everyone.

 

 

Pretty much anyone … at least the people with a tumblr, facebook, twitter, pinterest, etc., account … can be major influencer these days.

 

 

Please note that I added in the word ‘major.’

I did so because the internet has simply amplified what already existed. While in the past I could have sat at the corner of a bar pontificating <and possibly influencing> a small group of people … today I can write blog posts and pontificate without having to speak any louder <and possibly influence a larger group of people>.

 

 

I don’t think that is an epiphany.

 

Shit.

 

I know for certain marketing companies are espousing the effectiveness of influencer marketing versus traditional tactics.

 

 

This thing called ‘Influencer Marketing’ is getting discussed as an expertise more and more.

 

Why?

 

Beyond simple common sense … a recent McKinsey study stated that marketing inspired word-of-mouth messaging generates more than 2X the sales of paid ads, and these same customers have a 37% higher retention rate.

 

But influencing is much more than ‘people endorsing what I have to sell & tell people’.

 

===

no action lots of talk

I wrote about this from the perspective of influencing as a new economy structure … what I called a “friends & feedback quantity architecture

===

 

 

In the past, the way you showed that you cared was through physically doing something or being actively involved.

 

Today you can prove passion through virtual activity. And you can manufacture influence based on how well you prove this passion <through words, pictures or sheer artistic communication>.
This means that as soon as you become involved on any social network you have become an unpaid advertising writer or photographer on a vast platform.

 

 

But here is the tricky part.

 

You can actually also manufacture your own demise.

 

Yeah.

 

Sometimes social media seems to be a social Darwinism experiment.

 

 

While we all have the right to free speech — that’s what America is built on — you actually run into some free speech challenges on Twitter or Facebook or any social network.

 

 

Alll you have to do is to offer one divisive/inane/innocuous/ thoughtless/indifferent remark and you pretty much can be assured you will not land your dream job, maybe find yourself losing that college acceptance … or find yourself fired … or find out that you are now manufacturing hate <against you> versus manufacturing progress.

 

 

It is kind of crazy that one small voice can wreak such havoc in one’s life.

 

 

It seems almost counterintuitive that in a world where people have so many diversions, demands and distractions where it’s getting harder and harder to “capture people’s attention” the web can amplify one person’s voice to a point that our attention is still captured.

 

 

Influencing, or being an influencer, actually moves beyond simple attention … it incorporates some feeling of connection, or disconnection, to be truly effective.

 

 

At the end of the day, people will forget what you said, forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

 

 

The fundamentals of marketing, and, frankly, influencing remains the same.

 

 

If you have an insight you can … well … influence ‘the swarm.’

 

Technology has enabled amplification.

 

 

===

Google computer scientist in India:overcommunication speakers

… while some of our projects improved lives, most had little long-term impact.

When I looked back at our 40-odd projects, what I saw was that it wasn’t the technology that decided whether the outcomes were good or bad, it was us and our partners. When we were committed and worked with capable partners, our technology augmented their impact. But when we had corrupt or inept collaborators, the technology aggravated the dysfunction.

In other words, technology doesn’t add a fixed benefit.

Instead, it amplifies underlying human forces.

Amplification is a simple idea, but it’s powerful.

===

 

 

 

Let me spend a minute on this swarm thing because influencing is all about motivating, or inspiring, swarm like behavior.

 

 

In the animal world, a swarm <think a school of fish>, is a well-coordinated group that moves in sync and can change direction abruptly and uniformly.

Signals for how to behave are rapidly communicated among swarm members.

Remarkably, they do this without a leader. They act “independently as one.”

 

 

Social networks are natural swarm creators … communities can be formed overnight and people connect and communicate with each other rapidly and effectively.

 

 

And this swarm actually is created outside traditional institutional boundaries being shaped by diminished trust in ‘the institution’ therefore relying on an instigator … or an influencer.

 

 

By the way … swarms cannot be led … only influenced. It is not an audience in a traditional behavioral sense and the swarm isn’t looking to some random institution for guidance but instead people are influencing & shaping one another’s views on a vast online platform.

 

advice fish

An influencer connects in some way to a swarm and then they either run to you or away from you.

 

 

This is where marketers start fucking things up.

In their ‘I want to build a formula for success’ they start trying to build fences to manage the swarm.

 

They do so with methodologies and ‘tried & true ways to build and manage a swarm.”

 

It is crazy.

 

 

If you believe in this swarm thing than you cannot believe in ‘leading’ or ‘creating.’

 

You either simply accept influencing or you don’t.

 

 

You can’t just say “do this” to a swarm you simply create connections points that engage and get people involved. There is no formula for this and, in fact, I would argue that you can, and should, do it in a variety of voices and messages.

 

 

Because if you stay in one voice … well … you become a ‘bot.’

 

The best example I have of this is the whole underground comment influencer business … or ‘trolls’ as we like to call them.

 

The most famous is Russia’s “influencer group” which apparently has a whole team of say maybe 200 ‘professional commenters <influencers> who spend entire days following articles and writing preset comments underneath the articles.

 

 

Putinbots have no convictions, they don’t have their own opinions, they are not even pro-Kremlin. They just tasked with a very particular job.

 

 

And then marketers go a little bit farther in screwing it up by following what some trend people suggest … there is an ‘influencer economy’ driven by the intersection of social media and the always traditional important ‘word-of-mouth and personal recommendations’ <always rated highest as influencing purchase decisions>.

 

 

I think the trend people are nuts.

 

It’s kind of like suggesting you can ‘be authentic.’ You can ‘be authentic’ you either are or you aren’t.

 

You either influence or you don’t.

 

You either say something meaningful and connects or you don’t.

 

The moment you become an economy you become … well … a paid endorser <not an influencer per se>. teens influenced by

 

 

To me … as long as this becomes some ‘planned activity’ I can almost guarantee that over 50% of what is attempted will fail because … well … it is forced and not natural.

 

 

===

“Half the world is composed of people who have something to say and can’t, and the other half who have nothing to say and keep on saying it.”

Robert Frost

===

 

 

Suffice it to say that for marketers, this growing Influencer Economy presents challenges and opportunities … and just some truly maddening inconsistencies.

 

 

The biggest challenge with institutionalizing influencing is that marketers want to control & nudge & … well … influence directly so they can see direct results.

 

And, yet, tapping into the everyday influencer is actually a less direct with a mediated connection relationship and … well … influencing is influencing … not leading.

 

 

The second large issue with institutionalizing is that many marketers strive to make their content more “snack-able” and “share-worthy” with the intent to increase the odds that an influencer will be more likely to forward/share the information.

 

 

But that is wrong.

 

Really wrong.

 

Interesting information is interesting information and a good influencer will parse out what they want and how they want.

 

 

Influencing is NOT about managing some idealized intentions … it is about sharing thoughts. And then those thoughts get naturally amplified if and when there is some connection to a swarm.

 

Sure … understanding what is in the head of the consumer can guide you toward an answer as to how to market to them … but … it is “an answer?” … only ‘an answer’ … not THE answer.

 

There’s no easy formula to gaining attention, creating some connection and ultimately influencing. It can’t be done with some formulaic attitude but rather be nurtured with patience.

 

 

We are in exciting times.

 

 

Stupidity and blinding smartness have equal opportunity to be amplified.

 

 

We are more global, social, visual and technological and are the most connected, educated and sophisticated generation ever. The young, in particular, have influence beyond their years. They are educationally transformed – moving past structural and linear learning – and they are socially defined, connected to and shaped by their peers. They are the early adopters, the brand influencers, the social media drivers, the pop-culture leaders and … maybe most importantly … the opinion leaders. They create the future.

 

 

Here is where I do believe some marketers are getting is whole influencer thing right … trying to understand what makes an influencer a good influencer. <I lost the source for this>

facebook influence watch social lurk

 

– Charisma

Whether they are writing or talking about data visualization or european cheeses, influential people have the ability to convey a certain type of charisma that appeals to their audience. An audience is generally respective to charisma because its closely tied to a sense of confidence and command.

That charisma could be something as simple as self-deprecating humor or a tremendous grasp of their subject matter or being a contrarian <speaks common sense truth> or embodies a desired status quo status.

 

 

– Engaged and engaging

Influencers are … well … interested. Interested in their community, their topic, the sharing of information, providing opinions, thoughts and insights.

The best influencers have an open dialogue with their community, understanding that responding to questions and criticism builds the trust that creates long term value.

 

 

– Consistency

At the end of the day, everyone has a certain amount of influence among their network.

But translating that influence into a brand or a business requires consistency.

And of course, consistency enables an influencer to leverage that one metric that creates business value: conversions.

If an influencer is consistent in their output, they drive a higher number of their community members to convert on calls to action

 

Look.

 

The internet and social channels have certainly affected social culture, influencing, attitude management, marketing … and … well … pretty much anything.

 

And, of course, we want to try and manage that affect.

 

 

This reflects great intention … but most typically bad attempts.

 

 

From a business marketing perspective … budgets are a precious asset, placing a lot of stress on how effectively and efficiently the dollars are used. Looking beyond traditional marketing tools for more impactful results, companies, and their brands, are seeking other innovative ways to connect personally and persuasively with their target end users. More and more companies certainly see the value in communicating through highly credible thought leaders and other people with existing relationships to these potential end users as a way to significantly influence the purchase decision. Some people call it creating a “buzz.”

I personally believe it is a way to create dialogue about your brand rather than simply having a monologue <which television really is> in which your brand is involved.

 

 

Is there some risk in actively engaging an influencer? Sure.

 

 

You have to be confident in your brand offering and your company. But as long as you are true to who you are what people will say about you will be true.

 

 

In fact … I always find it amusing when I can use an old thought in this ‘world we have never face before’ attitude to make a point: “A great ad campaign will make a bad product fail faster. It will get more people to know it’s bad.”
Bill Bernbach said this in the 1950’s.

 

tribe individual influence overwhelm

Look.

 

 

Institutionalizing influence runs a fine line between nuts and tricky. We all manufacture influence but as soon as we take ourselves too seriously we tend to lose … well … influence.

 

Influence to be effective has to be natural and that is why I tend to lean toward content and not he person. Great content well-articulated with character tends to gather swarms who swarm around it and think about it and ultimately I tend to believe it influences the mind <which influences behavior>.

 

 

The web naturally amplifies things that connect – bad things as well as good things. but amplified or not … everyone involved on a social channel is a manufacturer of influence.

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Written by Bruce