ETIP #103

Social Influence, should you care?

Social Influence, should you care?

As a follow up to our eTip on social influence measurement tools we’re digging a little deeper into social influence and how it relates to the measurement of the effectiveness of your social media efforts. Social influence is a huge buzz term within our industry right now. Brands, celebrities and even topical trends can have this digital influence. So why should you care? Because, “influencers” are telling us what to do on a regular basis across the social media landscape, and people tend to trust others they believe have credibility and influence. In short, social influencers motivate others to take action!

Social media measurement tools that identify and discover “influencers” are increasingly available and attempt to show the social strength of an individual or brand. You can gauge from your scores, if your digital reach and amplification are what you want them to be. These scores can also be critical in determining if you have someone on staff who is in charge of social media or community engagement that is being progressively monitored.

Here are some of the free frontrunners in the social influence measurement space, that offer easy ways to keep track of your influence:

So what defines someone of digital or social influence?

  • True Reach: The number of connections and activity within your networks; how many people you influence
  • Amplification: How much you influence people, which more accurately measures the true influence you are having on your network. Social influencers are people whose social messages are frequently repeated by others
  • Network Impact: The influence of your network

Bottom Line: Social influence is a vital part of the online world. People tend to listen to their friends and trusted connections and less and less to advertisers.