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Influencers Find Quality over Quantity
How many people are required to follow, link or otherwise cite someone in order for that person to be considered an influencer? Look, there are many groups trying to define influence. Google ranks search results according to their definition of authority. Technorati replaced key metrics a few years ago in place of a metric they call “Authority”, an algorithmically generated numerical ranking that is supposed to provide context around influence.
“Influencers often focus on smaller, more tightly wound audiences because relationships to them are more important than having a bully pulpit to reach thousands”
Egos in the social media space have pissing matches over how many followers they have on Twitter or Friendfeed, and even go out of the way to artificially inflate their own importance with higher numbers. Unfortunately, this often happens without recalling the words of wisdom, “It’s not the size that matters but the motion of the ocean”.
In another sense, influencers often focus on smaller, more tightly wound audiences because relationships to them are more important than having a bully pulpit to reach thousands. Influencers are aware that they will be heard, monitored and mentored by countless people, businesses and organizations but they are very focused on developing key strategic relationships with people that actually matter to what they are about.
Bloggers who are influencers might not have the biggest subscriber base, but they have all the right people paying very close attention. They do not have to reinforce their value on Twitter and they do not take offense when people challenge them.
Influencers have a large degree of confidence because they don’t need to prove themselves. They have a natural instinct, as mentioned earlier, that transcends pettiness. They are the ones that rise above the fray, eliminating non-productive noise and distilling the signal in such a way that even their worst critics cannot help but concede value. Notably, this does not always equate to agreement by critics, but it commands a respect level that arises out of intentional consideration.
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I doesn’t take much skill/ talent/ ability to be a celebrity any more- but to be an influencer, or to actually make an impact on the people around you takes much more skill and finesse.
I do a few things to try to keep my own little brand identity- I use the same “handle” or screen name on every site i use, and I try to use the same profile picture, and recently I was recognised at a local blog meetup- and I feel that there is value in doing all these things- but I am working on becoming more of an influencer moving forward.
At some point I decided I’d rather be the guy with something valuable to add to the community, than the guy with 3 million hits on a youtube video where I wreck a 4-wheeler.
Arron,
It is a rare where I find a philosophy that closely mirrors mine. I see that some of traits mentioned are natural for me and a few I have to work on.
I congratulate you on a very well written blog (article); one that I’ll be proud to refer to my kindred friends.
Ed
Aaron,
I have to agree with what Ed said. It’s truly a great article, and I am spreading it out to everyone I know. Good job!
Excellent. Off to go link it on WW.
Great observations, I enjoyed the blog.
Cool. Thanks for the insight. “It’s been said, even, that character is what we are when no one is looking.” – outrageous but true.
Aaron,
Fantastic stuff. Timeless and timely. I’ll add a link on my blog, because I think folks in my biz, local television news, could use a refresher on engaging people. We’ve been taught for so long (entire careers for some) that we do our thing, and the audience will always be there. It’s not anymore. You need, as you suggest, to offer something to people.
Thanks again for sharing your insight.
Mark
To quote the great philosopher Bono: “This is just f*cking brilliant.”
Mark: Thank you, sir.
Andrew: That is why I love Bono.
Great observation! Good stuff, Aaron.
Great points, I agree completely.
I made it through the whole article and it was very informative. I am pretty energized by it and look forward to your keynote at IZEAFest. You really took your time and crafted a well thought out article with some great points. I have yet to read Dale Carnegie’s book, I started once but didn’t get too far, I think it is time to try again.
This is a very insightful paragraph:
“To be an influencer, you’re going to have to balance that self brand, personal marketing for the sake of being known with providing absolute, unquestioned value to the greater community. Carrying the mantle of an influencer means being a celebrity for the community. It means always giving of yourself so that the rest of the crowd benefits. It’s almost self-sacrificial, flying in the face of personal brand or celebrity.”
This phenomenon is due to human biology and social habits, every day our actions and thoughts are derived from others around and before us. Intellectuals are followers of previous intellectuals and commoners are followers of popular figures. However, one cannot say that we are brainless, but rather we belong to a massive network making up an overall societal “mind”. We never truly die, we each have significant effects on society that ripple and cascade endlessly.
Well done! I have been writing “traditionally” for some time and just recently joined the social media world. It can get a bit disheartening for those new to the scene to feel that they are competing with someone with 3,000 followers. Thank you for helping put all of this into perspective in a sound, academic article. I will certainly be sharing this with others.